Routing conduit around ducts in a linked Revit model

Why the conduit moves

Ducts, pipes and structure usually sit in linked models that other teams own. Ducts are big and hard to move, and electrical is often modelled after mechanical and plumbing. So conduit gets the space that's left, and when a duct moves in a new revision, the conduit around it moves too.

Find the clashes

• On the Collaborate tab, in the Coordinate panel, open Interference Check. Put your conduit and conduit fittings on one side and the linked model's ducts on the other.
• Keep each check narrow: conduit against ducts, then against pipes, then against structure. Everything against everything gives a list nobody can work through.
• Make sure the link sits where it should before you trust the results. A link that's slightly off shows clashes that aren't real, and hides ones that are.
• Use Show to find each clash in a view, and export the report to keep track.

Route around them

Going over or under a duct takes two offsets, and each offset is two bends. That's four bends for one duct, each needing room for its elbow, and codes limit how much a run may bend between pull points.

It's often better to change the route further back, so it misses the duct altogether. If there's no reasonable way past, ask the mechanical team whether the duct can move.

Check again

Run the check after every change, because moving one run often puts it into the next pipe. When a new version of the link arrives, reload it and check again. The ducts will have moved too.