AECCafe BIM Interoperability Questionnaire

The built environment is increasingly more digitized, relying heavily on large building models to hold all aspects of a building project. Thus, the need for BIM Interoperability is greater as the necessity grows for stakeholders to be able to access the information inside these complex models.

Bay Bridge East Span Seismic Safety Project
To prove the project was viable, the California Department of Transportation shared detailed 3D designs with potential contracting firms.

BIM Interoperability is a topic that can easily be misunderstood, and yet holds the AEC industry in thrall as vendors scramble to offer this very necessary piece of communication to their customers’ need to understand their data.

Standards organizations have come forward to suggest that they have the answer to interoperability in the BIM world. But currently what most vendors are able to achieve is perhaps an increase in interoperability. Does anyone offer total interoperability?

Wikipedia has a definition listed as a sub-chapter on software interoperability that reads as follows:

With respect to software, the term interoperability is used to describe the capability of different programs to exchange data via a common set of exchange formats, to read and write the same file formats, and to use the same protocols.

 Vendors and industry standards organizations may have different definitions of BIM interoperability, while putting forward the effort to define and offer various “levels” of interoperability in their products.

Singapore Land Authority

For AEC firms, it is very common to use multiple software products within the same organization, as well as outside the organization. All these products throughout the design process need to be able to communicate with one another.

The BIM Interoperability questionnaire will lead to an article featured on AECCafe Voice Blog on AECCafe. The following are some important questions for vendors and those who are involved in BIM projects:

1. What common data format does your company use to exchange data?
2. What do you think about the ability for BIM tools to not only transfer data, but to also transfer meaning?
3. How would you describe the difference between interoperability and compatibility?
4. What are common challenges in achieving BIM interoperability as opposed to other software interoperability challenges? Please describe.
5. How is it possible to maintain interoperability throughout the project lifecycle?
6. What is your view and description of the current BIM levels: BIM Levels 1-3?
7. What are the differences in your understanding, between OpenBIM and OPEN BIM?
8. What is your experience with IFC implementations?
9. What are the advantages as well as disadvantages of BIM interoperability?
10. What are the goals of BIM interoperability?

Leighton Asia Hong Kong Boundary Crossing – BIM Advancements in Construction – Be Inspired Award Winner (photo courtesy of Bentley Systems)

Please return this completed Questionnaire to susan.smith@ibsystems.com by September 5th (Extended deadline!), 2018. Please include any supporting materials, such as case studies, screenshots, charts, etc. (No logos or headshots please).

Look forward to working with you.

Best regards,

Susan Smith
Editor
AECCafe
505-501-2478

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