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Research and Innovation
Published October 6, 2025 | Version v2
Software Restricted

RevitWoodLCC Plugin

Authors/Creators

  • 1. ROR icon InnoRenew CoE
  • 2. ROR icon University of Primorska

Contributors

  • 1. InnoRenew CoE
  • 2. ROR icon University of Primorska
  • 3. ROR icon Lund University
  • 4. ROR icon University of Göttingen
  • 5. ROR icon Tallinn University of Technology
  • 6. Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research
  • 7. Holzforschung Austria
  • 8. Thünen-Institut für Holzforschung

Description

Description

The BIM-Based Service Life Estimation (SLE) Plugin is a custom Revit plugin developed to integrate service life prediction of wood construction elements directly into Building Information Modeling (BIM) workflows. It provides architects, engineers, and construction professionals with data-driven insights into wood durability, enabling optimized lifecycle management and maintenance planning.

Project Background

This plugin was developed as part of the WoodLCC Project (Life Cycle Costing: Optimizing the Lifetime Performance of Timber Buildings), an initiative funded by ForestValue. The WoodLCC Project focuses on advancing service life estimation (SLE) and life cycle costing (LCC) methodologies to enhance the sustainability and durability of timber buildings.
For more details on the WoodLCC Project, visit: ForestValue - WoodLCC.

Key Features

✔ Service Life Estimation – Predicts the lifespan of wood elements based on material properties, environmental conditions, and exposure factors.
✔ ISO 15686-4 Compliance – Implements standardized durability models for accurate and industry-aligned predictions.
✔ IFC Schema Extension – Introduces custom property sets (e.g., MaterialWoodTreatment_Pset, ServiceLifeDurationData_Pset) for seamless interoperability with BIM platforms.
✔ 3D Visualization – Displays color-coded service life results within Revit for intuitive design assessment.
✔ Automated Data Integration – Uses JSON serialization and Revit API to handle environmental and material-specific data.
✔ Lifecycle Optimization – Supports cost planning, maintenance scheduling, and sustainable decision-making.

Technical Details

  • Programming Language: C#
  • Framework: .NET 4.8.1
  • BIM Software: Autodesk Revit
  • Standards Used: ISO 15686-4, IFC4
  • Data Handling: JSON-based material and environmental data integration

Use Case

The plugin was validated through a case study on a wooden playhouse, demonstrating its capability to model service life variations based on design modifications, environmental exposure, and material treatments. By integrating service life estimation into BIM, this tool bridges a critical gap in durability prediction for wood construction projects.

Funding & Acknowledgment

This work was developed under the WoodLCC Project, funded by ForestValue. The project aims to optimize lifetime performance and life cycle costs for timber buildings by integrating advanced service life prediction models into BIM workflows.

Files

Restricted

The record is publicly accessible, but files are restricted to users with access.

Additional details

Funding

European Commission
ForestValue - ForestValue - Innovating forest-based bioeconomy 773324

Dates

Updated
2025-10-06

Software

Repository URL
https://github.com/richacquah1/RevitWoodLCC
Programming language
C#
Development Status
Active

References

  • Thelandersson, S., Isaksson, T., Frühwald, E., & Suttie, E. (2011). Service life of wood in outdoor above ground applications - engineering design guideline. Structural Engineering, Lund University. https://portal.research.lu.se/files/3434799/1982177.pdf
  • Isaksson, Tord, Sven Thelandersson, Annika Ekstrand-Tobin and Pernilla Johansson. "Critical conditions for onset of mould growth under varying climate conditions." Building and Environment 45 (2010): 1712-1721. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2010.01.023
  • Niklewski, J., Isaksson, T., Frühwald Hansson, E. and Thelandersson, S., 2018. Moisture conditions of rain-exposed glue-laminated timber members: the effect of different detailing. Wood Material Science & Engineering, 13(2), pp.129-140. https://doi.org/10.1080/17480272.2017.1384758
  • Niklewski, J., Sandak, J., van Niekerk, P. B., Brischke, C., Acquah, R., & Sandak, A. (2023). Simplified environmental analysis of the long-term performance of wood cladding and decking. Proceedings of the World Conference on Timber Engineering (WCTE 2023), Oslo. DOI: https://doi.org/10.52202/069179-0075
  • van Niekerk, P.B., Brischke, C. and Niklewski, J., 2021. Estimating the service life of timber structures concerning risk and influence of fungal decay—A review of existing theory and modelling approaches. Forests, 12(5), p.588. https://doi.org/10.3390/f12050588
  • Suttie, E., Brischke, C., Hansson, E.F., Fortino, S., Sandak, J., Kutnik, M., Alfredsen, G., Lucas, C. and Vieillemard, E., 2020, October. Performance Based Specification of Wood: Project CLICKdesign. In 15th International Conference on Durability of Building Materials and Components, DBMC 2020 (pp. 457-464). International Center for Numerical Methods in Engineering (CIMNE). https://doi.org/10.23967/dbmc.2020.107
  • Brischke, C., Bayerbach, R. and Rapp, A.O., 2006. Decay-influencing factors: A basis for service life prediction of wood and wood-based products. Wood Material Science & Engineering, 1(2), pp.91-107. https://doi.org/10.1080/17480270601019658
  • Brischke, C. and Thelandersson, S., 2014. Modelling the outdoor performance of wood products - A review on existing approaches. Construction and Building Materials, 66, pp. 384-397. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2014.05.087
  • Isaksson, T. and Thelandersson, S., 2013. Experimental investigation on the effect of detail design on wood moisture content in outdoor above ground applications. Building and Environment, 59, pp.239-249. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2012.08.023