Within the AEC industry, standards are necessary to ensure that all project stakeholders are speaking the same language, thereby improving collaboration. We can also process data to automate various processes if the data is standardised.
BIM (Building Information Modelling) is used to improve collaboration on infrastructure projects. BIM is essentially ISO 19650, and it has various levels.
Building Models contain 3D information that shows how assets fit together. Each of these assets may contain properties that can be used to look for clash detections. Think of a CAD diagram, it lays out the plans for a building so all parties can see the proposed plan. As CAD technology advances, you can add more information about the project. For example, as an electrician, I only want to see the layers that affect my work. CAD can be further extrapolated to show products and material information.
closedBIM: These were the original big BIM systems, including AutoCAD, Revit, and Bentley ProjectWise. These tools feature visual editors and viewers, allowing them to securely store the files needed for a project and ensure that the appropriate people have access. These all have their own proprietary standards.
openBIM: Read other parties' data, improves collaboration and consensus. Easier to switch tools to reduce costs or get better features. Consists of:
- IFC (common language)
- bSDD (industry common language)
- IDS (Requirement specification)
- BCF (check)
- openCDE (sharing with APIS)
Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) serve as the basis for standardising how information is handled. Has standards for location, such as geographic information. Materials, Geometry, and Spatial Structures are covered by IFC classes. In each industry, these base IFCs are added to. The BuildingSmart bSDD is an extension of IFC for specialised industries and sectors, published to provide more specific, agreed-upon standards.
Project Requirements: These can vary, but having an agreed-upon format, such as an Information Delivery Specification (IDS), is helpful. Although it is not necessary or widely used, it ensures that precise details are provided. Therefore, collaboration allows all parties to clearly understand what is needed using IDS.
IDS uses bSDD, which is based on IFC, so that the requirement specifications are precisely laid out.
openCDE defines technical interfaces, .....
