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Bind Element Elevation to Sea Level (Dynamic Height Referencing)

Pedro Melo
Enthusiast

Description:

In the early stages of a project, you often don't know the exact relationship between Story 0 and Sea Level — it's common to start with an assumed value and adjust it later once accurate survey data comes in.

The problem is, when that Sea Level value changes, all your elements stay where they are, and you’re forced to manually adjust their elevation to match the updated project base. This is time-consuming and easy to get wrong, especially in large or multi-phase projects.


The idea:

Make it possible for elements to reference Sea Level directly, instead of being fixed to their current elevation — that way, any later adjustment to Sea Level wouldn't break the model.

 


What this could look like:

  • On the "Home Story" (Geometry and Position) dropdown in element settings: "Elevate relative to Sea Level" (instead of just Story Level).

  • Elements that use this setting would automatically move up or down when the Sea Level is updated via Project Location or Survey Point.

  • Could be used for any element with a height or elevation setting — slabs, roofs, meshes, objects, etc.

  • Ideally, the same logic could apply to custom elevation references too (benchmarks, structural datums, etc.).


Why it matters:

  • Saves a ton of rework in early-stage design, where site data often changes.

  • Keeps the model better coordinated with civil/landscape engineers and surveyors who use absolute heights.

  • Helps maintain model accuracy without relying on workarounds or mass selection + elevation adjustments.

  • Encourages better data integrity and smarter elevation control overall.

 

Status
Open

with 10/200 Votes 20%

Wish details
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