Preconstruction
Data Exchange Standards Activity

Cost Estimating
AISC The Steel Solutions Center provides Conceptual Solutions, including framing studies and cost and schedule information, to steel construction industry professionals. Our Conceptual Solutions cannot replace the engineer of record's work. They are designed to help interested parties select framing materials for their project based upon reasonable estimates of time and money.

A typical Conceptual Solution can include:
  • Framing system comparisons based on economy, ease of erection and project schedule
  • Simple floor framing bay studies and optimized column layouts
  • Evaluation of steel framing systems for project specific requirements including low floor-to-floor heights, long clear spans, vibration, special foundation conditions, and more
  • Member sizes and steel quantities based on comprehensive framing studies, including gravity and lateral systems
  • Building Code review for steel parking structures
  • Information on protective coating systems for exposed steel
Autodesk with partners.
Bentley Export to excel, CSV implicit within applications.
BLIS Similar "BLIS Views" (documentation and certification test suites) exist for: 'Arch Design to Qty Takeoff & Cost Estimating' 'HVAC Design to Qty Takeoff & Cost Estimating' Additionally, we have several cost estimating solutions from member organizations including Timberline, Tocoman, Digital Alchemy, and WinEst. Please see their contact information on the BLIS web site.
gbXML Contains elements for costs.
Graphisoft GS products ArchiCAD, Constructor and ArchiFM supports IFC cost data.
IAI Yes. Detailed cost estimating 85% covered.
NIBS Whole Building Design Guide - Comprehensive internet-based portal to a wide range of federal and private sector, building related guidance, criteria & technology. It links information across traditional professional disciplines to encourage integrated thinking and a "whole building" approach to the project during the planning/ programming, design, use, construction, operation, and maintenance of the facility.

As a registered CES provider, the WBDG CES system is a source of AIA Continuing Education System learning units for registered architects. The courses featured offer an introduction to whole building design concepts as well as more specific applications for design objectives, building types and operations and maintenance. All courses are currently available free of charge. www.wbdg.org

buildingSMART ® - buildingSMART is the dynamic and seamless exchange of accurate, useful information on the built environment among all members of the building community throughout the lifecycle of a facility. buildingSMART is simply a smarter process for managing the project lifecycle.

In January 2007, NIBS’ Board of Directors unanimously approved the buildingSMART® Alliance charter created to spearhead technical, political, and financial support for advanced digital technology in the real property industry—from concept, design and construction through operations and management. The new public/private initiative expands on goals of the North American Chapter of the International Alliance for Interoperability (IAI-NA), whose Industry Foundation Classes (IFCs) have initiated open standards for national and international links among industry players, and will serve developers and users of Building Information Models (BIMs), the digital tools that are increasingly helping to share highly accurate information throughout a facility’s life cycle. www.iai-na.org/bsmart

National BIM Standard™ (NBIMS) a buildingSMART® initiative - National Building Information Model Standard, Version 1.0—Part 1
  1. Overview, Principles, and Methodologies (PDF 13.3 MB)
  2. Appendices and References (PDF 2.6 MB)
This comprehensive document developed for the past year and released in the spring of 2007 is the collaboration of over thirty subject matter experts from many areas of the capital facilities industry. There are many Building Information Modeling (BIM) issues to discuss, coordinate, and resolve, not only throughout the United States, but also with our international counterparts. It is hoped that this effort will facilitate discussion and bring to closure any areas of confusion. The NBIM committee is also finalizing their consensus process based on the NIBS NCS consensus process. Ballots will be developed for various items needing consensus voting. It is anticipated that NBIMS Version 1, Part 2 will be available near the end of 2008. www.facilityinformationcouncil.org/bim
Primavera YES, creates XML (100%).
Solibri Data assurance and automated quantity take-off from BIM/IFC models. Reporting to ODBC databases or Excel.

Scheduling
AISC The Steel Solutions Center provides Conceptual Solutions, including framing studies and cost and schedule information, to steel construction industry professionals. Our Conceptual Solutions cannot replace the engineer of record's work. They are designed to help interested parties select framing materials for their project based upon reasonable estimates of time and money.

A typical Conceptual Solution can include:
  • Framing system comparisons based on economy, ease of erection and project schedule
  • Simple floor framing bay studies and optimized column layouts
  • Evaluation of steel framing systems for project specific requirements including low floor-to-floor heights, long clear spans, vibration, special foundation conditions, and more
  • Member sizes and steel quantities based on comprehensive framing studies, including gravity and lateral systems
  • Building Code review for steel parking structures
  • Information on protective coating systems for exposed steel
Autodesk logic, 4D modeling and scenario planning and construction logistics.
Bentley Schedule Simulation, Scheduling Logic with partners, 4D Modeling, Scenario planning and Construction Sequencing, Dynamic Animation.
BLIS Three of our member organizations - Tocoman, Digital Alchemy, and Innovaya - have solutions in this area. Please see their contact information on the BLIS web site.
FIATECH Map the Decision Pocess - This project described and mapped the decision-making process including participants, timing, milestones, inputs and outputs. COMPLETED.

Product and Process Survey and Analysis - This project identified and evaluated commercially-available, decision-modeling products capable of analyzing the particular complex nature of facilities and the interrelated variables. A second purpose of the evaluation was to decide if commercially-available models are adequate to meet our objectives or if additional development of decision models for this type of situation is needed. COMPLETED.
IAI Yes. 85% Scheduling logic and 4-D covered, scenario planning depends on application.
IFMA NOTE 1: While not primarily focused on standards development, IFMA on behalf of its 18,400 worldwide members is a major stakeholder in standards and regulations affecting Ownership, Leasing, Operations and Management of real estate assets and the built environment and would appreciate the opportunity to participate in developing standards in this area.
NIBS Whole Building Design Guide (WBDG), buildingSMART alliance and NBIMS - see above.
NIST NIST is exploring 4D modeling of structural steelwork as a by-product of its CIS2 work (below).
Primavera YES, creates XML (100%).

Bidding and Buyout
Autodesk Process and with partners.
Bentley Manage Bid and Buyout Documents.
BLIS One of our member organizations - Timberline - has a solution in this area. Please see their contact information on the BLIS web site.
IAI Products that are fully specified in the IFC-BIM can be directly purchased from automatically generated buyout lists -the software to do this has not been done.
NIBS Whole Building Design Guide (WBDG), buildingSMART alliance and NBIMS - see above.