BIM RnD

Project name: buildingSMART International Data Dictionary (bSDD) (previously known as International Framework of Dictionaries (IFD))

Responsible organisation: buildingSMART International

Project objectives: The bSDD, originally known as the International Framework for Dictionaries (IFD), is a mechanism that allows for creation of multilingual dictionaries or ontologies. It is a reference library intended to support improved interoperability in the building and construction industry, and is one of the core components of the buildingSMART data standards programme. The objective of the project is to develop the data resources that constitute bSDD content and the tools for utilising this data. NATSPEC is a bSDD Observer organisation.

Project name: Standards Australia BD-104, the Australian Mirror Committee of ISO TC 59/SC 13.

Responsible organisation: Standards Australia.

Project objectives: NATSPEC’s proposal to form an Australian mirror committee of International Organization for Standardization Technical Committee 59/Subcommittee 13 (ISO TC59/SC13) Organisation of information about building works was approved by Standards Australia (SA) in 2012.
The objectives of BD-104 are to:

• Participate in the development of international standards managed by ISO TC59/SC13.
• Represent Australian interests in the development of international standards.
• Inform Standards Australia (SA) decision-making with respect to BIM.

Project name: QUT ARC Linking BIM, Specifications and BOQs.

Responsible organisation: QUT.

Project objectives: NATSPEC is a partner in this Queensland University of Technology (QUT) Australian Research Council (ARC) linkage project which is examining the link between BIM, construction specifications and cost plans. The objectives of the research are to:

1. Establish new and better ways of communicating complex technical information between members of the building design team, especially at early stages of design, by making currently implicit information explicit. It focuses on exchange of information between the architect and cost planner/quantity surveyor as a key relationship;
2. To support the definition of dependencies between building components and products to ensure that requirements expressed in the drawings or specification are met appropriately and consistently. The focus will be on the relationship between the model as the source for the generation of construction drawings and specifications as an explicit textual description of requirements;
3. Implement software that demonstrates the achievement of the two goals above and that is sufficiently robust to be used in a commercial environment for the domains noted. This software will automate or semi-automate the addition of information to BIM to support specification writing and cost planning.

Project name: NATSPEC/ICIS National BIM Object Library Survey

Completion date: January 2015

Main participating organisations: ICIS and NATSPEC

Project goals and objectives: To identify which National BIM object libraries (NOL’s) and standards currently exist globally and also to understand which countries are developing NOL’s or creating standards for BIM object creation, object naming or object parameters.

Context: The survey was developed in conjunction with Konrad Stuhlmacher of Dr. Schiller & Partner GmbH, who was previously DIN’s representative at ICIS, to assist NATSPEC in deciding the best approach to take in regards to the development of an Australian NOL and also to assist in global knowledge.

Proposed deliverables: Survey summary report and full survey results.

Planned 2014 activity: None, survey and report complete.

Expected audience: ICIS members, buildingSMART chapters, ISO TC59 SC13 members, plus representatives from other countries.

Approach, methodology: Online survey.

Other information: Total of 39 respondents from 19 countries across theh globe.

Project contact:
Name: Kevin Rooney
Position: Senior Engineer - NATSPEC
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Tel: 02 9321 7200

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