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Building cover


Use the Building cover tool to create an overall load-transfer envelope for an entire structure or storey, shaped as a flat, lean-to, or ridge roof volume.

Building cover tool

When you select Building cover, a tool palette opens.

Building cover tool palette

Main tools
  • Define - generate a new building cover with the current sub-type and settings
  • Properties - review or modify the parameters of existing covers. Opens the Default settings dialogue for the selected elements
  • Explode - break a Building cover into individual Cover planes that you can edit separately
  • Default settings - set the default parameters for new building covers (read below in more detail)

Define

Choose one of three roof sub-types, then fill-in the height parameters and options.

  • Flat roof - horizontal cover with optional parapet
  • Lean-to - single-slope roof slanting in one direction
  • Ridge roof - double-slope roof meeting at a ridge line
Common settings
  • h′ - secondary height parameter depending on the selected cover sub-type:
    • parapet height for Flat roof type
    • lean-to height (vertical distance from low eaves to ridge) for Lean-to type
    • ridge height above eaves for Ridge roof type
  • h - main wall height
  • Auto supports - automatically detect beams, walls and columns that receive load reactions
  • Consider only visible objects - limit auto-detection to objects on visible layers


Default settings

When you press the Default settings button, a compact dialogue opens.

Building cover default settings

  • Identifier - label shown in schedules, lists and tooltips
  • h′ - parapet / lean-to / ridge height (depending on chosen sub-type)
  • h - wall height of the building cover


Last update: 2025-10-07