Enclosures · Beginner · 2:55
Build a partial soffit enclosure
Build a shorter enclosure beside a house, from timber framing and blue sheeting to the fascia return, end details and equipment layout.
Before you start: Start with a house drawing. This lesson adds the enclosure, access chambers and equipment.
British male AI narration · English captions · Fictional demonstration project
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0:00A house plan becomes an enclosure
Let's build this partial soffit enclosure in AsbestoPlan. Starting with a house drawing, we'll add framing, blue sheeting, access chambers and equipment. This walkthrough uses a fictional layout.
0:141. Draw the first frame
In the plan view, choose Enclosure, then Frame, and drag out the first run. Select Lean-to and enter the size of the run. Give it a clear name, so it's easy to find again in Layers.
0:272. Connect the frame to the building
Use the frame's wall and fascia host controls to relate it to the house. Choose the wall, then the matching fascia edge. Adjust the offset along the host to position the run. This example leaves about one metre beside the outside wall.
0:433. Add the upright sheeting
Choose Add sheeting to face. Name the membrane and change its film plane to Vertical for an independent fascia return. The sheet stays alongside the building, ready for its upper section to meet the roof edge.
0:574. Return the top to the fascia
Pick the intended fascia in three D, review the highlighted edge and confirm the attachment. Choose a blue display colour, then add the end and lower returns needed for this shorter run. The top of the sheet now bridges the gap back to the fascia.
1:145. Build the access end
Duplicate the frame to create the shorter access section, resize it, and add its sheeting. Next, add a doorway frame and a short membrane above the baglock entrance. These separate pieces let you show the access openings without running a full-height sheet through them.
1:306. Place three-stage chambers
Add a three-stage baglock and a three-stage airlock from Assets. Set their positions and rotations so the dirty-side exits meet the access end. Complete the small header pieces above the openings. Here, both sets of chambers are together at one end of the enclosure.
1:487. Connect an external NPU
At the far end, place the NPU outside the enclosure, with its front intake facing the sheeting. Select the membrane, choose that NPU in the intake control, and connect the intake opening. The model then shows the opening around the intake.
2:048. Draw the discharge duct
Choose Route, then Ducting. Draw from the discharge outlet to the intended outside destination. Use the point controls to set the position and height of each end. The route panel reports the drawn length and bend count, with separate options to display them.
2:219. Show routes and useful measurements
Draw a separate waste route from the baglock and a transit route to the airlock. Select each route to read its length. Turn Show length on drawing and exports on when it helps explain the plan, or off when you want a cleaner view.
2:3710. Review the finished drawing
Switch to three D to review the fascia return, the chamber entrances and the external NPU at the opposite end. Save the drawing when you're happy with the layout. This illustrates the editor workflow; the actual enclosure arrangement comes from your project's design and specification.
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