Construction

Organisation

Stakeholders

Goal

• Replace the PDF building product brochure and manual modelling and data entry paradigm for BIM-based construction projects. (The long term "big-picture" – yet to be achieved)
• Facilitate the replacement of generic design objects in Computer Aided Design and Manufacturing (CAD/CAM) software with actual properties and 3D geometry of building products. (Implemented)

Context

Results

A viable standards-based BIM building SaaS product library, with plugins for specific CAD/CAM tools, awaiting deployment investment. The product library solution is currently used as an academic and professional teaching tool for the construction industry. The open-source code base has been used for BIM visualisation in construction collaboration SaaS software.

Open Source components:

• An Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) standard-based BIM reader and model repository, which scales from small components (doors and windows) to skyscraper-size BIM models.
• A generic model transformation language implementing the Object Management Group’s Query/View/ Transformation (QVT) standard, to assist in generating repository code and programmer interfaces from standard and bespoke models.
• A Web-based user interface to visualise and navigate BIM models (3D geometry and properties).

Restricted public-good licensed components:

• A model of Levels of Development (LOD) to facilitate product property matching at various project stages.
• A property- and geometry-based search mechanism.
• A number of Computer Aided Design (CAD) Tool plugins which interact with the library to facilitate product matching against designs. The plugins automatically convert the library product definitions to proprietary formats to replace generic CAD objects with whole identified products' properties and geometry. At early Levels of Development, or in the case when open tendering is required, a subset of relevant product property values can be imported without selecting a single product.