Initiative to deliver standard product data parameters and templates for BIM

On 10 December 2015, the Construction Products Association (CPA), BIM for Manufacturers and Manufacturing (BIM4M2), the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) and RIBA Enterprise's NBS announced they had formed a joint initiative to provide consistent product data parameters and templates for manufacturers to prepare BIM product information. Ref Industry to lead new initiative to deliver product data parameters and templates to help manufacturers prepare for April 2016 BIM mandate.

This initiative aligns the previously-developed processes, approaches and terminology of BIM4M2, NBS and CIBSE to create a unified basis for product data parameters and templates. It is a response to the confusion that had been created by the three competing schemes and the need for accurate, accessible and consistent digital product information prepared following a single, unified approach.

The initiative will give manufacturers free access to product data parameters and templates relevant to their products, developed through a defined consensus process. Each template will define the minimum information about a product required to align with the UK's Level 2 BIM standard. This in turn will provide designers with the structured product data they need to create building information models reliably and accurately.

Templates will be maintained and developed to ensure continued alignment with industry needs and with the requirements of European and international standards and open data exchange standards. The intiative will also engage with other industry groups, including the wider BIM4 Communities and trade associations to ensure industry product data requirements continue to be supported.

Mark Bew MBE, Chairman of the BIM Task Group, said, “This initiative from the products and manufacturing sector signals an important collaboration from industry which will add significant value and clarity.”

Peter Caplehorn, Deputy Chief Executive and Policy Director at the Construction Products Association, said, “The CPA welcomes this move forward. We are at a point where clarity and ease of use of product data is vital for everyone to make progress. We are very pleased to be part of the initiative and will be encouraging all manufacturers to take part.”

The templates and common product data parameters will be made available on the CPA, NBS BIM Toolkit and CIBSE website, although no date for publication has been announced.