A shortcut to this online help page.

Automatically creates Parameters within the project to store PHPP specific information.

Automatically creates 3D Views & Schedules within the project for easy analysis and modification of the relevant PHPP data.

Automatically loads the Linear Thermal Bridge Family Object into the project ready to use.

Parameters will have the prefix ‘PHPP’ for easy identification and are grouped under ‘Energy Analysis.’

Parameters will be created within ‘Project Information’, as well as for Floors, Walls, Ceilings, Roofs, Doors, Windows, and Room elements.

3D Views and Schedules will have the prefix ‘PH Live Sync’.

Allows you to select the PHPP file that you would like to Sync with.

Once a PHPP file is selected, PH Live Sync will perform an initial sync and any existing data within the Areas, Windows, and Shading worksheets within the PHPP file will be overwritten with the current BIM data.

Some cells within the PHPP that should no longer be updated within PHPP will be colour coded and locked so that they can only be updated by changing the BIM and re-syncing. (Examples: Floor areas, or Window quantities, or a Wall’s Deviation from North.)

The File Name and Path will be stored in the Project Information within the new parameter ‘PHPP File’ for reference.

Pushes the BIM data to the PHPP file.

PH Live Sync will overwrite any existing data in the Areas, Windows, and Shading Worksheets of the PHPP with the current BIM data.

Pulls data from the PHPP file into the BIM.

Any values changed in the Areas, Windows, and Shading worksheets of the PHPP file are updated to the relevant PHPP parameters within the BIM.

Undo the last Push to the PHPP file.

The PHPP file will be restored from a backup file that was automatically created before the last Push completed.

A shortcut to the online library of family objects that have been designed for easy use with PH Live Sync.

Opens the Licensing information for using PH Live Sync.

Elements that form part of the Thermal Envelope of the building should be synced with the PHPP by checking the ‘PHPP Sync’ checkbox parameter.

Elements that are not checked will be ignored by PH Live Sync. As an example, you would not check internal walls as they do not form part of the Thermal Envelope.

You can use the automatically created ‘PH Live Sync – Synced Elements’ 3D view to easily see what elements have and have not been set to sync with the PHPP.

When creating walls, you are free to create them by drawing in either a clockwise or anti-clockwise direction. You can also duplicate them, mirror them, or otherwise manipulate them as desired.

Please note that you will need to set the ‘Wall Joins’ of the walls that form the Thermal Envelope to ‘Mitered’ so that Revit correctly calculates the entire wall area and does not subtract the thickness of the adjacent connected wall.

If you forget to miter the wall joins, PH Live Sync will warn you and offer to automatically change the wall joins to mitered for you.

Please also note that the wall area Revit displays for walls are always taken from the ‘Exterior Side’ of the wall and are net areas, with the areas of any cut outs for doors or windows subtracted.

Because the PHPP requires gross wall areas, PH Live Sync will calculate the gross wall area for you by adding the areas of any doors or windows to the net wall area calculated by Revit.

The bottom of the wall should extend down through the thickness of the Floor that forms the bottom of the Thermal Envelope, and the top of the wall should also extend through the thickness of the Ceiling or Roof element that forms the top of the Thermal Envelope so that the surfaces that determine the areas meet with each other.

Once the walls are created, the appropriate values for the PHPP parameters can be entered, these include:

• Building assembly description. (If left blank, a default name will be created based on the Wall’s ID number in Revit.)
• Group number. (If left blank, the default value of ‘8’ will be applied for an ‘Exterior Wall – Ambient’.)
• EnerPHit exemption for U-value.
• Reduction factor shading.
• Exterior absorptivity.
• Exterior emissivity.

Once the walls have been synced to the PHPP, these values can be changed in the PHPP to update the parameter values in the Revit Model by clicking the ‘Pull Data from PHPP’ button. Generally, it is more efficient to enter values directly in the PHPP after the Revit Model has first been synced with the PHPP, as multiple values can be entered and copied from cell to cell more quickly in the PHPP.

The following parameters are locked in Revit and can only be updated within the PHPP as they require specific values to be chosen:

• Selection building assembly / Building system.
• Selection building element.

The following values will be calculated by PH Live Sync and entered into the PHPP automatically:

• Quantity.* (This will always be 1 as each element is entered individually by PH Live Sync in the PHPP.)
• Area.*
• Angle of Inclination from the Horizontal.*
• Deviation from North.*

* These cells in the PHPP will be locked by PH Live Sync so that they can’t be changed, as they should only be updated in the Revit Model and then updated in PHPP by clicking the ‘Push Data to PHPP’ button.

Floors that form part of the Thermal Envelope should be drawn so that their perimeter extends to the exterior lines of the walls so that the surfaces that determine the areas meet with each other.

Once the floors are created, the appropriate values for the PHPP parameters can be entered, similar to walls.

If the ‘Building assembly description’ is left blank, a default name will be created based on the Floor’s ID number.

If the’ Group number’ is left blank, the default value of ‘11’ will be applied for a ‘Floor Slab’.

Ceilings that form part of the Thermal Envelope should be drawn so that their perimeter extends to the exterior lines of the walls so that the surfaces that determine the areas meet with each other.

Once the ceilings are created, the appropriate values for the PHPP parameters can be entered, similar to walls.

If the ‘Building assembly description’ is left blank, a default name will be created based on the Ceiling’s ID number.

If the ‘Group number’ is left blank, the default value of ‘10’ will be applied for a ‘Roof/Ceiling – Ambient’.

Roofs that form part of the Thermal Envelope should be drawn so that their perimeter extends to the exterior lines of the walls so that the surfaces that determine the areas meet with each other.

Eaves or other similar roof overhangs that are not part of the Thermal Envelope need to be created as a separate roof elements so that their areas are kept distinct from other roofs elements that are part of the Thermal Envelope.

The roof element and its area will be synced to the PHPP as one entry for roofs types that pitch from one side only (i.e. skillion roofs) and the orientation to north will be calculated accordingly.

For roofs that pitch from more than one side (i.e. hipped roofs or gable roofs) the roof’s areas and orientation to north will be calculated separately for each roof surface and will be entered into the PHPP as ‘Roof 1 – Surface 1, Roof 1 – Surface 2’ etc.

Please also note that the areas Revit displays for roofs are always net areas, with the areas of any cut outs for roof windows/skylights subtracted. The PHPP requires gross roof areas, so PH Live Sync will calculate the gross roof area for you by adding the areas of any roof windows/skylights to the net roof area calculated by Revit.

Once the roofs are created, the appropriate values for the PHPP parameters can be entered, similar to walls.

If the ‘Building assembly description’ is left blank, a default name will be created based on the Roof’s ID number. If the ‘Group number’ is left blank, the default value of ‘10’ will be applied for a ‘Roof/Ceiling – Ambient’.

The roof surfaces ‘Angle of Inclination from the Horizontal’ will be calculated based on the pitch of the roof.

Any window or door family object can be used with PH Live Sync and the required PHPP parameters will be created for them when you click the ‘Initial Project Setup’ button, however it is recommended that you use the family objects specifically created for PH Live Sync for improved functionality. These can be downloaded here.

If you use family objects that have ‘Instance’ parameters for the width and height, you will have the ability to change the width and height values within the PHPP and the family object will flex accordingly in Revit when synced. (Family objects with their width and height assigned by ‘Type’ parameters are not able to be flexed.)

Separate window objects should be used and placed abutting each other when multi-pane windows are proposed so that the installation factor values can be correctly entered: “1” if the corresponding jamb has direct contact with the building envelope, and “0” if two windows are abutted symmetrically against each other. (See Page 105, 17.4 of the PHPP 9 Handbook or Page 123, 19.7.1 of the PHPP 10 Manual.)

Doors will be entered into the ‘Windows’ worksheet in the PHPP unless you have assigned a value to the ‘PHPP U-Value’ parameter, in which case they will be entered into the ‘Areas’ worksheet as an ‘Exterior Door.’

Where multiple doors are assigned a value to the ‘PHPP U-Value’ parameter, their areas will be combined as one total value in the PHPP and the average U-Value will be used* if they differ from door to door.

(*This is not best practice and should be avoided.)

The area/s of the door/s will be automatically subtracted from the wall/s they are hosted in by PH Live Sync and you will not need to use the ‘User subtraction’ column in the PHPP to manually subtract the area.

Once the windows and doors are created, the appropriate values for the PHPP parameters can be entered, these include:

• Description. (If left blank, a default name will be created based on the Window’s/Door’s ID number in Revit.)
• Installation situation. (Left, Right, Bottom, and Top)
• Comfort exemption.
• Height of shading object.#
• Horizontal distance.#
• Window reveal depth.#
• Distance glazing to reveal.#
• Overhang depth.#
• Distance glazing to overhang.#
• Additional reduction factor winter shading.
• Additional reduction factor summer shading.
• Reduction factor z for temporary sun protection.
• U-Value* (This parameter is assigned to door objects only. Leave blank for glazed doors or for certified doors where more detailed property information is available.)

Once the window have been synced to the PHPP, these values can be changed in the PHPP to update the parameter values in the Revit Model by clicking the ‘Pull Data from PHPP’ button. Generally, it is more efficient to enter values directly in the PHPP after the Revit Model has first been synced with the PHPP, as multiple values can be entered and copied from cell to cell more quickly in the PHPP.

# These values can be easily and accurately changed by moving the reference planes built-in to the PH Window Family Object.

The following parameters are locked in Revit and can only be updated within the PHPP as they require specific values to be chosen:

• Glazing.
• Frame.

The following values will be calculated by PH Live Sync and entered into the PHPP automatically:

• Quantity.* (This will always be 1 as each element is entered individually by PH Live Sync in the PHPP.)
• Width and Height. (Can be changed in the PHPP for Family Objects with Instance Parameters for Width and Height to flex the object in the Revit Model.)
• Installed in.*

* These cells in the PHPP will be locked by PH Live Sync so that they can’t be changed as they should only be updated in the Revit Model and then updated in PHPP by clicking the ‘Push Data to PHPP’ button

Any roof window/skylight family object can be used, though you must have the ‘Category’ of the family set to ‘Window.’ (Some roof window/skylight family objects are created as ‘Generic Model – Roof Based’ or similar, and therefore won’t have the required PHPP parameters applied to them and will be ignored by PH Live Sync if they are not categorised as windows.)

Roof windows/skylights that have ‘Instance’ parameters for the height and width will give you the ability to change the width and height values within the PHPP and the object will flex accordingly in Revit when synced. (Family objects with their width and height assigned by ‘Type’ parameters are not able to be flexed.)

Once the roof windows/skylights are created, the appropriate values for the PHPP parameters can be entered, similar to windows and doors.

If the ‘Description’ is left blank, a default name will be created based on the roof window’s/skylight’s ID number.

Use the Linear Thermal Bridge family object created specifically for PH Live Sync to trace the Linear Thermal Bridges in the Revit Model and then select their type, either ‘Ambient’ ‘Perimeter’ or ‘Floor Slab.’

Once the thermal bridges are created, the appropriate values for the PHPP parameters can be entered, these include:

• Thermal bridge – denomination. (If left blank, a default name will be created based on the Thermal Bridges ID number in Revit.)
• Psi.
• fRsi.

Once the Thermal Bridges have been synced to the PHPP, these values can be changed in the PHPP to update the parameter values in the Revit Model by clicking the ‘Pull Data from PHPP’ button. Generally, it is more efficient to enter values directly in the PHPP after the Revit Model has first been synced with the PHPP, as multiple values can be entered and copied from cell to cell more quickly in the PHPP

The following parameters are locked in Revit and can only be updated within the PHPP as they require specific values to be chosen:

• Selection building system.
• Detail selection.

The following values will be calculated by Revit to PHPP Live Sync and entered into the PHPP automatically:

• Group Number. (Based on the Family Type selected. Can be changed in the PHPP to update the Revit Model.)
• Quantity.* (This will always be 1 as each element is entered individually.)
• Length.*

* These cells in the PHPP will be locked by PH Live Sync so that they can’t be changed as they should only be updated in the Revit Model and then updated in PHPP by clicking the ‘Push Data to PHPP’ button.

The Projected Building Footprint is calculated by PH Live Sync by searching the Area Plans within the Revit Model for any Area called: “Projected Building Footprint” (This is not case sensitive.)

The Projected Building Footprint area can be drawn on any Area Plan within the Revit Model. If multiple separate Projected Building Footprint areas are present, then they will be combined into one total. (See Page 76, 14.8 of the PHPP Handbook.)

The Treated Floor Area is calculated by PH Live Sync by searching the Revit Model for any rooms that have their ‘PHPP TFA %’ parameter value greater than 0.

Most rooms within the Thermal Envelope will be set to 100 (ie. 100% of the room area taken into account) while others can be set to the required percentages based on the room use. (See Page 78, 14.9 of the PHPP Handbook.)

Click on the ‘Push Data to PHPP’ button to sync data from the BIM to the PHPP.

You can then manipulate the data in the PHPP as desired.

Click on the ‘Pull Data from PHPP’ button to sync data from the PHPP back to the BIM.

You can keep repeating the process of updating the BIM or the PHPP and keeping them synced as you make changes to either one.

Please note that PH Live Sync will automatically save the PHPP Excel File during syncing.

• Microsoft OneDrive users will need to have their PHPP file closed when syncing with PH Live Sync, as OneDrive blocks the file from being edited by PH Live Sync when it is open. Alternatively, save the PHPP file in a location outside of OneDrive.
• If a window, door or roof window/skylight family object is within a wall/roof that is part of the Thermal Envelope, and it has its ‘PHPP Sync’ parameter checked, PH Live Sync will automatically change the family object’s ‘PHPP Sync’ value to be checked also. (Otherwise the wall/roof area would not be calculated correctly.) A message dialog will be displayed to list the affected family objects. Conversely, if a wall/roof does not have its ‘PHPP Sync’ parameter checked but has one or more windows, doors or roof window/skylights hosted within it that do have their ‘PHPP Sync’ checked, PH Live Sync will automatically change the wall’s/roof’s ‘PHPP Sync’ value to be checked also. A message dialog will be displayed to list the affected wall/roof.
• If you are using your own family objects, please ensure that the ‘Width’ and ‘Height’ parameters of the Window, Door, or Roof Windows/Skylights you use match the actual width and height of the cut out (void form) to the host wall/roof opening or area calculations will be incorrect.
• If you are using your own family objects, having the ‘Width’ and ‘Height’ parameters set as ‘Instance’ types will allow you to edit their width and height within the PHPP, otherwise you can only updated them from the BIM.
• Walls are always assumed to be 90° inclination to the horizon. Floors are always assumed to be 180° inclination to the horizon. And Ceilings are always assumed to be 0° inclination to the horizon. A Roof inclination to the horizon will be based on the roof’s pitch.
• ‘Curtain Wall’ wall types are not supported at this time.
• Deleting objects (i.e. a wall or a window) should be done in Revit, as deleting objects from the PHPP by deleting the contents of an entire row in the PHPP will not work and will break the link between Revit and PHPP. (If you have done this mistakenly, you can simply click the ‘Push Data to PHPP’ button to sync the complete BIM data again.)
• If the number of elements in the BIM exceeds the default number of data entry rows in the PHPP, then PH Live Sync will advise you and you will need to add the additional rows required before you can continue syncing.