With the latest version of the National BIM Standard – United States set to launch later this month, Dr Johnny Fortune, executive director of the National BIM Program at the National Institute of Building Sciences, looks at how it supports better information management across the industry
Last fall, the National BIM Standard – United States (NBIMS–US) Version 4 was softly launched during the National Institute of Building Sciences’ Building Innovation conference in Washington, DC.
Building Innovation 2023 attendees learned why having a US standard for Building Information Management (BIM) is important and how it aligns with other international BIM standard efforts, such as ISO 19650 and the Industry Foundation Classes.
NBIMS-US v4 is very different than our previous versions of NBIMS, said John Messner, chair, National BIM Standard – US Planning Committee and Architectural Engineering Professor with Penn State University, at the conference.
“This isn’t just a new progression,” Messner said. “This is a new direction for the National BIM Standard. The challenge was how to develop clear, industry-focused standards and guidelines for facilities including buildings and infrastructure.”
Addressing industry challenges around information management
NBIMS-US was developed to address industry challenges around information management in a fragmented, networked industry. While emerging database technology, such as BIM, enables designers, contractors and owners to create and exchange information in unprecedented ways, implementing these technologies in the construction industry is more difficult.
The construction industry needs to be able to specify the data structure and content, as well as establish coordination processes and practices across the industry network.
This is where NBIMS-US comes in – by creating standard data requirement specifications and structures for BIM uses and information exchanges.
The previous version of NBIMS-US was a collection of standards and guidelines that supported the implementation of Building Information Modelling in planning, design, construction and operations of buildings and infrastructure in the US and beyond; however, additional and new content was needed.
A fresh take on consensus-based standards
The latest version of NBIMS-US provides a fresh take on consensus-based standards by defining BIM uses, requirements and planning, documenting information exchanges and delivering best business practices for the entire built environment.
Version 4 is presented in four primary modules that will allow future versions to be updated more frequently. The Project BIM Requirements (PBR) module is entirely new content and outlines typical BIM requirements for any given project. The PBR enables owners, designers and contractors to have clear communication and expectations about project requirements, leading to enhanced project outcomes.
The BIM Execution Planning (BEP) module completely revamps previous versions of the BEP tools and serves as a foundational planning document that defines the implementation strategy of BIM for any given project. The BEP module contains updated standards, guidelines and resources for project teams.
The BIM Uses Definition (BUD) module contains 16 streamlined and consolidated BIM Uses with defined attributes for each. The BUD module provides consistent terminology for the purposes of applying BIM on any given project.
The Construction to Operations Building information exchange (COBie) module contains the latest update to the data schema. COBie provides a standard organisation of data that is used to managing and maintain facility assets.
Content that cohesively works together
All four modules contain content that works cohesively together to make up the NBIMS-US.
Succinctly, PBR establishes the requirements, BEP provides the planning tool, BUD provides a standard terminology for how BIM is implemented, and COBie provides a data format for exchanging information. In addition to the four modules, the latest version also includes a robust introduction narrative and updated terms and definitions for the industry.
The NIBS web team currently is putting the finishing touches to the new website that will accompany NBIMS-US Version 4. Stay tuned for more updates.
