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use besT pracTices 895

Figure B.5
use the purge unused dialog
box to reduce file size.

Divide your model. For larger projects or campus-style projects, you can break up your
model into smaller sub-models that are linked together. You can also do this on a single,
large building although it is a bit more complex. Dividing a model helps limit the amount of
information you are loading into a project at one time.
This is a particularly good idea if your project is going to be delivered in separate phases or
bid packages. As the project progresses and you complete each delivery, you’ll start the next
phase by creating a new project file and then linking in the previous project file as context.
Doing so will greatly simplify your document set (because you’ll be able to start over after
each phase) and avoid inadvertently modifying the previous phase (since the geometry and
documentation are in a linked file).
If you decide to divide your project, make your cuts along lines that make sense from a
holistic-building standpoint. Don’t think of the cuts as you would in CAD, but think about
how the actual assemblies will interact in the building. For example, don’t cut between floors
2 and 3 on a multistory building unless you have a significant change in the building form
or program. A good place to cut might be between the building and the adjacent parking
garage. Here’s a list of some good places to split a model:

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