Modeling Walls Doors and Windows TRNC02889-1-0002

Practice Workbook
This workbook is designed for use in Live instructor-led training and for OnDemand selfstudy.
The explanations and demonstrations are provided by the instructor in the classroom, or in the OnDemand
eLectures of this course available on the Bentley LEARN Server (learn.bentley.com).
This practice workbook is formatted for on-screen viewing using a PDF reader.
It is also available as a PDF document in the dataset for this course.
BIM QuickStart A101:
Modeling Walls, Doors and Windows
AECOsim Building Designer CONNECT Edition

This hands-on workbook contains exercises for getting started with Bentley’s BIM solution, AECOsim Building
Designer. The student will create a new project WorkSet with a project Floor and Grid System, and then learn
the basic modeling techniques for modeling walls, doors and windows to create the exterior of a small
commercial building.
TRNC02889-1/0002
DO NOT DISTRIBUTE - Printing for student use is permitted

Description and Objectives
Course Description
This course is the first in a series of classes that are part of the QuickStart for Architects Using AECOsim Building Designer CONNECT
Edition.
This hands-on workbook contains exercises for getting started with Bentley’s BIM solution, AECOsim Building Designer. The student will
create a new project WorkSet with a project Floor and Grid System, and then learn the basic modeling techniques for modeling walls, doors
and windows to create the exterior of a small commercial building.
Learning Objectives
Upon successful completion of this course you will be able to…
 Set up a new project WorkSet
 Modify the Floor and Grid System for a project WorkSet
 Place and modify Walls
 Place and modify objects, such as Doors and Windows
Copyright © 2017 Bentley Systems, Incorporated DO NOT DISTRIBUTE - Printing for student use is permitted 2
The WorkSpace and WorkSet
Upon starting up AECOsim building Designer you will find that you need to select a WorkSpace and a WorkSet.
Every file created should belong to a WorkSet, basically a set of files and folders that all belong to the same project. Creating a new WorkSet
creates a set of folders that contain and define the files and standards for that project.
Every WorkSet will belong to a WorkSpace that defines common standards for all the projects in that WorkSpace. In a small organization
there may be a single WorkSpace for all projects or WorkSets. In larger organizations the WorkSpace may define the standards of a particular
building type or client.
For the Purpose of the QuickStart for Architects Training you will use the delivered example WorkSpace, AECOsimExamples, and create a
new WorkSet for the training project.
Exercise 01: Creating a New WorkSet and Model File
Upon successful completion of this exercise, you will be able to create a new WorkSet and model files in order to start modeling a building
project.
1. Start AECOsim Building Designer from the desktop shortcut.

Note that the Welcome screen has links to Examples, Learning videos, and News and
Announcements.
2. From the right of the screen select Start a work Session.
a. Set the WorkSpace to AECOsim Examples.

b. From the WorkSet pull down, select + Create WorkSet...
c. Create a Name and Description for the new WorkSet.
d. Select the Template, TrainingTemplate_US [TrainingTemplate_Metric].
Note: There is a BuildingTemplate_XX that matches each Regional Dataset.
Note: You may also set the location for the WorkSet folders from Create WorkSet dialog. For this training you will use the default location:
C:\ProgramData\Bentley\AECOsim CONNECT Edition\Configuration\Workspaces\AECOsimExamples\WorkSets\[Workset Name].
Note: You may also connect the WorkSet to a CONNECTED Project. See the Learning Path CONNECT Workflows for AECOsim Users for
more information.
e. Select OK.
3.Select New File.
a. Click Browse to select the Seed File.
Delivered Seed Files include:
designseed.dgn - 3D Model
drawingseed.dgn - 2D Drawing Model
sheetseed.dgn - Sheet Model
Hint: It is standard practice to customize the delivered seed files in order to set up your own company standard seed files.
b. Select designseed.dgn.
c. Name the new file A_Floor Lobby.dgn.
d. Open A_Floor Lobby.dgn.
Reviewing the Main Application Interface and the Backstage View
Take a few minutes to review the interface, including the ribbon and the various names of the interface components.
4. From the ribbon interface, click the File tab.
The BackStage view opens.The Backstage view now lists the newly created file
and will eventually include recently opened files. The left side of the backstage
screen is a File menu including tools such as New, Save As, Save Settings,
Tools, Utilities, Settings, Properties, Print, Export, etc. On the right are
buttons for file list options: Show Details and Show Thumbnails.
5. Hover the cursor over the file details and right-click.

A pop-menu opens with the options: Open, Open as readonly, Pin to list,
Remove from list and Open Folder in File Explorer.
6. From the pop-up menu select Open Folder in File Explorer.
An explorer window will open to the folder location of the file.
Hint: This feature allows quick access to the folder location of the project.
7. Click back in the AECOsim Building Designer Backstage view and press the
Escape keyboard key to return to the main application view.
The Federated Project
Now that you have set up a new project WorkSet, it is important to
understand that AECOsim Building Designer uses a federated
approach to the building model. This means you will create several
different models, known as the working models, these will be
referenced together to create a discipline model, and that will
ultimately be referenced with other discipline models to create the
final building model. This model will be used to create the drawings.
This is an important concept to grasp….Reference based

collaboration has long been used to avoid bottlenecks, and maintain
collaboration and robust performance across project teams. Users
work in an environment where they are aware of the constantly
changing project context, never in isolation. This has always been
true in the 2D world of CAD and it is still true in a Federated BIM
project.
Models are broken down first by discipline and then, as necessary,

by each discipline to simplify the modeling effort, give multiple team
members access to the model, and even to efficiently avoid
modeling repetitive portions of the building such as typical floors.
This is all then simply referenced together to create the Master

Model.
Therefore, the first step will be to create a Floor and Grid System for
the project that will help you keep the various model files aligned in
3D space.
Exercise 02: The Floor System
Upon successful completion of this exercise, you will be able to modify the settings for the Floor System to match the floors of a specific
project. Once Floors are created for a project they can be used as a modeling aid while working in the 3D model.
1. From the Architectural ribbon select the Floor Manager.
The Floor Manager dialog will open.
a. Expand the Bldg 1 to show the Floors.

b. Use the Add Floor icon to add one more floor and change the name to ROOF. The Floor -to-Floor should default to 14:0 [4200 mm].
c. Use the Add Reference Plane icon to add a reference plane to the ROOF floor and change the name to PARAPET.
d. Change the Floor-to-Floor to 3:0 [1000 mm]. This is the distance between the Reference Plane and the Floor.
e. Apply the changes and Close the Floor Manager.
2. From the Architectural ribbon select the Floor Selector.
3. The Floor Selector dialog will open and dock at the bottom of the interface.
a. Set the Active Floor to the different floors available.
Note that the ACS Triad changes its vertical location based on the Floor Selector. This indicates the ACS plane for modeling. In addition,
the ACS Plane and ACS Snap Plane are toggled to the locked position, this will be the default whenever a floor is selected from the Floor
Selector. Locking the ACS Plane and the ACS Snap Plane means the elements you model will be placed on the active ACS plane or Floor..
Exercise 03: The Grid System
Upon successful completion of this exercise, you will be able to set up a structural grid. Once a Grid System is created for a project it can be
used as a modeling aid and to automatically create properly labeled grid lines on the drawings for floor plans, elevations, sections and details.
1. Open the Grid Systems dialog by selecting the Grid Systems Manager icon on the Floor Selector.
Grid Systems functionality offers a column grids utility in which a building can have multiple grids in transient Grid Systems (orthogonal, radial
and Sketch grids) applied to specific floors or ranges of floors. The Grid Systems dialog contains settings for adding, copying and removing
grids, inserting grid lines, manipulating grid line spacing, rotating grids, and setting grid line symbology and other preferences. Additionally,
you can manage Sketch grids in transient working environment mode and create, manipulate sketch grid lines which do not restrict the
traditional definition of either orthogonal or radial grid systems.
A basic Grid System using an orthogonal grid has already been set up in the Training Template. The Grid is defined in the upper half of the
dialog along with the Rotation, and association to a particular Building and range of floors defined by the Start Floor and End Floor. You will
simply modify the range of floors to include the ROOF and PARAPET floor that were added in the last exercise.
The spacing between the horizontal and vertical grid lines is defined in the lower half of the dialog.
a. Select the BuildingGrid and change the End Floor to ROOF>PARAPET.
2. Select OK.
Note: Create/Update Grid Models creates a physical model of the grid for each floor of the building at the correct ACS plane. This is
legacy functionality that is no longer required.
Organizing the Model
The next step is to decide how to organize the working models for the project.
The first decision is will it be a single model – everything modeled in a single file, or a federated model that takes advantage of powerful
referencing capabilities and references numerous smaller models together to create the building model. This will be determined by the size
and complexity of the project, as well as the current design phase. It is not at all unusual to start out with a single model in a conceptual design
phase and break it apart into more models as the design effort progresses.
Also, consider the project team. Which disciplines will contribute to the model? Each of their models will need to be separate and be
referenced into the overall BIM model. Also, how many team members need to work on the model. You need to break the model down into
enough files that each team member has at least one file to work in.
And finally, you should think about the design itself. What is likely to change in the design? Is there a roof top element being studied with
numerous alternates? Make that a separate file so it can be easily switched in and out.
Once the model organization is determined, and keep in mind a good model organization is flexible enough to allow changes to the
organization as the design progresses, the next step is to consider what is to be output from the model. Drawings? Schedules? Quantities?
Clash Detection? Renderings? The output determines what you will model and how much data will be included. In the early design phases of
a project the data will be minimal, the focus will be on the actual geometry, additional data will be added as the model progresses.
For the QuickStart project you will start by creating models for the three floors of the building and modeling the exterior walls, doors and
windows.
Model - Modify - Manage

When modeling you want to Model, Modify and Manage. Try to avoid deleting elements and remodeling. Every time you delete an object
from the model the data on that object is lost.
Model – Get an object in the model, even if what you model is only a placeholder for something that will be better defined later in the
design process.
Modify - Rather than deleting and remodeling, modify and update items already in the model, that way you preserve the data that is
already on the item.
Manage - Learn to manage the data on the model efficiently. Set up the DataGroup catalogs, so that you pre-populate data wherever you
can. Use multiple selection sets to change the data once it is on the model.
Exercise 04: Placing Walls
Upon successful completion of this exercise, you will be able to place walls using the Place Wall tool.
1. Set the Active Floor to Bldg 1 > LOBBY FLOOR.
The Building Grid should now be displayed in the model at the Floor Lobby floor plane.
Place Holders
In the early stages of modeling you will often model items simply to get the geometry in the model, knowing that you will later modify that item
with different properties and characteristics. These are known as Place Holders.You will start by modeling the exterior wall of the building with
a “default” or generic wall. This simply allows you to define the perimeter of the building. Later you will replace that wall with another more
defined wall built up of layers and materials.
2. Select the Place Wall tool from the Architectural ribbon.
Catalog Item: *Default Exterior Wall*
Width: 0:6 [150 mm]
Height: 15:0 [4500 mm]
a. On the Place ribbon set the following placement options.

Place By: Line, Placement: Right Justify
Side Offset: 0:8 [200 mm] Direction: Left
Placement Options: Close Wall, Auto Connect
a. Set the Default Snaps to Multi‐snap 1 and toggle On AccuSnap.
b. Starting at column position A1 place the wall by snapping to the intersection of the grid and going around the perimeter of the building
in a clockwise direction.
c. Reset (Right-Click) to finish.
Next you will define the building entry.
3. Select the Place Wall tool from the Architectural ribbon.

Catalog Item: *Example | Default
Width: 0:6 [150 mm]
Height: 15:0 [4500 mm]
On the Place ribbon set the following placement options:
a. Working in the Top view and starting at column position C/1 place the wall by snapping to the intersection of the grids, use the T
shortcut key-in to rotate the AccuDraw compass to Top,
b. Move the cursor in the negative Y-direction, type in 4:0 [1200 mm], left-click to place a data point,
c. Move the cursor in the negative X-direction, press Enter to lock the axis, snap to column line B, left-click to place a data-point,
d. Move the cursor in the positive Y-direction and snap to the intersection of grid line B and grid line 1.
e. Reset (Right-click) to finish.

4. Close the Place Wall dialog.
Exercise 05: Wall Clean-Up
Upon successful completion of this exercise, you will be able to break and join walls and connect one wall to another.
1. Select the Break Wall tool from the Modify ribbon.
a. Select a start point and end point for the break.
2. Select the Connect Walls tool from the Modify ribbon.
a. Select Connect Forms as L (Bisector)
b. Select the first wall (the portion that you want to keep).
c. Select the second wall.
Exercise 06: Modifying the Wall Type
Upon successful completion of this exercise you will be able to replace on wall type with a model of another wall type.
1. Select all the walls.

2. Select the Modify Properties tool from the Modify ribbon.
3. On the Change Wall Type dialog change the wall type to *Example |
Brick + ||+ Gyp .
Changing the DataGroup Catalog Item will cause the Change Type dialog
to open.
a. In the Change Type dialog accept all the new values,
except the value for Height. For Height select the old
value, 15:0 [4500 mm].
b. Select OK.
c. Data-point in the view to accept.
Exercise 07: Placing Doors
Upon successful completion of this exercise, you will be able to place a door in a wall using the Place Door tool.
1. Continue working in the file A_Floor Lobby.dgn.

2. Set the ACS plane for modeling by using the Floor Selector.
a. Set the Active Floor to Bldg 1 > LOBBY FLOOR.
The Building Grid should now be displayed in the model at the LOBBY FLOOR floor plane.
Note: the ACS Plane and ACS Snap Plane are toggled to the locked position, this will be the default whenever a floor is selected from the
Floor Selector. Locking the ACS Plane and the ACS Snap Plane means the elements you model will be placed on the ACS plane, Floor
Lobby, or the ground floor, in this case.
3. Select Place Door tool from the Architectural ribbon.
a. Select a Door Catalog Item from the pull-down.
Catalog Item: *Example | FullGlass_Double
b. In the Preview window select the placement origin for the door.
a. On the Preferences tab, set the Front Offset and the Sense Distance.
Front Offset: 0:2 [50 mm]
Sense Distance: 1:4 [300 mm]
The Front Offset defines a distance that the door frame will be recessed or
offset form the front face of the wall. The Sense Distance is the distance
from the front face of the wall that wall layers will be cut by the door
perforator.
b. On the Door Parameters tab, set the door dimensions.
Width: 7:0 [2000 mm]
Height: 10:0 [3000 mm]
c. If desired, set the Frame Depth so that it will match the thickness of the wall.
Dimension | Frame Depth Match Wall: ✔
d. On the Identification tab, input a door Number and/or Door Type for the
door.
ID |TypeID: D1
ID |ItemID: 001
e. Place the door by selecting the wall, selecting a placement point at the center
of the wall and selecting a third point to indicate the direction of the swing. The
door is placed.
Exercise 08: Placing Windows
Upon successful completion of this exercise, you will be able to place a window in a wall using the Place Window tool.

Note: the ACS Plane and ACS Snap Plane are toggled to the locked position, this will be the default whenever a floor is selected from the
Floor Selector. Locking the ACS Plane and the ACS Snap Plane means the elements you model will be placed on the ACS plane, Floor 1,
or the ground floor, in this case.
3. Select the Place Window tool from the Architectural ribbon.
a. Select a window catalog item from the pull-down.
Catalog Item: *Example | Fixed
b. In the Preview window select the placement origin for the window.
Note: The window can be placed from either the head or the sill. The
selection will affect the Sill/Head Height setting below.
a. On the Preferences tab, set the offset behind the front face of the wall.
Front Offset: 0:2 [50 mm]
b. Set the Sense Distance, this is the distance from the front face of the
window that wall layers will be cut by the window perforator.
c. Set either the side Offset, this will be the distance from a the placement
point selected in the model and the origin of the window.
Side Offset: 2:0 [600 mm]
d. Set either the sill or head height based on the origin selected for the cell.
This will be the distance above the active floor level.
Sill/Head Height: 2:0 [600 mm]
e. On the Window Parameters tab, set the window dimensions.
Dimension | Frame Width: 4:0 [1200 mm]
Dimension | Frame Height: 8:0 [2400 mm]
f. If desired, set the Frame Depth so that it will match the thickness of the wall.
Dimension | Frame Depth Match Wall: ✔
g. On the Identification tab, input a Window Type for the window.

ID |TypeID: W1
4. Place the window by selecting the exterior brick wall, selecting a placement
point along the wall and selecting a third point to indicate the direction of the
exterior.
The window is placed.
Exercise 09: Placing CurtainWall Panels
Upon successful completion of this exercise, you will be able to place curtainwall panels in a wall using the Object tool.

b. Press Shift-CTRL-Right to activate the Display screen menu.

c. Select the Back-Right Iso view to rotate the model to the back.
3. Select the Object tool from the Architectural ribbon.
a. Select the Curtain Wall as the Catalog Type
b. Select a Curtain Wall catalog item from the pull-down.
Catalog Item: *Example | CW‐01 Glass+Spandrel‐Center Bays
c. In the Preview window select the placement origin for the Curtain Wall.
a. On the Preferences tab, set the Sense Distance, this is the distance from the
front face of the panel that wall layers will be cut by the perforator.
b. On the Curtain Wall tab, set the overall dimensions.
Frame | Width: 15:0 [4500 mm]
Frame | Height: 15:0 [4500 mm]
c. Set the Frame Depth so that it will match the thickness of the wall.
Frame | Depth: 1:0 5/8 [290 mm]
d. Set the vertical spacing for the center mullions

Mullion | Vertical Spacing: 3:0 [900mm]
e. On the parametric Definition tab, set additional parametric definitions.

FrameExtension: 0:1 [25 mm]
GassHeight: 10:0 [3000 mm]
MullionCount: 3
4. Place the panel by selecting the exterior brick wall, selecting a placement point
along the at the grid line and selecting a third point to indicate the direction of
the exterior.
The Curtain Wall panel is placed.
Exercise 10: Copy and Modify
Upon successful completion of this exercise, you will be able to efficiently create new geometry by copying and modifying geometry
previously modeled.
1. Use File > Save As to make a copy of the current file, A_Floor Lobby.dgn and name it A_Floor Office 1.dgn.
2. Change the Floor Selector to the first office floor, OFFICE FLOOR 1.
3. Select all the walls, doors and windows.
a. Right-press and select Move.
b. Left-click to select an origin point at the bottom of one of the walls.
c. Use the shortcut key-in F to rotate the AccuDraw compass to the front
orientation.
d. Move the cursor in the vertical direction, <Enter> to lock the axis.
e. Snap your cursor to one of the grid lines.
f. Left-click to accept.
Since OFFICE FLOOR 1 has a floor to floor height of 14:0 [3500 mm] rather than 15:0
[4000 mm], you will modify the heights of the walls just copied by subtracting 1:0 [500
mm] from the height of the wall.
4. Select Modify Wall tool from the Modify ribbon.
a. Select Modify the Height of a Form.
Method: Add Distance
Mode: Relative
Distance: ‐1:0 [-300 mm].
b. Turn on Graphic Group Lock, so that you can modify all the layers of the wall
together.
c. Select each of the walls at OFICE FLOOR 1, to decrease the height of all the
layers by 1:0 [500 mm].
5. Delete the door at OFFICE FLOOR 1.
6. Right-Press on each of the Curtain Wall panels, select Modify, and change the Frame Height to 14:0 [4200 mm].
7. Use File > Save As to make a copy of the current file, A_Floor Office 1.dgn and name it A_Floor Office 2.dgn.
8. Change the Floor Selector to the second office floor, OFFICE FLOOR 2.
9. Select all the walls, doors and windows.
a. Right-Press and select Move and move the selection up to OFFICE FLOOR 2.
On this floor you will modify the Brick wall, and change it to a metal stud and metal panel system.
10. Select all the walls on OFFICE FLOOR 2.

11. Select Modify Properties tool from the Modify ribbon.
12. On the Change Wall Type dialog change the wall type to *Example | MTLPanel+Gyp.
a. In the Change Type dialog accept all the new values, except
the value for Height. For Height select the old value, 14:0 [4200
mm].
b. Select OK.
c. Data-point in the view to accept.
Exercise 11: Referencing
Upon successful completion of this exercise, you will be able to reference one working model to another for context while working on the
models.
1. From the References pull-down select Attach Reference..
a. Using the <Ctrl> key select both A_Floor Lobby.dgn and A_Floor Office 1.dgn.

b. Select Open.
c. On the reference Attachment dialog set as shown here:
Note: The Ignore when Live Nesting option ensures that this
reference will not become part of the nested reference tree for
the Master Model. It is referenced here for coordination only.
d. Select OK.
e. Repeat the same reference Attachment Properties for
A_Floor Office 1.dgn.
Exercise 12: Placing a Profile
Upon successful completion of this exercise you will be able to add additional detail to the model using the Place Profile tool to place a linear
profile form.
1. Open file A_Floor Office 1.dgn.

2. Set the Active Floor to Bldg 1 > OFFICE FLOOR 2
3. .Select the Place Profile tool from the Architectural ribbon.
Catalog Item: *Example | Metal Cornice Bullnose
a. Place the cornice by tracing the outside face of the top brick wall.
Challenge Exercise
1. Continue placing doors and windows to complete your design for the building facade. Once an object is placed it can be moved, copied,
mirrored and rotated using MicroStation commands on the right-press context menu.

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Practice Workbook

BIM QuickStart A101:

Modeling Walls, Doors and Windows

AECOsim Building Designer CONNECT Edition

DO NOT DISTRIBUTE - Printing for student use is permitted

 Set up a new project WorkSet

 Modify the Floor and Grid System for a project WorkSet

 Place and modify Walls

 Place and modify objects, such as Doors and Windows

1. Start AECOsim Building Designer from the desktop shortcut.

2. From the right of the screen select Start a work Session.

a. Set the WorkSpace to AECOsim Examples.

a. Click Browse to select the Seed File.

Delivered Seed Files include:

5. Hover the cursor over the file details and right-click.

This is an important concept to grasp….Reference based

Models are broken down first by discipline and then, as necessary,

This is all then simply referenced together to create the Master

1. From the Architectural ribbon select the Floor Manager.

The Floor Manager dialog will open.

a. Expand the Bldg 1 to show the Floors.

Model - Modify - Manage

1. Set the Active Floor to Bldg 1 > LOBBY FLOOR.

Width: 0:6 [150 mm]

Height: 15:0 [4500 mm]

a. On the Place ribbon set the following placement options.

Side Offset: 0:8 [200 mm] Direction: Left

Placement Options: Close Wall, Auto Connect

a. Set the Default Snaps to Multi‐snap 1 and toggle On AccuSnap.

Next you will define the building entry.

3. Select the Place Wall tool from the Architectural ribbon.

Width: 0:6 [150 mm]

Height: 15:0 [4500 mm]

On the Place ribbon set the following placement options:

e. Reset (Right-click) to finish.

1. Select the Break Wall tool from the Modify ribbon.

a. Select a start point and end point for the break.

1. Select all the walls.

1. Continue working in the file A_Floor Lobby.dgn.

Sense Distance: 1:4 [300 mm]

Height: 10:0 [3000 mm]

1. Continue working in the file A_Floor Lobby.dgn.

Sense Distance: 1:4 [400 mm]

Side Offset: 2:0 [600 mm]

Dimension | Frame Height: 8:0 [2400 mm]

g. On the Identification tab, input a Window Type for the window.

The window is placed.

1. Continue working in the file A_Floor Lobby.dgn.

b. Press Shift-CTRL-Right to activate the Display screen menu.

Frame | Height: 15:0 [4500 mm]

d. Set the vertical spacing for the center mullions

e. On the parametric Definition tab, set additional parametric definitions.

GassHeight: 10:0 [3000 mm]

4. Select Modify Wall tool from the Modify ribbon.

Distance: ‐1:0 [-300 mm].

10. Select all the walls on OFFICE FLOOR 2.

1. From the References pull-down select Attach Reference..

a. Using the <Ctrl> key select both A_Floor Lobby.dgn and A_Floor Office 1.dgn.

1. Open file A_Floor Office 1.dgn.

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