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Discover how the latest version of Revit can help you design, model, and document MEP systems with more efficiency and accuracy.
There are nearly 50 enhancements and features in the Revit 2025 release. Compared to other years, it’s on par. The initial release of 2024 had 44 and there were 64 in the initial 2023 release according to the Autodesk Help website. These numbers do not include any features or enhancements from the “point” releases of 2023 or 2024. I highly suggest visiting Autodesk Help to get the full list of features and enhancements.
Some, maybe most, may not agree with me, but I believe this release is quite lackluster. There really has not been any significant amount of MEP improvements in quite some time. Sure 2022 and 2023 added some much needed new (mostly MEP) categories but only the 2 from the 2023 release got ribbon buttons. Here we are in the 2025 release and those new categories from 2022 still do not have a ribbon button nor can we create a keyboard shortcut for them. Why is that, Autodesk?
New MEP Features
The Autodesk Help website has a Highlights or Core Features section to show you the new features they want you to focus on. These features have a lot of information, screenshots, links and sometimes videos. The link to these features also has an image of the feature. The next section is More Features. These features have less information still some still have an image of the feature. Some of the More Features, however, do not have an image of the feature and they usually have less information than the other features. Autodesk must feel these features are not worth the time to embellish them like the others. Aren’t all the features noteworthy and shouldn’t they get an ample information page? But alas, here is where you will find the 4 MEP specific features in this release, the bottom of the barrel so to speak. Those features are:
Single Phase Electrical Components
The use of Single-Phase electrical components is now supported by Electrical Loads and Distribution Systems which includes using them in both analytical and physical models.
Disable Mark Auto-generation
Autodesk has disabled the auto-generation of the following MEP categories: MEP Ancillary Framing, MEP Fabrication Stiffeners, Air Terminals, Mechanical Equipment, Duct Accessories, Electrical Equipment, Electrical Fixtures, Mechanical Control Devices, Lighting Fixtures, Pipe Accessories, Sprinklers, Plumbing Fixtures and Plumbing Equipment. For example, in Revit, once you’ve identified your VAV box as VAV-1, it won’t automatically assign the next value to the Mark parameter for any subsequent VAVs you place. Previously this automatic incrementation would stop when you stop using that specific family or start a different Revit command. That no longer happens in this version of Revit. Maybe this is yet another good reason to not use the Mark and Type Mark parameters. They still throw warnings when that information is duplicated.
MEP Parameters
This is supposedly a feature from the community ideas forum, but only 2 new parameters have been added to data panels and fabrication ductwork. The Maximum Amount of Circuits parameter that is available on Electrical Panels has been added to a Data Panel (Part Type = Other Panels). Does anyone use a Data Panel? I’ve personally never created a Data Panel schedule/template.
Material Gauge has been added to Fabrication Ductwork as a read only parameter. Gauge has been made available as read only for design ductwork as well in a previous release so 2025 extends that enhancement to fabrication ductwork.
Report Low Voltage Panels
The connected power circuits will now show the power loads from low voltage panels. The power distribution system reports their power usage when you look at them in the System Browser or panel schedules. This information helps you to balance loads effectively across your electrical systems.
New and Updated General Features
Besides the MEP-specific features, Revit 2025 also includes new and updated general features that can benefit all Revit users, regardless of their discipline or industry. While I will not be showcasing all of them, I will highlight some that could be beneficial. One of the most notable general features is the new Sheet Collections. Autodesk must think so as well because it is the 5th highlighted new feature.
Sheet Collections
With the new Sheet Collections feature, you can create custom groups of sheets where sheets can now have the same sheet number if those sheets are in different sheet collections. You can easily drag and drop sheets into different collections or change the new Sheet Collection parameter. To create the new Sheet Collection, just right click on Sheets in the Project Browser and select New Sheet Collection. Surprisingly you will have to right click or double click to rename the Collection. Not sure why it does not give you the option to name it as you created it. *shrugs*.
Figure 1 - New Sheet Collection
Background Export to PDF
Using the Export PDF button in Revit now gives you the option to export those PDFs in the background which allows you to continue working while waiting for the PDF to be created.
Figure 2 - Export in background
Multiple Alignment
With multiple text notes, tags and keynotes selected, there are new options in the modify ribbon that allow you to align the selected annotations in various ways, vertically and horizontally. Additionally, you can evenly space those annotations between the first and last one selected. I can see this being very handy when cleaning up details.
Figure 3 - Multiple Alignment
Next Generation Insight
Autodesk Insight is a platform that helps you explore and understand critical design-performance decisions, using flexible data and analysis. To use this service, you need to install the Carbon Insights Add-On in Revit from your Autodesk account. This tool is easy to use and can improve your knowledge of your design's impacts.
Figure 4 - New Autodesk Insights
gbXML Update
Revit 2025 has been updated to use gbXML v7.03 to use with your 3rd party HVAC loads program(s). The latest schema includes support for:
- Extended HVAC system data
- Zone Equipment
- Air Systems
- Water Loops
Horizontal Coordinates
Revit 2025 has added support for five horizontal coordinate systems to enhance collaboration workflows. DWG files that utilize any of the five new horizontal coordinate systems listed below can be linked, allowing you to acquire the coordinates from the DWG.
Those newly supported horizontal coordinate systems are as follows:
- CGCS2000
- UK GG951
- Amtrak Northeast Corridor
- US Albers NAD83
- ISN2016
Filter Discipline Updates
The new categories that were created in the 2022 release of Revit no longer show up in the Visibility/Graphics Override for Model Elements when filtering for specific categories within a specifically checked discipline.
Figure 5 - Category Filter Updates (via Autodesk help)
Extensible Storage Improvements
Schemas are data structures created by add-ins to store data in a model or family's extensible storage. Each schema must have a unique ID to avoid conflicts. Schema conflicts typically arise when a vendor recycles the software code and ID in an add-in. Revit cannot operate with duplicate schemas present. To resolve this, data from one of the schemas must be removed. Using an add-in that relies on this data may lead to unpredictable behavior or cause the add-in to malfunction.
Schema Conflicts have plagued the pre 2024.2 release of Revit. I know all too well about this as I had a 2024 project have all the previously loaded content deleted from the model when someone opened the model and hit continue when the Schema Conflicts popped up, yes multiple of them in a single model.
Figure 6 - Schema Conflicts
In 2025, you can deal with schema conflicts better when they happen. These changes also reorganize how extensible storage is used to reduce risks and improve workflows.
.NET 8 Upgrade
Revit now uses Microsoft's .NET 8 framework, which helps with UI dialogs, Windows interactions, the Revit API, and more. Revit moved to .NET 8 to keep up with the technology and maintenance. This is a welcome update for developers which allows them to utilize the increased functionality with .NET 8 since Revit was previously using .NET 4.8.
IFC Export Category Mapping Templates
For those working with IFC, users can now use templates to customize Revit category mapping for IFC exports. These templates can also be exported and used in other Revit models.
Figure 7 - IFC Export Mapping Template
Improved MEP Fabrication Modeling
There are more Fabrication improvements in this release of Revit than what was released for MEP. They have been a staple of the new Revit releases for quite some time now. I personally do not know anyone who is using Revit to convert their or someone else’s design model to a fabrication model nor have I used them professionally. I am sure someone is using it, why else would Autodesk continuously add new Fabrication improvements.
I won’t go into detail about them but here is a list of what those improvements are:
- Edit Part Geometry
- Analytical Duct and Pipe Segments
- MEP Model Consistency Check
- Improved Part Search
- Upload and Assign Images
The use of MEP Fabrication parts is predicated on the use of one of the Autodesk Fabrication products: CADmep (included in AEC Collection),ESTmep, andCAMduct, to set a GUID for the database if it has not already been set. You will also need the Fabrication Data Manager, which is in Tech Preview currently.
Conclusion
While I feel there are not enough innovative enhancements/features, especially for MEP, within this latest release of Revit there are some welcome additions like Sheet Collections and Multiple Alignment as mentioned above. Being on the MEP side of things, we are beholden to whatever version our clients are using, which can be Revit 2021-2024 presently but mostly 2021 or 2023 though. Our Buildings Business Line at Garver probably won’t be using 2025 for quite some time, perhaps not even until the next point release comes out. Our IT department also likes to make sure we have 2025 updates for our most used Revit add-ins as well. There are not many at the time of this writing either but give it time. Maybe by the time this article is released, we will have updates for those add-ins. For those that will be using 2025, I hope that you get what you need out of it. Thank you.
Jason Peckovitch
thatbimguy@gmail.com
Author: Jason Peckovitch is an Autodesk Revit Certified Professional for Mechanical and Electrical Design located in SE Iowa. He is a BIM Manager for Garver’s Buildings Business Unit, specifically MEPF. Garver has nearly 50 offices across the United States and more than 1200 employees. His CAD/BIM career spans over 25 years but he didn’t switch to the AEC Industry until 2007 as a Mechanical HVAC Drafter and transitioned into BIM Management shortly after where he has been working since. Jason is also the father of three pre-teen children, a published photographer, gamer, and car/tech guy. He can be reached at .
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