Zone and spaces are independent components that are used together to achieve a common result.
- Zones: consist of one or more spaces that are controlled by equipment that maintains a common environment (temperature, humidity, and so on). You create zones to define spaces that have common environmental or design requirements. Spaces in unoccupied areas such as plenums can be added to zones. Spaces that are on different levels can be added to the same zone. You can create zone schedules and use a zone schedule to modify zones.
- Spaces: contain information about the areas in which they have been placed. This space information is used to calculate the volume of the area and to help determine heating and cooling loads. Each zone contains zone information, such as heating and cooling temperatures and outdoor air information. Revit uses both zone and space information during a Systems Analysis to determine the energy demands of the building.
MEP projects always have at least one zone, the Default zone. When spaces are initially placed in a project, they are added to the Default zone. When you assign a space to a zone that you create, the space is removed from the Default zone. When working with a linked model, all zones (and spaces) must be in the host (local) file. The phase of a zone must correspond to the phase of the spaces added to it. After all spaces have been assigned to zones, you can then work with zones to modify, move, rename, reassign, schedule, apply a color scheme, and delete zones. The Default zone cannot be deleted.
Zone Properties collect information from spaces, such as heating and cooling temperature set points that, together with Space Properties, is used with a Systems Analysis to determine the energy demands of the building.
When there are no spaces assigned to a zone, the zone is unbounded. You can create zones as they are needed, or you can create unbounded zones that satisfy environmental requirements for areas in a project, and add spaces later. Unbounded zones can be created for design purposes, for fire protection zones, or to retain zone information. Unbounded zones retain zone properties that you specify, and you can move (drag) them within a view for design purposes. Only unbounded zones can be moved. After a space is assigned (added) to a zone, the zone is bounded by the space(s) assigned to it, and the zone cannot be moved. Unlike a space, an unbounded zone will not snap to a bounded area. However, the unbounded zone can be moved over a bounded area for design purposes.
Zones in an office building