My estimators are always asking me if they can get my fixture or panel schedules in an excel format.

Be able to export building load information to eQuest or DOE2.2 using gbXML for energy modeling purposes, such as ASHRAE 90.1, LEED, and Title 24.

If you could add the ability to create plan or keynotes to all devices and fixtures, you could eliminate some of the notes that occupy space beside them. Typically a hex box, circle would have the keynote number in it, which would refer you to a common list of notes on the edge of the space. Keeping them tied to the respective annotation layers may help keep them sortable by the entities on that sheet.

Be able to combine homeruns with different wire sizes.

Be able to combine homeruns from separate panels.

Be able to display a full wire callout for combined circuit homeruns, including calculating the conduit size required for all the wires.

The ability to define an egress fixture as the same fixture/block as the normal fixtures, with an option to turn a hatch on/off to differentiate. Similar to in Revit, where you can set an instance parameter and check it to turn fixtures into the egress blocks. The fixture type stays the same, only the visible block changes.

Make the "Select Circuit from Drawing <" button a command that can be typed into the command line. After this command has been run, do not show the Circuiting window, instead go immediately to "Circuit Devices <". The user can then continue to circuit additional devices to the circuit they selected. A double right click would bring up the Circuiting window or the user could escape out of the command without showing the window.

So for example when modifying walls during a load calc. Exterior walls might be red, partitions blue, and interior walls (no heat transfer) green. This could even be expanded to visually shows with color walls that have windows or doors.

There have been many times when I've had to back check walls that were inadvertently called out as partitions instead of exterior. Color coding would give an instant visual clue where mistakes might have been made.

Allow a single switch to have multiple switch legs associated with it. Currently we require a separate switch for each switch leg.

Premade blocks similar to what is used in both HVAC and Electrical could be inserted into the drawing with predefined fixture units. The fixture units would be stored into multiple headings with IPC and UPC fixture units. The connections would be there with predetermined heights as well.

When you loop from one device to another, be able to select that loop and break it in to two loops that can each individually be moved or broke. This way we can have "S" loops.

DM Note: When we implement this, it will probably be by allowing you to insert a loop using a pline. This will allow you to insert the loop however you want without any restrictions.

Add a transfer grille option for return air so that you can use the balance report function on projects which use transfer grilles.

Have a mask on all the text inserted with Design Master that will hide anything on the drawing behind it to make it easier to read.

All of these symbols came up on one particular project, please leave comments on common plumbing symbols that I may have missed. Adding in these symbols and the corresponding isometric representations would greatly reduce the amount of time required to create each one of them by hand on both models. The following are the symbols that I found would be useful additions:

- Mixing valves
- Water heaters
- Grease interceptor
- Sample wells for grease interceptors
- Cleanout
- Cleanout to grade
- Two-way cleanout
- Backflow preventer
- Water filter

Define how many breakers are in each section of panel. This would be used when creating a 84 circuit panel that is made up of 2 sections, each with 42 circuits.

For the panel schedule, include a separator between the sections.

When circuiting, do not allow 2 or 3 pole circuits to span the two sections.

It would be helpful to not have to use the "special" DM commands to manipulate the diffuser tags.

Add a command to allow you to edit the settings on multiple rooms at a time.

implement Multi-Text search through out the menus.

So for example when searching through the Insert Receptacle menu and in my case we have several thousand pieces of equipment. if the equipment is called 'RX99S' instead of just allowing us to hit 'R' and starting us off at the beginning of the list of 'R' equipment allow us to type out 'RX99S' and design master go straight to the piece of equipment. this is a very simple change to the code in design master and would save tons of time on projects.

The MCC schedule doesn't have the ability to show horsepower values for the individual loads. This is important information for the MCC vendor for breaker and overload sizing.