Standards are important because they help us communicate better.
Within the framework of the third meeting of CEN/TC 442 held in Madrid last October, José Carlos Lino, Portugal’s representative within the group, spoke about standards and their importance in harmonizing work processes on a global level. Projects require explicit standards, not only for common use but also for proper management of information and responsibilities among the various stakeholders involved. Without them, it is easy to fall into organizational chaos.
One of the main characteristics of standards is the great variety that exists, partly due to the rapid growth of BIM in each country, but we still cannot speak of a single unified format. Such a format would greatly facilitate collaboration among teams, allowing them to exchange standardized information regardless of the software used or the names of documents. In this context, the work of the CEN/TC 442 group is of vital importance.
As Lino explained, on the one hand, the group serves to bring together the opinions of European countries, each with a different level of maturity. We must keep in mind that BIM standardization not only manages models, information, and objects, but also people and processes that operate differently in each country. For this reason, reaching a common language or platform through which countries can understand one another is crucial, but also a major challenge. On the other hand, these meetings also serve to share what is happening internationally, both with ISO standards and organizations like buildingSMART, which have already made significant contributions to the sector. Using information gathered from this research, such as from the IFC format, the aim is to align the work being carried out at the European level.
The third meeting of CEN/TC 442 brought together representatives from 15 countries, each with their own local standardization associations and other observers from nearby groups important to BIM. As we know, BIM is a methodology and a transversal process, but there are also cases where it is necessary to delve vertically into certain aspects. Still, the most common approach is to integrate all processes and models into a single collaborative environment.
Main BIM Standards and Guidelines
In June 2011, the UK government published the BIM strategy, announcing its intention to make the use of collaborative 3D BIM mandatory for all public projects by 2016, with deliverables in COBie format. The UK Government BIM Task Group is responsible for the program and BIM requirements and has developed a free package of standards and tools that define Level 2. In April 2016, the government launched a new central web portal for the industry.
The NBS (National Building Specification), owned by the RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects), regularly publishes key research on BIM adoption in the UK, including the results of six annual surveys. As of April last year, the construction sector revealed that BIM adoption had increased from 13% in 2010 to 54% in 2015.
The United States’ National BIM Standard has been developed by buildingSMART and is currently in its second version. It is a comprehensive document that includes, among other things, information on COBie and the BIM Execution Plan from the University of Pennsylvania. Furthermore, BIM is considered closely linked to IPD (Integrated Project Delivery), where the main goal is to bring teams together at the beginning of the project. A full BIM implementation also requires collaboration from the initial project phase, aiming to develop models and ownership contracts.
The Hong Kong Institute of BIM (HKIBIM) was founded in 2009, and BIM implementation was made mandatory for 2014/2015. The Chinese BIM standard guide is available for free and outlines key BIM objectives and levels of detail.
In 2014, the Dubai Municipality issued a circular mandating the use of BIM for buildings of a certain size, height, or type. This document sparked growing interest in BIM, prompting the preparation of more guides and directives. In 2015, the municipality published another circular titled “Regarding the Expansion of BIM Application in Buildings and Facilities in the Emirate of Dubai,” which made BIM mandatory while reducing the minimum size and requirements for each project. This second circular accelerated BIM adoption, with several projects and organizations embracing UK standards as best practices. In 2016, the UAE’s Quality and Conformity Commission established a BIM steering group to investigate its nationwide adoption.
In Canada, several organizations support the adoption and implementation of BIM: the Canada BIM Council, the Institute for BIM in Canada, and buildingSMART Canada. The first, also known as CANBIM, is an entity created by industry leaders to standardize model use in architecture, engineering, and construction. It comprises more than 100 architecture, engineering, contracting, and trade firms and is managed by industry volunteers who organize events across the country. The mission of the IBC is to lead and facilitate the coordinated use of BIM in the design, construction, and management of Canada’s built environment. The Canadian chapter of buildingSMART collaborates with members of the country’s AECO community, including architects, engineers, specification writers, contractors, and public and private owners. Its goal is to develop standards and support tools and programs to ensure Canada thrives in its evolution toward a built environment supported by open, compatible BIM standards.
In Norway and the Scandinavian countries, BIM has been in use since around 2008, and the use of open formats (IFC) is mandatory in most large-scale projects, increasing both speed and quality. National BIM development is focused on local buildingSMART organizations in Norway, which already represent 25% of the construction industry in the country.