Environmental Scan of

Founding Members
April 2011
Environmental Scan of
BIM Tools and Standards

Acknowledgement

This document was produced by the National Research Council of Canada (Centre for
Computer-Assisted Construction Technology) for the Institute for BIM in Canada

This Publication contains material that is copyrighted by the Canadian Construction
Association (on behalf of the Institute for BIM in Canada.) The Canadian Construction
Association makes no representations, warranties or conditions, statutory or otherwise
as to the accuracy or completeness of its copyright material, including the opinions
expressed therein, or its suitability for any users requirements.

Canadian Construction Association 2011
Environmental Scan of BIM Tools and Standards 1
Table of Contents
NOMENCLATURE ..................................................................................................................... 3
Executive Summary ................................................................................................................... 4
1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 6
2 BIM Definition(s) ................................................................................................................. 6
3 Who is Using BIM? ............................................................................................................. 8
4 Where is BIM Being Used in AEC? ..................................................................................... 9
4.1.1 Site Modeling .......................................................................................................11
4.1.2 Spatial Programming ...........................................................................................11
4.1.3 Design Authoring .................................................................................................11
4.1.4 Design Review .....................................................................................................11
4.1.5 Engineering Analyses ..........................................................................................12
4.1.6 Code Compliance ................................................................................................12
4.1.7 Cost Estimation ....................................................................................................12
4.2 Construction ...................................................................................................................13
4.2.1 Sequential Planning .............................................................................................13
4.2.2 Construction Site Utilization .................................................................................13
4.2.3 Temporary Structure Design ................................................................................13
4.3 Operation .......................................................................................................................14
4.3.1 Building Record ...................................................................................................14
4.3.2 Building Performance ...........................................................................................14
4.3.3 Space and Asset Management ............................................................................14
4.3.4 Disaster Planning .................................................................................................15
5 Tools that Support BIM Processes .....................................................................................16
6 BIM Interoperability Standards ...........................................................................................17
6.1 IFC Coordination and Basic FM Hand Over Views .........................................................18
6.2 CIS/2.1 ...........................................................................................................................18
6.3 gbXML ............................................................................................................................19
6.4 Proprietary Formats ........................................................................................................19
6.5 Interoperability Summary ................................................................................................20
7 Next Steps .........................................................................................................................22
Appendix A: Survey of BIM Tools ..............................................................................................23
Appendix B: Interoperability Formats and Standards .............................................................. 103
B.1 IFC ............................................................................................................................... 103
B.2 COBIE & IFC2x3 Basic FM Handover view .................................................................. 104
B.3 CIS/2.1 ......................................................................................................................... 105
B.4 gbXML .......................................................................................................................... 105
B.5 National Building Information Modeling Standard ......................................................... 106
B.6 CAD and other Construction Standards ........................................................................ 106
B.6.1 NCS v4.0 ........................................................................................................... 106
B.6.2 OmniClass...................................................................................................... 107
Appendix C: BIM Bibliography ................................................................................................. 108
C.1 Books, Reports and Publications .................................................................................. 108
C.2 Magazine Articles ......................................................................................................... 112
C.3 Tools that support BIM Processes ................................................................................ 113
C.4 Organizations Involved in BIM ...................................................................................... 117
C.5 Interoperability and Standards ...................................................................................... 118

NOMENCLATURE
AEC Architecture, Engineering and Construction
API Application Programming Interface
AISC American Institute of Steel Construction
ASHRAE American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers
BIM Building Information Model(ing)
CMM Capacity Maturity Model
CIS/2 CIMsteel Integration Standards
COBie Construction Operations Building information exchange
CNC Computer Numerical Control
DGN DesiGN, proprietary format used by Bentley
DXF Drawing eXchange Format
DWG DraWinG, proprietary format used by Autodesk
gbXML Green building eXtensible Modeling Language
GIS Geographic Information System
IBD Intelligent Building Data
IFC Industry Foundation Class
IGES International Graphics Exchange Standard
IS International Standard (ISO nomenclature)
ISO International Standard Organization
IP Intellectual Property
IT Information Technologies
LEED Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
NBIMS National Building Information Modeling Standard
NURBS Non Uniform Rational B-Spline Surface
MEP Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing
MQC Model Quality Control
MVD Model View Definition
PAS Publicly Accepted Specification (ISO nomenclature)
SDNF Steel Detailing Neutral Format
STEP STandard for Exchange of Product data
STL Standard Tessellation Language
VDC Virtual Design and Construction
VRML Virtual Reality Modeling Language
Back to Table of Content
Executive Summary
Building Information Modeling (BIM) is both the creation of a set of digital models of a planned
or built environment, as well as the process of working collaboratively with these models during
the lifecycle of that facility. BIM typically contains a set of 3D models and information about
relevant components and attributes. Currently, BIM is used mostly during the design phase of a
building project although its use during the construction and operation phases is increasing.
This report summarizes tools and technologies that address three important characteristics of a
BIM process: modeling, interoperability and collaboration.
The use of BIM software tools can contribute to quality and result in savings in time and cost
over the building life-cycle, spanning design, construction and operation. BIM tools are being
used during site planning, design authoring, design review and analyses, as well as during cost
estimation and construction planning. BIM also supports validating the design against building
codes and environmental standards. Furthermore, the on-site construction process benefits
when BIM is used for construction scheduling, creating models for scaffolding and form support,
and deriving fabrication details. The BIM data gathered during design and construction is
relevant to post-construction as a computerized record of the built environment for more
effective facility maintenance, management and operations using BIM compliant tools.
The goal of BIM is to enable all types of building information to be stored digitally for rapid
application by all the different stakeholders in the construction sector in support of their specific
professional activities.
The implications of using BIM information include better coordination and planning by visualizing
spatial details, access and interferences; reduced errors when producing construction drawings;
reduction in the number and impact of change orders and requests for information; and allowing
the project team to communicate effectively and work more efficiently from a common database.
Model format standards for interoperability are still in their infancy but are being actively pursued
by multiple professional organizations, non-profit institutions and software vendors.
Development of these standards is a slow, time-consuming process which has to deal with the
complexities associated with unambiguous representation of construction knowledge, varying
business practices, and other issues such as implied warrantees, intellectual property and legal
liability. However, the most widely known standard Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) has
gained broad acceptance among both software vendors and international organizations. The
use of other standards for specific applications, for example CIMsteel Integration Standard
(CIS/2) and Green Building XML (gbXML) is also growing steadily across the construction
industry.
In order to realize the benefits of BIM, different combinations of tools and technologies will be
used depending on the needs of the project. This report provides the reader with a quick
overview of the tools and technologies commercially or freely available in the market to support
BIM implementation efforts. In total, a set of 79 commercial tools has been listed in this report.
Appendix A of this report contains a concise description of each of these tools. Included in the
report is an update about BIM interoperability and standards. An example of interoperability
formats role in a Design-bid-build construction process is explained. Appendix B documents
more details about the BIM standards used in AEC. Appendix C describes a BIM bibliography
which provides current information on BIM sources; namely books and reports, tools that
support BIM processes, interoperability specifications and standards and a list of professional
organizations active in BIM.
This report concludes by recommending the development of a BIM Implementation Plan and a
BIM Practice guide in cooperation with the members of the Canadian construction industry as
a necessary subsequent step in order to realize the positive potential of BIM in the sector.

1 Introduction
Building Information Modeling (BIM) is both the creation of a set of digital models of a planned
or built environment, as well as the process of working collaboratively with these models during
the lifecycle of that facility. BIM technologies have progressed and demonstrated themselves to
be at a sufficient level of maturity to be used by the industry. Efforts to establish industry wide
methods to capture and share data about the built environment were initially conceived to
support collaboration in design, planning and construction activities. It is in these phases that
the BIM has the greatest impact on contemporary construction practices. The influence of BIM
is now moving towards other life cycle phases and to more disciplines across the Architecture,
Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry. Integrated software suites from large software
vendors and collaborative BIM solutions are now commercially available. The number of BIM
solution providers and specific application developers has been rising worldwide. Many of North
Americas larger firms have implemented BIM successfully using state-of-the-art tools and
technologies around BIM concepts and methodologies
1
. Many smaller companies are presently
in the process of evaluating and identifying best practices for the implementation of BIM within
their own business services.
Recognizing BIMs significant potential to dramatically improve the productivity and capabilities
of the construction sector and the growing adoption of BIM by Canadian practitioners and
clients, it is prudent to identify the tools and technologies that are presently available and review
how they are used. This technology summary can be used to develop a sector strategy and to
allow stakeholders in the construction industry to provide better, faster and or more economical
services to their clients and thus become more competitive.
The Who Is Using BIM section of this report covers who and how different AEC activities make
use of BIM currently. The Where is BIM Being Used in AEC section of the report describes the
BIM tools and supporting technologies that are available commercially. The BIM Interoperability
Standards section describes data interoperability specifications that are available to support
data transfer for AEC activities. A selection of some commercially available tools to support the
BIM process are listed and described in Appendix A. Detailed descriptions of popular standards
are described in Appendix B. Appendix C describes a BIM bibliography which provides current
information on BIM sources; namely books and reports, tools that support BIM processes,
interoperability specifications and standards, and a list of professional organizations active in
BIM. This outline is intended to serve as a reference to assist in the process of selecting BIM
tools and in establishing BIM processes in support of construction practices.
2 BIM Definition(s)
BIM is an integrated process which is used to facilitate the exchange of design and construction
information to project participants. It is the act of collecting and of using consistent, reliable and
sufficient data to support any desired activity along the construction lifecycle. The modeling
process is built upon the representation of this information in digital formats, which support the
interchange of data in an unambiguous and reusable fashion by construction practitioners.

1
McGraw-Hill Construction BIM SmartMarket Reports and BIM Evaluation Study Report, June 2010
Process
Model

These models form a platform wherein physical and functional characteristics can be
investigated using visualization, simulation and analysis well before the physical facility/building
exists. As explained in this paragraph, the acronym BIM is often used in two contexts and is
illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 1. BIM Definitions.
In common practice, the acronym BIM is used both as a noun (Building Information Model) as
well as a verb (Building Information Modeling).
As a noun, a BIM is an unambiguously defined digital representation of the
physical and functional characteristics of a facility. The representation is
composed of digital objects corresponding to real world components such as
doors, walls, and windows with associated relationships, attributes and
properties.
As a verb, BIM is any process used to create, manage, derive and
communicate information among stakeholders at various levels using models
created by different project participants at different times for different purposes
to ensure quality and efficiency throughout the lifecycle of the construction
process.

3D Geometry
Attribute data
BIM as
noun
Manage
Communicate
BIM as
verb
3 Who is Using BIM?
BIM is being used to improve the quality of results, and reduce the time and cost of a variety of
activities associated with the building/facility lifecycle. To better understand who is using BIM, it
is useful to look at the lifecycle of a building/facility as a series of sequential phases: Design,
Build, Operate and Maintain, and Demolish as illustrated in Figure 2 depicting its information
flow.

Figure 2. Information Flow over a Lifecycle of a Building.
Based on a review of the current AEC literature
2
, it has been found that BIMs use is most
widespread during the Design phase of the building lifecycle in activities such as planning,
conceptual design, detail design and analysis. BIM tools, to support these activities, have been
in the market for a considerable amount of time and have evolved to offer a wide range of
features. Even though BIMs usage is highest among architects, other disciplines have started
to make significant use of BIM tools to support their work
3
. A more recent report from McGraw-
Hill Construction
4
also indicates that BIM expertise is growing rapidly in the construction industry
especially downstream of the design phase. The reported BIM expertise of architects and
engineers has roughly doubled in the last two years, while that of owners has almost tripled.
Moreover, the growth of BIM expertise among contractors has increased by nine times during
the same period, with nearly 50% of contractors reporting a measurable level of expertise in
BIM
5
.

2
McGraw-Hill Construction BIM SmartMarket Reports and BIM Evaluation Study Report, June 2010
3
http://www.aecbytes.com/feature/2007/BIMSurveyReport.html
4
http://images.autodesk.com/adsk/files/mcgraw-
hill_construction_bim_smartmarket_report_december_2008.pdf
5
http://construction.ecnext.com/coms2/summary_0249-296182_ITM_analytics
4 Where is BIM Being Used in AEC?
For the purpose of describing where and how Building Information Models are being used in the
AEC industry, one approach is to group the BIM tools and technologies into categories
according to their usage - Planning and design tools, Construction tools and Operation
tools. Figure 3 and Table 1 shows the main disciplines in each category and the different areas
where BIM tools are being used.

Figure 3, Construction Activity Stages Used to Group BIM Tools,

Tool Category User Areas of Use
Planning and Design Architect
Engineer
Site Modeling
Spatial Programming
Design Authoring
Design Review
Engineering Analyses
Code Evaluation
Cost Estimation
Construction Contractor
Sub-contractor
Sequential Planning
Construction Site Utilization
Temporary Structure Design
3D Coordination
Site analysis and Phase Planning
Cost Estimation
Operation Owner
Building manager
Building Record
Building Performance
Space and Asset Management
Disaster Planning
Maintenance Scheduling
Building analysis
Table 1. BIM Tool Purpose by Category.
4.1 Planning and Design
Most of the current focus on commercial software in BIM has been to cater to the needs of the
Planning and Design phase of the building lifecycle. Currently, the development trend being
pursued by major software vendors is towards adding to their suits of tools to support other
activities that occur during the construction and operation phases. They offer access to this new
functionality either by embedding it in their own core software or through add-on modules. In
many cases, these add-ons come from third party developers who have some sort of
partnership with the large vendors. Although this approach has significant benefits to the user,
such as effective workflow and seamless integration between modules, there are also
disadvantages, such as the often substandard results arising from trying to realise specialist
capabilities in a generalist application framework and trapping users within one vendors specific
solution portfolio.
Tools and technologies are moving beyond supporting the planning, conceptual design and
detail design activities into supporting analysis and project management. Newer methodologies
are mushrooming wherein the design data, analysis results and other relevant information can
be bundled and easily shared with stakeholders for the purpose of presentation, visualization,
publishing and decision making. These tools are generally referred to as authoring tools
6
. The
authoring capabilities focus on taking the geometrical representation from the creation tools and
organising the information to better support business and professional processes, collaborative
tasks and transactions. The greatest and perhaps most important contribution these tools bring
to the construction process is to facilitate the collaboration of teams by packaging and linking
the information in a way that supports the entire team. These authoring tools allow many model
views/perspectives to be simultaneously overlaid and thus are well suited for tasks such as
design review, interference checking and collaborative decision making. Furthermore, these
authoring models are generally less memory intensive compared to their original BIM or CAD
models, hence facilitating easier communication across networks.
Another function found in Planning and Design tools is the capability to perform analyses
relevant to a number of disciplines based on exported or seamlessly loaded models. These
functions provide ease of use, avoid data entry error, validate the design and quantify the
performance of the modelled facility. Examples of these include structural analyses, as well as
load capacity, facility energy requirements, air flow and thermal analyses.
Project management, collaboration and file sharing are now also becoming part of the planning
stage and the activities that follow. Major vendors are providing tools to help with
documentation, archiving and version control capabilities. The sub-section below describes a
few of the common tasks and activities where planning and design tools are currently serving
the AEC sector.

6
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authoring_system

4.1.1 Site Modeling
The 3D model of a site, including its geographical information, is used to determine the most
suitable location for a facility. It is used to compare different sites, as well as to choose the
position of the building on the site, based on specific financial and environmental factors. BIM
plays an important role in representing and visualizing existing site conditions captured as
contoured models or toposurface which form the basis for construction activity scheduling. The
site plan drawings are derived from the site models which contain placement and orientation
details, reference geo-spatial datum, which are required for specific construction activities, such
as drainage, roadways etc. Additionally, these models may contain labor resources, materials
and associated deliveries. This provides a base for the owners, architects and engineers to
determine the optimal site location based on criteria such as solar and light availability, access,
etc.
4.1.2 Spatial Programming
A spatial model can be used to assess the performance of a previously created BIM
representation of a design concept against the specific space utilization requirements of the
owner. Because of the richness of the facility, geometry and contextual data included in the
BIM, especially the square footage, room configuration and neighbouring spatial functions, BIM
is ideal for supporting the optimization and management of workspace usage. BIM, in spatial
programming, allows the design to be checked according to the specific conformance, allocate,
and manage workspaces and resources. Newer analysis software, in fact, often requires zone-
based and space-based allocation for computing energy requirements, thermal and air-flow
analysis.
4.1.3 Design Authoring
3D design software is used to detail a design concept into a 3D digital model. For example, in
the case of buildings, the set of 3D models consists of models representing the architectural and
structural design, and models of MEP system components. Design authoring tools use these
models and add content by integrating them with a database of materials, equipment properties,
specifications, products, quantities, costs, etc., bringing a richness of information. The creation
of these representations can result in greater collaboration and transparency during the design
process between all team members, resulting in a master model or a federated model
7
. Design
authoring serves as an ideal platform for serving collaborative activities such as design review,
interference checking and scheduling. They also help in the validation, audit and analysis of the
design intent.
4.1.4 Design Review
The design review is a process to perform a virtual mock-up and study constructability issues in
an interactive environment. 3D digital models are used in the building design to examine in
great detail layouts, sightlines, constructability and clash detection. This can eliminate
construction issues early in design and significantly reduce requests for information, change
orders, team conflicts and re-work.

7
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By conducting design reviews in a virtual environment, different scenarios can be discussed
collaboratively as a team and changes finalized in real time. Building aesthetics and design
intent are easily communicated, avoiding the back-and-forth passing of comments on paper-
based designs. Virtual mock-ups can be made to visualize building sub-components, facades,
textures, and colors. This can eliminate the time and cost associated with constructing,
demolishing, and disposal of physical mock-ups. BIM assists this process greatly because of its
core 3D model. The model can be easily shared among the team members for validating the
design and for creating and reviewing what-if scenarios. This process will also enable team
members to derive and analyze new configurations. By visualizing the conflicts, the time and
cost associated with any changes or modifications in the design are drastically reduced.
4.1.5 Engineering Analyses
A BIM can be used to analyze the design of the building in different ways. This can include
structural, mechanical, energy, lighting, and acoustical analyses. The analyses tools can be
used to evaluate how the building will perform as a result of specific changes in design
parameters. These tools use the information in the BIM to simulate performance under different
scenarios, and can help in improving the building performance in a particular area, or in
optimizing the overall performance of the building over its life-cycle. These tools can be used to
validate the design intent and significantly improve the design process. Also, the ability to
perform the analysis on the digital model greatly reduces the cost. Many tools are also
seamlessly integrated using the BIM, making them easier to use. These tools bring specialized
expertise to the design firms, making them more competitive and allowing them to derive quick
configurations for given specifications.
4.1.6 Code Compliance
Special code validation software can be used in conjunction with a BIM to check whether the
building design is in compliance with different types of building codes. These codes may
represent essential regulatory requirements for safety, comfort, and disabilities, or desired
standards for sustainability such as LEED. Validation for many codes can be done automatically
with a BIM as the design progresses, giving early and continuous feedback to the designer
about potential problems. Code evaluation processes involve using a large collection of
parametric rules that are applied against the model to check for model errors, element
specifications, accessibility, etc. Integrated code evaluation tools allow the design model to be
built up in accordance with the codes. Since the BIM process supports parametric modeling,
code checking via parametric rules is complementary.
4.1.7 Cost Estimation
A BIM can be used to automatically perform quantity take-offs and estimate the cost of the
building based on established material and labor standards. This process can also be used to
compare the costs of different designs and make changes early in the design process to avoid
budget overruns. Without a BIM, cost estimating is a complex and laborious process of
analyzing different components of a building design and is prone to errors. BIM supports
accurate quantity take-off and cost estimates and, with clearly stated assumptions, can be
started earlier in the process and refined as the level of detail of information available grows.
This allows the designer to build design configurations depending on the budget. Once the
design is finalized, the material quantity information can act as an information source to the
supply-chain.
4.2 Construction
The use of BIM in the construction process has proven beneficial in coordinating construction
site activities, people and materials to minimize conflicts and reduce construction delays,
resulting in greater production efficiencies. The ability to simulate the logistics, construction
sequences, safety procedures and progress of the project has been made possible by using the
digital modes before the physical structure is built. BIM tools have been providing solutions in
the field by documenting work processes, tracking material, quantities, costing and much more.
Contractors are currently using BIM to achieve improved decision making, preconstruction
estimating, coordination and scheduling. The sub-sections below describe a few of the
construction activities in which BIM is in active use.
4.2.1 Sequential Planning
A 3D BIM can be used for the sequential planning of construction activities by incorporating
information about the schedule within the model. This is commonly referred to as the 4D BIM,
where the 4
th
dimension is time. This 4D BIM can be used to show a time-based animation of
the addition of the different components of the building as they are expected to occur at the
construction site, providing a powerful illustrative capability. This can help the team to better
understand the construction activities and milestones, as well as to detect and avoid spatial and
temporal conflicts during actual construction. It provides an integrated view of how humans,
equipment, and materials will come together at the site. It can also be used to easily
communicate the complexity and the progress of a project. 4D BIM provides construction project
visualization, scheduling, phasing and transparent project management. This helps the project
team to better understand the zones, spaces and related construction schedules. Currently, 4D
BIM is commonly found as an on-site production control tool.
4.2.2 Construction Site Utilization
The 4D BIM can also be used to plan and analyze the utilization of the site as construction
progresses. This becomes critical when the construction site has spatial restrictions, such as in
a citys downtown core. By incorporating information into the model about temporary facilities,
assembly areas, access routes, scheduled deliveries, and the storage locations of materials and
equipment, space usage can be optimized.
In addition, the model can be used to layout the building assemblies and produce lift drawings.
This will improve communication between site staff, avoid potentially dangerous situations, and
minimize the handling and transportation of materials within the site. BIM helps in graphically
representing both design and form facilities with information such as equipment and associated
deliveries. This helps in planning site logistics, site organization and optimal equipment and
space usage resulting in less wastage at the construction site.
4.2.3 Temporary Structure Design
The information in a BIM can also be used to design the temporary structures needed during the
building construction. Depending on the complexity of the project, one may use the BIM
information to design and analyze the scaffolding, form work, and tie-backs to increase
productivity and safety at the construction site.
4.3 Operation
BIM has been moving beyond simply allowing project teams to analyze the building data to
optimize the design and minimize the changes at the field. It is also helping facility operators
and owners to manage their facilities. BIM carries a wide range of building component
information which can be used in the operation and maintenance of the facility serving as a
database over the entire life cycle of the facility. Below are a few activities in the operation and
maintenance phase where BIM is being used.
4.3.1 Building Record
A BIM can be used to record the information associated with a building during its entire life-
cycle. This can include pre-build specifications and designs, as well as the actual as-built:
details of the architectural, structural, and MEP elements. These records can provide a factual
basis for settling contractual disputes and any future liability issues.
As changes are made to the building, these can be documented in the BIM on an ongoing basis
to save time and effort during maintenance, repairs and renovations. Component information,
like serial numbers, product data, warranties, location, maintenance schedules and history can
be made available quickly and accurately whenever required. This enables maintenance to be
done in a timely and efficient manner.
4.3.2 Building Performance
Apart from engineering analyses during design, BIM can also be used to analyze the operating
performance of the building. It can be used to conduct different types of studies for evaluating
operating efficiency and to make the building more suited to the needs of the occupants.
Typically, these studies are conducted in the areas of energy usage and comfort levels provided
by the HVAC, lighting and solar shading systems. Building performance is providing designers
and owners a prediction of operating costs, helping them to meet sustainability goals and make
choices when planning their investments. BIM is becoming a major part of the energy modeling
workflow for realizing quick estimates on energy consumption. Furthermore, BIM is helping to
quickly create simple models for simulating the performance and cost of renovations in existing
buildings and providing options for generating configurations for retrofits.
4.3.3 Space and Asset Management
The workspaces in a building can be easily visualized and referenced in a BIM. Different
scenarios for organizing the workspaces and equipment can be reviewed quickly to improve
space utilization and meet organizational objectives. Rooms can be numbered, assigned, and
re-configured rapidly. Moves can be planned and implemented smoothly.
In addition, the location and movement of furniture and other building assets can be tracked
very effectively by using the BIM as a 3D reference space. One can visualize and easily verify
the physical inventory of assets for financial valuation and replacement planning.
BIM can also contain the dimensions, equipment sizes, supplier information, maintenance and
operation details which will help facility managers to support the operations of the facility.
Facility managers are able to extract the room data and equipment details to provide comfort
and regular preventive maintenance. BIM tools typically support both the graphic and the
database components of a facility management application, providing tools to integrate data
with viewing and management capability. The COBIE standard is commonly used to provide
facility information that is created during the design and construction of a facility.
4.3.4 Disaster Planning
A BIM can help responders to access critical building information in case of emergencies. This
can help in search and rescue operations within the building and its rapid evacuation. It can also
be used for disaster planning and simulating different emergency scenarios. BIM increases the
effectiveness of emergency response by providing the static model information such as floors,
stairways, hallways, etc.

5 Tools that Support BIM Processes
In the AEC sector, BIM is widely applied to the design, construction and operation of buildings,
building components and infrastructure. BIM and CAD tools are used to cover the mechanical,
civil and architectural aspects of construction and specialized tools are used for domain specific
tasks, such as air flow analysis, site analysis, and structural calculations. Other tools and
technologies, such as GIS, are being used to provide contextual information for use in BIM
processes. The use of this data is driving advances in data interoperability. For example, recent
literature describes newer data transfer protocols between BIM and GIS platforms that are being
developed through the same IFC data schemas which support interoperability in BIM
8
.
In many ways, the use of electronic tools is not new to the AEC industry. Before the existence of
BIM specific software, many software tools under the civil and mechanical engineering domain
were being used by the AEC industry. The use of project management tools for scheduling and
tracking construction activities has been common in the industry for some time. Some of the
earliest benefits of BIM were realized through these earlier practices. As the use of these and
other tools increased, software vendors started to provide BIM functions/tools within their newer
versions. This phenomenon has provided users within the AEC industry a choice of selecting
BIM software or using the additional BIM functions/features provided within the conventional
software. In the current context, the choice of tools for a given BIM process involves making
decisions based on convenience, functionality and the ability to store, refine and reuse data.
This choice is further complicated by the fact that many AEC companies have legacy processes
that may add to the difficulty of adopting or expanding their use of BIM.
It should be noted that the adoption of BIM faces additional barriers when applied to
infrastructure or other areas typically viewed as civil engineering. Though modeling of
infrastructure elements like bridges, railroads, roads, water and utility networks have benefited
significantly with the development and adoption of 3D CAD tools for these disciplines, there are
interoperability challenges to maintain a richness of information.
Currently, there are an overwhelming number of available software tools from integrated suites
to standalone applications. While this environmental scan report has made every effort to refer
to commonly cited BIM and CAD tools, the focus has been to document only common features
and uses. For this reason, inclusion or omission of any specific software tool in this report
should not be interpreted as a statement of the quality or usefulness of that tool. This report
provides the reader with a quick overview of the tools and technologies commercially or freely
available in the market to support BIM implementation efforts. For the purpose of describing
how different tools are used to support the BIM processes within the AEC sector, we have
classified the software tools into categories according to their usage - Planning and design
tools, Construction tools and Operation tools. Appendix A of this report contains a concise

8
http://www.iai-tech.org/projects/ifc_extension_projects/current/ic3
http://jdowhower.wordpress.com/category/building-information-modeling-bim/bim-gis-geographic-
information-systems/

description of a set of 79 commonly referenced commercial tools for the support of BIM
activities.
6 BIM Interoperability Standards
The fundamental purpose of BIM is to facilitate communication and collaboration between
disciplines through data interoperability throughout the construction life-cycle. Properly done,
this allows professionals of all backgrounds to re-use the same data to make informed decisions
and contribute the results of their tasks into the collective model. The establishment of
interoperability standards are necessary to enable effective data exchange/reuse between
various software applications without every application having to understand the data formats
used by every other application or even different revisions of an application.
As of the end of 2010, none of the widely used open BIM formats had achieved formal status as
an ISO International Standard. That said two notable interoperability formats had gained
significant levels of adoption in the industry. Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) is an ISO
publicly available specification (ISO/PAS 16739) and is soon expected to gain full status as an
international standard. CIMsteel Integration Standard (CIS/2.1) has been endorsed by the
American Institute of Steel Construction making it, in effect, a de facto national interchange
standard, at least for the structural steel industry.

Figure 4. Open Interoperability Formats and Their Role in the Design-Bid-Build Construction Process.
To put the current broadly adopted open interoperability formats in context, Figure 4 gives a
high-level view of the Design-Bid-Build construction process showing which construction phases
each of the formats are applied in and by which professionals. The roles of these formats are
briefly described in the following subsections. More technical and regulatory details for each
specification are included in Appendix B.
6.1 IFC Coordination and Basic FM Hand Over Views
IFC is the format closest to gaining recognition as an ISO International Standard. Underlying the
specification is a substantially broad ontology covering many aspects of the construction life
cycle. It is capable of representing the different space and the general physical, structural,
cladding and systems of a facility. It also includes the ability to define a schedule and link it to
building elements to represent the erection sequence of a facility, i.e. the 4D BIM model.
IFC does not represent worksite practices or processes associated with particular scheduled
steps. Also, IFC is mostly limited to representing design models used for broad analysis and
coordination and does not represent the complete detailed models used for component
fabrication and detailed analysis. Even where IFC can represent more detailed models, it is
incapable of distinguishing between model elements used for fabrication and those relevant to
broadly coordinated design and construction.
These limitations reflect the origins of the IFC specification as focusing on inter-disciplinary
communication, data reuse and coordination as opposed to discipline specific requirements.
Since most professionals need only see part of a given model, legal subsets of the IFC model
are defined and called Model View Definitions (MVD). The IFC2x3 Coordination View includes
the broad definition of architectural, building services and structural elements for the purpose of
coordination between multiple construction professions. Usually, when people talk about or ask
for an ifc file, they are referring to the file with the data representing this coordination view. The
IFC2x3 Basic FM Hand Over View, commonly represented using the Construction Operations
Building information exchange format, focuses on the aggregation of the systems data (e.g.
equipment models, serial numbers, location, operational parameters, warrantees, etc.) in the
context of facility spaces for use by contractors, facility managers and operators.
Due to its broad applicability and support by industry software, the IFC2x3 Coordination view is
used by a large spectrum of construction professionals across the building life-cycle; however,
the quality of the software developer implemented support for this format remains inconsistent.
For example, ifc files exported may be missing elements of the design, or ifc files may not
import correctly in every package though most believe that some data is better than no data.
The newer IFC2x3 Basic FM Hand Over view is gaining support, especially since the principle
selected format for this view is a specially formatted spreadsheet, eliminating the need for
custom software.
6.2 CIS/2.1
CIMsteel Integration Standards Release 2: Second Edition (2003)(CIS/2.1) is the exchange
specification for structural steel professionals in the construction sector endorsed by the
American Institute of Steel Construction. It supports design, analysis, detailing and fabrication
processes vertically going beyond what is currently available in IFC. There is an on-going effort
to extend the IFC specifications to be capable of representing the same data and with the
ultimate goal of creating an international standard for the structural steel industry. This work is
related to the third IFC view, IFC2x3 Structural Analysis which is not in common use.
6.3 gbXML
The Green Building XML is an open schema intended to facilitate the assessment of the energy
and resource greenness of a facility using analysis programs that require specific characteristic
quantities of the facility. This includes information, like the number and size of each thermal
zone (i.e. often more than a single room or space, but rather a wing or floor of a building) and its
bounding surfaces, or the number of low-flow toilets and occupant demographics. As such, it
only supports the transmission of data from design into analysis. Nevertheless, this schema has
gained broad adoption with growing interest in using tools like the Department of Energys DOE-
2 calculator, Autodesk Ecotect Analysis, and Autodesk Green Building Studio.
6.4 Proprietary Formats
Most commercial planning and design software tools have their own formats for representing
and storing data and information. These are referred to as native or proprietary formats. Many
existing proprietary formats are focused on geometrical information and thus are insufficient for
communicating BIM data. However, in the CAD world they are still commonly used and are
worth a brief description. A range of export capabilities are possible within BIM and CAD
systems. The following are descriptions of the most prevalent formats:
CGR A file format used by Digital Project, a BIM capable architectural design package based
on Dassault Systems CATIA by gehry technologie, a company owned by the architect
Frank Gehry. Different aspects of a design may be stored in different CGR files requiring
that multiple files be combined to get a complete BIM model.
DWG Original DraWinG format licensed by Autodesk to meet the requirements of AutoCAD
(1982). As of 2009, there are 18 different DWG formats, none publicly documented.
Autodesk licenses RealDWG, a set of libraries that read and write the various DWG
formats. Bentley and Autodesk have an agreement in place to exchange software
libraries to improve capabilities to exchange DGN and DWG formats. Some metadata is
stored within the format but it is generally insufficient for BIM purposes.
DXF Drawing eXchange Format developed by Autodesk to enable interoperability between
AutoCAD and other programs. Autodesk publishes and maintains this standard. The
DXF format supports a limited set of drawing objects and is becoming less useful. Its
focus is basically for 2D, with very limited 3D geometry exchange and is insufficient for
BIM data exchange.
DWF Design Web Format developed by Autodesk. DWF is a lightweight and compressed
format, primarily intended for design review or publishing over the WEB and as a data
source for the development of simple interactive applications. It is a one way format,
unsuitable for the roundtrip exchange of information between professionals. Autodesk
provides a free viewer for this format. This format is based on the ISO/IEC 29500-2:2008
Open Packaging Conventions.
DGN DesiGN format was developed by Bentley Systems to support their MicroStation product
and Intergraphs IGDS (Interactive Graphics Design System) product. Prior to 2000 it
was based on the ISFF (Intergraph Standard File Format) specification published by
Intergraph in the late 1980s. This version is referred to as V7 DGN. From 2000 on,
Bentley Systems updated the version of DGN to support a different data structure
supporting BIM data which is referred to as V8 DGN. Bentley also supports an
OpenDGN format initiative providing software libraries to read and write V8 DGN files.
PLN Drawing PLaN is a format used by Graphisofts ArchiCAD product, directly supporting a
proprietary representation of BIM data. The format holds the distinction of being the first
implementation of BIM with the introduction of ArchiCAD in 1987.
RVT ReViT, the highly proprietary and protected format used by Autodesk Revit products
is designed to support BIM data directly.
STP STandardized Exchange of Product data. Although this format is not proprietary, it is a
common international standard CAD format used primarily for the exchange of geometry
typically encountered in the automotive, aerospace, industry and consumer products
manufacturing sector.
VWX A proprietary format used since 2008 by Nemetscheck Vectorworks, replaced the
previous MCD file format when Vectorworks was known as MiniCAD. This format does
represent BIM data.
3D PDF Portable Document Format is primarily an output format for the collaboration and
communication of design (3D) and design documentation and is managed by Adobe
Systems. Like DWF, this format is principally for digital publishing of model views for
human review and cannot be imported into design or analysis packages.
6.5 Interoperability Summary
BIM interoperability specifications and formats remain in their early infancy and often fail to live
up to the promise of smoothing interoperability and communication challenges faced by todays
construction professionals. Significant long-term challenges remain in addressing the different
levels of detail required to support different construction activities including design, analysis,
detailing, fabrication and coordination activities. Furthermore, industry groups continue to strive
to establish testing and certification of implementations of interoperability standards to ensure
that rapid continued progress is made by software developers toward making data transfer
reliable and routine. However, current specifications and implementations already provide useful
functionality to end users and they actively remain under development and gaining momentum
due to efforts by multiple International and North American stakeholder groups including:
the General Services Administration (the biggest property owner in the US)
non-profit organizations, such as the National Institute of Building Sciences,
buildingSMART International, the Steel Construction Institute and Green Building XML,
and indirectly, by the Construction Specifications Institute and Construction
Specifications Canada
professional organizations such as the American Institute of Architects, the Associated
General Contractors of America and discipline-specific professional societies like the
ASHRAE
software companies, such as Autodesk, Bentley, Graphisoft.
The efforts to create the new BIM interoperability standards are benefitting from previous
technology. IFC standards rely significantly on the EXPRESS language and the work done to
standardise CAD geometry exchange (the ISO 10303 - STEP Standard) gbXML and other
standards are benefitting from the existing broad technology support for XML schemas for
defining domain specific documents. The construction sector provides a significant challenge in
the scope of the knowledge that needs to be unambiguously defined, represented and agreed
upon, even if broken down by discipline or business transaction or construction process.
Other issues remain that have yet to be addressed satisfactorily by the communities developing
the standards. These include Intellectual Property (IP), security, risk of misuse and implied
warrantee, tracking and authorizing changes, comparison mechanisms and revision
management, proprietary documents and linking related documents or data to individual
elements of a model. These challenges are not unique to the construction industry but exist
wherever knowledge is digitally encoded for exchange between entities and as such, legal
approaches, insurance, business practices and technology will all play a part in addressing
these issues in the future.

7 Next Steps
BIM is having an increasingly significant influence on the way facilities are designed, built,
maintained and disposed of. Maximizing the potential of BIM has both business and technical
challenges. The business challenges include the contractual relationship, legal issues, risk
allocation, regulations, project delivery methods, etc. The technical challenges include best
practices guides, model management, inconsistencies in standards, and protocols for secure
data transfer. Adequate planning, guidelines and implementation procedures will help realize
significant benefits resulting in improved competitiveness.
The capacity to extract information from the BIM for various applications in the life-cycle of
construction will have a huge influence and vast impact on the industry in terms of the process.
These issues can be better addressed by establishing a Best Practices Guide and having an
Implementation Plan. Although the roles and responsibilities of people in the AEC industry
may not change significantly, it is the relationship that changes and this transition process will
be better with proper implementation plans and guidelines.
All trademarks, trade names, service marks or logos referenced herein belong to their
respective companies. Information about software contained in this Annex has been provided by
their respective companies, and has not necessarily been independently verified. Inclusion or
omission in this Annex should not be interpreted as an endorsement of any specific software or
service.

Appendix A: Survey of BIM Tools
In order to more fully expand on the availability of BIM tools, this appendix provides a survey of
commercially available software tools in use in the sector. Each page lists a separate tool,
ordered alphabetically by product name. The name of the vendor, its main features, commonly
supported formats and a description of the tool are all provided. Product descriptions are based
on information provided by the vendor and products have not necessarily been evaluated. The
summary of each tool ends with a website URL for more information, as well as an indication if
the tool is typically used in the Planning and Design, Construction or Operations phases of a
facility lifecycle.
While this environmental scan has made every effort to refer to commonly cited BIM, CAD and
other tools which support the BIM processes, the focus has been only to document common
features and uses. For this reason, inclusion or omission of any specific software tool in this
appendix should not be interpreted as a statement of the quality or usefulness of that tool.

service.

Product name: Affinity
Vendor name: Trelligence Inc.
Main features: Space planning and schematic design
Support features: Integrates with Revit, ArchiCAD and SketchUp
Support formats: GRAPHISOFT, SketchUp and Autodesk formats
Description: Affinity supports activities in the early design stage such as
capturing and representing the design intent and providing 2D/3D
visualization. It also supports bi-directional integration with other
BIM platforms and analysis packages. Sharing the data across
project teams, version control and review of multiple design
configurations are some of the features in addition to spatial
analysis, validation, quantity take-off, cost estimation and workflow
design. Affinity suite contains a library of tools to provide design
analysis using domain-specific knowledge templates. These
templates are customisable to suite company specific activities
and standards.
Special notes: Manage changes, cost estimates, integration with other packages
See also: MEP Modeller, Virtual Building Explorer, EcoDesigner, and
Artlantis
Web address: http://www.trelligence.com/
Use in AEC industry: Planning and Design Construction Operations
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: Allplan Architecture
Vendor name: Nemetschek
Main features: Object-oriented 3D design
Support features: Cost planning and detail drawings, CINEMA 3D
Support formats: IFC, DWG, DXF, PDF
Description: The Allplan product family offers an integrated solution to the
construction industry by providing tools to many disciplines along
the lifecycle of construction. It provides 3D modeling, quantity
take-off, cost estimations, tender management and facility
management solutions. These tools integrate seamlessly within a
central platform. The applications are web-based, thus, support
collaboration between larger and geographically distributed project
teams.
The Allplan product suite supports visualization, realistic rendering
and creation of Cinema 4D multimedia, project management,
communication tools, on-site mobile tools and site productivity
tools. Allplan suite supports Intelligent Building Data (IBD) for
automated Tender and Inventory (TAI) activities.
Special notes:
See also: Allplan Engineering, Allplan Cost Management and Allplan Facility
Management
Web address: http://www.nemetschek.eu/solutions/architecture.html
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: Allplan Engineering
Main features: Object-oriented 3D design for structural design
Support features: Reinforcement design and detail drawings
Support formats: IFC, DWG, DXF, and PDF
Description: Provides design and modeling solutions to structural and MEP
elements. These models are seamlessly integrated with the other
Allplan suite of tools. The structure details are derived/generated
from the building design data. The engineering suite consists of
drawing, editing, visualizing and measuring features for quick
generation of detailed models and shop drawings.
Special notes: Integrates with Frilo structural analysis and Scia Engineer to
provide a complete solution.
See also: Allplan Architecture, Allplan Cost Management and Allplan Facility
Management
Web address: http://www.nemetschek.eu/solutions/engineering.html
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: Allplan Cost Management
Main features: Cost planning
Support features: Integrates with tender and inventory systems
Support formats: IFC, DWG, DXF and PDF
Description: Allplan Cost Management is a material quantity estimation and
cost estimation package. It uses the IBD approach to extract
quantity and cost estimates from the models. These costs are
later added to the operation and maintenance cost to predict the
FM budget.
Special notes: Integrates with tender and inventory systems.
See also: Allplan Architecture, Allplan Engineering and Allplan Facility
Management
Web address: http://www.nemetschek.eu/solutions/cost-managemenet.html
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: Allplan Facility Management
Main features: Facility management
Support features: Real estate management
Support formats: IFC, DWG, DXF and PDF
Description: Allplan Facility Management is a space, property and relocation
planning software. It assists in maintenance and operational
activities of facilities such as invoicing, scheduling maintenance
and documenting. Allplan Facility Management software
integrates with the design data for cost estimation associated with
the management of buildings and helps to manage and optimize
the real estate. Allplan Facility Management supports a broad
range of facility maintenance activities such as generation of
schedules, work-order creations and budgeting process.
Special notes: Integrates with Allplan suite
See also: Allplan Architecture, Allplan Engineering and Allplan Cost
Management
Web address: http://www.nemetschek.eu
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: ArchiCAD
Vendor name: GRAPHISOFT
Main features: Object-oriented approach, architectural modeling, cost estimation,
energy analysis
Support features: Server-based modeling, collaboration, translators
Support formats: IFC
Description: ArchiCAD supports libraries of materials and parametric objects to
quickly generate 2D drafting and 3D models. Model mapping,
element classification, IFC reference model, version tracking and
change management are some of the features that the software
provides for modeling and analysis. It provides a collaborative
platform environment to facilitate project teams working on shared
BIM projects. Support for IPD, open collaboration and BIM
workflow are some of the additional features of ArchiCAD.
ArchiCAD supports activities all across the lifecycle of construction
such as design, construction, operation, and maintenance.
Special notes: Manage changes, cost estimates, integration with Revit suite.
Available for both Windows and Apple platforms
Artlantis
Web address: http://www.graphisoft.com/products/archicad/
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: ArchiFM
Vendor name: Vintocon/GRAPHISOFT
Main features: Object-oriented approach, BIM-based facility maintenance
modeling
Support features: Server-based modeling, web-based
Support formats: IFC and GRAPHISOFT formats
Description: ArchiFM uses a virtual model to support the FM activities by
linking the data to the model. ArchiFM supports operation and
maintenance activities such as area management, energy
management, cost control, and inventory control. ArchiFM
provides functions to generate and evaluate work orders before
they are issued. The model data can be shared across the web
using a web-server with different project teams.
Special notes: Integrates seamlessly with GRAPHISOFT software suite.
Supports FM standards endorsed by Building Owners and
Managers Association. Also supports German Engineering
Federation standards.
See also:
Web address: http://www.archifm.com/english/vinto-megoldasok.php
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: Artlantis
Vendor name: GRAPHISOFT
Main features: Rendering for architectural modeling
Support features: Animations
Support formats: QuickTime panorama
Description: Artlantis is a rendering application for architects, interior
designers, urban planners, landscapers, and exhibitors. Artlantis
produces renderings of images for practitioners who require high
resolution VR panoramas. It contains a library of objects, materials
and textures to create high resolution scene environments for
presentations.
Special notes:
ArchiCAD
Web Address: http://www.graphisoft.com/products/artlantis/
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: ArTra BIM
Vendor name: CADPIPE
Main features: Interface to link 3D CAD
Support features: Project coordination and asset management
Support formats:
Description: Provides a platform to visualize design models. Supports material
and quantity take-off. Often used as a tool for asset management.
Additional modules for project management, document
management, population of 3D model attributes and tracking are
also available.
Special notes: Integrates with Navisworks
See also:
Web address: http://www.artrainc.com/
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: AutoCAD Civil 3D
Vendor name: Autodesk
Main features: BIM solution for civil engineering
Support features: Integrated geospatial analysis, intelligent pipe layouts,
hydrological analysis and production drafting
Support formats: DWG, DXF and DWF
Description: Provides a platform for BIM solutions for civil engineering
applications. Supports design, analysis, construction, visualization
and documentation activities. Modules are provided for dynamic
quantity take-off, geospatial, pipe layouts, earthworks and storm
water analysis and calculations. The platform provides features
and functions to support activities such as criteria-based
geometric design, parcel layouts, corridor modeling, pipe layouts
and surveying, making it possible to be used in infrastructure
projects such as road and highway design, bridge design, land
development and environmental projects. The software provides
connectivity between design and documentation provides rich
features for annotation, plan production documents, reporting, and
coordination.
The software includes modules for geospatial analysis, mapping
capabilities, overlay topologies to support engineering-based
workflows and facilitate the modeling of sustainable design
configurations and large infrastructure design.
Special notes: BIM and CAD solutions, 64 bit hardware support, GPS integration
See also: Revit Architecture, Revit Structure, and Revit MEP
Web address: http://usa.autodesk.com/civil-3d/
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: Autodesk Design Review
Main features: Design review and mark-up
Support features: Interference management, clash detection, 4D simulation, and
mark-up
Support formats: DWG, DXF and DWF
Description: Design review software for 3D coordination and 4D planning. The
software platform provides features such as annotations, redlining
and mark-up to communicate among project teams. Additional
features include population and extraction of design attribute
information, project data integration, change order management,
version control and content deployment. Supports model-based
activities such as visualization, navigation, walkthroughs and
mark-up.
Special notes: BIM/CAD design review for project teams, GPS integration
See also: Revit Architecture, Revit Structure and Revit MEP
Web address: http://usa.autodesk.com/
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: Bentley Suite
Vendor name: Bentley
Main features: Design and modeling for infrastructure, architecture, structures
design and MEP
Support features: Clash detection, form functions, detailing, quantity take-off,
bidirectional association, parametric, scheduling, terrain modeling,
and modeling optimisation , cross-disciplinary coordination, rule-
based form-shaping
Support formats: DWG, gbXML, IFC, Adobe 3D PDF, DGN, STEP, SketchUp,
Rhino and IGES
Description: Bentley Suite provides tools to support activities along the lifecycle
of construction. Provides collaboration capabilities and can
integrate with specialized tools such as RAM and STAAD for
structural analysis purposes. Bentley Suite also consists of tools
for 3D parametric modeling, surface and solid modeling,
schematics, harness and cable modeling, building electrical
systems, mechanical systems, gas and water piping, a facility
planner, GIS mapping, process communication and 3D HVAC
modeling. In addition to other modules, Bentley Suite consists of
modules to facilitate 3D coordination and 4D planning to enable
collaboration and communication among project teams. Additional
features include programming support, interoperability, project
data integration, change order management, version control and
content deployment. It supports model-based activities such as
visualization, navigation, walkthroughs, and mark-up.
Special notes: Integration with Primavera and Triforma project management tools.
See also:
Web address: http://www.bentley.com/en-US/
____________________________________________________________________________
service.

Product name: Bluebeam
Vendor name: Bluebeam Software Inc.
Main features: Mark-up, navigation, collaboration and technical publishing
Support features: Integrates with major BIM products
Support formats: Autodesk and Parasolid formats
Description: Bluebeam is primarily a PDF creation tool. It provides a library of
tools and modules to mark-up models and documents for activities
such as design review and communication including digital
signatures, overlap of multiple files, adding hyperlinks, computing
areas, perimeters, lengths, volumes and other measurements.
These PDF documents are used in collaborative activities.
Special notes: Creates a PDF
See also: Simlab Soft
Web address: http://www.bluebeam.com/
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: Bluethink
Vendor name: Selvaag Bluethink
Main features: Rule-based 3D house designer
Support features: Sketch, cost estimation, design check, Microsoft SQL server
Support formats: Major CAD formats and IFC
Description: Supports user sketches to capture design intent and layout.
Applies rules and assists in creating the building design as a BIM
model. Bluethink provides capabilities of exporting BIM as IFC
connectors for design exchange and analysis purposes.
Special notes: Integrates with Bentley Systems
See also:
Web address: http://www.selvaag.no/en/aboutselvaag/Sider/default.aspx
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: bonsai 3D
Vendor name: AutoDesSys
Main features: 3D design and rendering
Support features: Sketches
Support formats: DWG, DXF
Description: 3D surface and solid parametric modeler for concept design.
Imports sketches and builds complex geometry surfaces. It
provides tools for creation and editing of design components. It
also allows generation of construction drawings and shop
drawings from the created model as well as high resolution
models for presentation purposes. Model walkthrough, animation
and interactive visualization features are provided. Provides a
special module for architects called form-Z which contains
modeling tools for creating freeform photo-realistic architectural
designs.
Special notes: Supports NURBS
See also:
Web address: http://www.formz.com/
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: CATIA
Vendor name: Dassault Systems
Main features: 3D surface and solid modeling environment
Support features: Sketches, surfaces, solids
Support formats: DWG, DXF, IGES, STEP, STL, and all popular CAD formats
Description: CATIA, 3D product design software used extensively in the
aeronautical industry for product modeling and product lifecycle
management. CATIA has a wide range of modeling tools,
integrated analysis capabilities and visualization support. CATIA
supports integration with many analysis tools. MEP component
modeling can be designed and modeled in CATIA with sufficient
levels of detail to analyze constructability issues. CATIA suite
allows collaboration among larger project teams.
Special notes: Supports different types of complex solid and surface modeling,
supports programming interface
See also: Digital Project and DOE-2
Web address: http://www.3ds.com/products/catia/welcome/
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: CostOS BIM
Vendor name: Nomitech Inc.
Main features: BIM-based cost estimation
Support features: Quantity surveying and risk management
Support formats: All major CAD system format and IFC
Description: Creates bill of quantities directly from 3D model and populates to
an integrated database. The cost criteria are based on the
resources used; such as material, equipment, labour, and
consumables. Supports cost viewer, navigating and searching
features and cost comparison in the environment. Other modules
support estimation for quantity surveying and database
management.
Special notes: Estimates can be synchronized with Primavera and Microsoft
Project software.
See also:
Web address: http://www.nomitech.eu/cms/c/bimestimating.html
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: CSICOL
Vendor name: Computers and Structures, Inc.
Main features: Design of reinforced concrete columns
Support features: Rebar design
Support formats: DWG, FrameWorks, IGES, STAAD, STRUDL
Description: Software package for design and analysis of reinforced concrete
structures and columns. Features a wizard-based system to assist
in the creation of the design model and helps capture details
required for structural analysis.
Special notes: Design accordance to ACi-318-99, BS8110 and CSA A-23.3.94
See also: ETAB, SAP 2000, SAFE and PERFORM 3D
Web address: http://www.csiberkeley.com/products_CSICOL.html
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: DDS
Vendor name: Data Design System
Main features: Electrical, HVAC, collaboration
Support features: Supports project management, MEP systems and manufacturing
Support formats: All major CAD formats, IFC
Description: DDS suite provides tools for MEP component design, architecture
and construction especially for timber frame design buildings. The
architecture tool provides parametric modeling to design the
buildings. The construction tool provides the modules for joist
design, wall panel, floor and roof. This design data can be
interfaced to production and fabrication. The MEP module
supports the design and documentation of the HVAC, electrical
and plumbing systems. IFC interface is available to communicate
data with other external programs.
Special notes: focus on timber-based construction
See also:
Web address: http://www.dds-cad.net
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: Dexter + Chaney
Vendor name: Spectrum Construction Software
Main features: Project management, construction accounting, equipment
management and data sharing.
Support features: Features geared towards activities involving electrical, utility and
HVAC
Support formats:
Description: Managing materials, labour, change orders for large contract jobs.
Suite includes subcontract management, document imaging,
equipment control, equipment tracking, managing fixed assets, job
costing, material management and project management.
Special notes:
See also:
Web address: http://www.dexterchaney.com/spectrum
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: Digital Project
Vendor name: Gehry Technologies
Support features: Supports project management, integrated approach, MEP
systems routing
Support formats: All major CAD formats, IFC, VRML
Description: BIM and management tools for designing and viewing models of
large projects. Digital Project software provides features to embed
or link information. Software platform supports activities such as
parametric modeling, design review, quality assurance, 4D
planning, attribute data population, complex assembly design and
programming support for automation. Additional features are
provided in the software platform for publishing the content
information with high resolution renderings and animations.
Special notes: Uses CATIA software as a core engine, viewer software are
available for review among teams, integrates with Microsoft Excel
See also: CATIA, Primavera
Web address: http://www.gehrytechnologies.com/
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: DOE-2
Vendor name: Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (original developers)
Support features: Supports project management, MEP systems routing
Support formats: All major CAD formats
Description: 3D building information modeling tool with energy analysis and
simulation as the primary features. Uses building layout,
construction schedule, HVAC, lighting and weather data to
estimate the energy consumption. Additional modules are
available to make the software customizable and interactive.
Special notes: Uses CATIA software as a core engine
See also: CATIA, Primavera, eQUEST
Web address: http://www.doe2.com
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: DProfiler
Vendor name: Beck Technologies
Main features: Cost estimation and energy analysis
Support features: Simple modeling and quantity take-off
Support formats: Google Earth, IFC
Description: DProfiler provides tools for early budgeting and value engineering
activities at the concept design stage. DProfiler also provides
modules to facilitate the integration with custom cost databases,
timberline estimating applications, energy analysis software, cost
estimation, quantity take-off and budget planning activities.
Special notes: Output cost estimates to Excel, knowledge capture for cost
estimation, integrate with RSMeans cost database.
Web address: http://www.beck-technology.com/product_dp.asp
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: e-specs
Vendor name: InterSpec
Main features: BIM integrated specification solutions
Support features: Master guide specifications
Support formats: All major BIM vendors format, IFC
Description: e-specs assist the creation of project specifications using product
and material information from BIM models and project drawings.
Additional modules are available for specific activities such as
checklist filtering, specification editor, reporting and document
creation. e-specs have built in mark-up, redlining and posting tools
for reviewing specification documents. Also provides a BIM model
validation interface to select elements for generating
specifications. e-specs integrate with major BIM vendor products.
Special notes:
See also:
Web address: http://www.e-specs.com/products.html
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: EaglePoint suite
Vendor name: Eagle Point
Main features: Cost Estimation, work flow, concept design, data analysis
Support features: Design modeling, quantity take-off and site development
Support formats: DXF, DWG, Revit
Description: EaglePoint suite provides add-on packages to Autodesk products
geared towards design office and construction site activities such
as sketching, civil applications, landscape applications, site work
and survey.
Special notes: Provides add-on and special modules to run on Revit suite.
Web address: http://eaglepoint.com/
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: EcoDesigner
Vendor name: GRAPHISOFT Technologies
Main features: Energy analysis and cost estimation
Support features:
Support formats: GRAPHISOFT native format
Description: EcoDesigner is a software module to compute the energy and
associated costs for evaluating architectural design and MEP
systems. EcoDesigner serves as a tool for the early design phase
and to derive design configurations based on energy use. Model
review, visualization in both 2D and 3D and use of weather data
for energy computation are some of the basic features available to
study the building performance. EcoDesigner captures the
materials data used in the design and uses these values to
perform the thermal analysis. The analysis results are tabulated
as reports containing energy plots and corresponding graphs.
Special notes: Early design phase energy estimates
See also: MEP Modeller, Virtual Building Explorer, ArchiCAD, Artlantis
Web address: http://www.graphisoft.com/products/ecodesigner/
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: Ecotect
Main features: Sustainable building software
Support features: Whole building energy analysis, thermal performance, water
usage, solar calculations, shadows and reflections.
Support formats: gbXML, popular CAD formats, SketchUp, GRAPHISOFT native
format
Description: Ecotect is a tool used in the process of deriving sustainable
design configurations. Ecotect supports simulation, energy
analysis and facilitates integration of environment data for energy
computation and building performance. In using the Ecotect tool,
the 3D representation of the building is divided as spaces/zones.
Ecotech provides thermal analysis of structures and shadow
analysis based on the sun path and the BIM model information.
Special notes: Carbon foot print calculation early in the design stage. Embeds
local weather analysis. Green Building Studio is a subscription
entitlement to Ecotech analysis.
See also: Revit Architecture, Revit MEP, Green Building Studio
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: EnergyPlus
Vendor name: U.S.Department of Energy
Main features: Whole building energy simulation program
Support features: Heating, lighting, ventilation analysis
Description: EnergyPlus is a tool for the modeling of heating, cooling, lighting,
ventilation for energy analysis and water usage in buildings.
EnergyPlus includes simulation capabilities, user defined time
steps, multi zone air flow, thermal comfort and natural ventilation
design and analysis capabilities.

Special notes:
See also:
Web address: http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/energyplus/
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: ETAB
Vendor name: Computers and Structures Inc
Main features: Integrated analysis, design and drafting of building systems
Support features: Modeling and analysis of steel framed, concrete, composite floors
and steel joist structures.
Support formats: DWG, FrameWorks, IGES, STAAD, STRUDL, CIS/2, STEP, IFC
Description: ETAB is an object-based graphical user interface platform for
frame design and truss system modeling. ETAB can model a
range of structures such as rigid and flexible floors, ramps and
parking structures. ETAB provides non-linear analysis of
structures for different kinds of materials including composite
materials. ETAB has the ability to import/export project data from
Autodesk BIM platform.
Special notes: Supports a variety of analysis with many advanced features.
Export model data to Microsoft Access database and other
packages for analysis.
See also: SAP2000, SAFE, PERFORM-3D and CSICOL
Web address: http://www.csiberkeley.com/products_ETABS.html
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: Fastrak
Vendor name: Civil and Structural Computing Ltd.
Main features: Structural steel work
Support features:
Support formats: DXF, CIS/2, integrates with Revit BIM software
Description: Fastrak is a steelwork design and drafting software. Fastrak
generate materials lists, establishes connection details and
provides column schedules to provide analysis support for steel,
concrete and wood structures. Fastrak supports the ability to
share code-based design data created by the structural engineer
and provides integration with CSC software suite.
Special notes: Supports European, American and British codes
See also: TEDDS, Orion, S-frame, and Structural BIM
Web address: http://www.cscworld.com/fastrak/
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: Field BIM (Vela Suite)
Vendor name: VELA Systems
Main features: Field BIM for construction
Support features: Tools to support the construction and handover process, material
tracking
Support formats: IFC, Autodesk Revit and Tekla structures.
Description: Vela Suite is used to optimize supply chain logistics and material
tracking, support distributed environments for access and retrieval
of documents by contractors, trades and owners. VELA Mobile
Suite allows information access on construction sites via hand
held computers and tablet PCs. VELA mobile systems are
replacing paper plans and clipboards on construction sites. Field
BIM module supports tracking of material, creation of work list and
quick generation of reports. Field BIM module integrates with
Autodesk BIM platform and Tekla structures. Vela system
supports integration of additional information to the model to
facilitate activities such as design review. FieldBIM serves as a
platform for the construction handover process.
Special notes:
See also:
Web address: http://www.velasystems.com/construction-field-software-products
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: FINE
Vendor name: 4M
Main features: Building services design suite
Support features: Mechanical, plumbing and electrical
Support formats: DWG and GRAPHISOFT format
Description: FINE is a software environment for creating mechanical, electrical
and plumbing designs using embedded knowledge. The FINE
suite includes FineHVAC software for heating and ventilation and
air conditioning design and drafting, FineSANI for water supply
and sewerage design and FineLIFT for elevator design. FINE
suite modeling is based on intelligent object entities.
Special notes: Uses IntelliCAD engine
See also: IDEA, STRAD, and STEEL
Web address: http://www.4msa.com/
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: Glue
Vendor name: Horizontal systems
Main features: Web-based BIM Management
Support features: Archiving, version control, collaboration and sharing
Support formats:
Description: Horizontal Glue platform supports a coordinated BIM approach to
communicate and collaborate with the management software and
teams using web-based servers. The suite contains tools for
collaboration, estimation, scheduling, data exchange, field
activities and facility maintenance. It can create notices and
records depending on the activities such as component clashes
and interferences. The facility module hosts the MEP and other
data specifications, creates auto notifications for scheduled
maintenance checks, supporting component tracking and
submittals process.
Special notes:
See also:
Web address: http://www.horizontalsystems.com/index.php/products/glue-
platform
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: Green Building Studio
Main features: Web-based energy analysis software
Support features: Whole building energy analysis, design alternatives, energy star
scoring
Support formats: gbXML
Description: Green Building Studio is a software environment for performing an
energy analysis over the web. It is a platform for studying and
comparing design alternatives using energy analysis taking into
consideration the detailed weather data. GBS computes the day
lighting, estimates water usage and associated costs based on
project attributes, hours of operation, and type of HVAC systems.
GBS provides a graphical display of results to ease the decision
making process. GBS also acts as a link to the BIM environment
for detailed energy analysis programs. GBS also acts as a
validation tool to identify model issues before the BIM model is
sent for detailed analysis. GBS assists in the process of
computing ratings for the qualification for LEED.
Special notes: Carbon foot print calculation early in the design stage. Embeds
local weather analysis.
See also: Revit Architecture
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: IDEA
Vendor name: 4M
Main features: Architectural design
Support features:
Support formats: DWG and GRAPHISOFT formats
Description: IDEA is a design and modeling software based on the IntelliCAD
software engine. IDEA covers a wide range of building design
industry needs such as architectural designs, structural designs,
HVAC and MEP. IDEA architectural design module provides
design, render and walkthrough features. Other separate modules
are available for specific aspects of construction activities such as
HVAC, sewerage design, electrical installation design and elevator
design. IDEA is compatible with Autodesk products.
See also: FINE, STRAD, and STEEL
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: IES Suite
Vendor name: Integrated Environmental Solutions
Main features: Sustainable design, energy analysis
Support features: Green design analysis
Support formats: DWG/DXF, gbXML, SketchUp
Description: IES suite is a design, modeling and building performance software
with capabilities to perform energy analysis and environmental
analysis. IES provides an interactive and simulation environment
to make decisions. The IES suite provides a set of analysis tools
for computing energy performance, building loads, carbon
footprint, airflow, ventilation, daylight and shadow analysis. IES
supports LEED certification regulations from many countries.
Special notes: Integrates with major BIM packages. Both Windows and Apple
platform are supported.
See also:
Web address: http://www.iesve.com/
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: Innovaya Suite
Vendor name: Innovaya
Main features: 4D simulation, 5D estimating and project management
Support features: Integrates with Autodesk BIM and Tekla structures
Support formats: DWG, DXF, DWF, IFC, and RVT
Description: Innovaya Suite is a platform for many construction activities such
as 3D visualization of processes, quantity and cost estimation and
sequencing. Innovaya Suite supports change management
process and communication with the project team. Innovaya
provides a visual based platform for BIM contents, quantity take-
off and estimation. Innovaya facilitates the derivation of a
construction model from a design model.
Special notes: Interfaces with Autodesk API
See also:
Web address: http://www.innovaya.com/
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: Maxwell
Vendor name: Maxwell Systems
Main features: Quantity take-off, estimation, manage projects
Support features: Includes HVAC estimation support
Support formats:
Description: Maxwell tools support property management, construction
management and financial management activities. Maxwell
provides forecasting and budgeting capabilities; manages
inventory, orders and transportation. Maxwell also supports the
creation and management of documents for contract activities
such as concrete, masonry and excavation details. Maxwell
provides an integrated solution and a visual interactive
environment for both estimating and job-cost accounting
processes. Additional modules are also available for project
management services such as construction project management,
equipment management and change order tracking.
Special notes:
See also:
Web address: http://www.maxwellsystems.com/
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: MEP Modeller
Main features: Energy modeling, cost estimation
Support features: Sustainable design
Support formats: IFC and Autodesk formats
Description: MEP modeller supports BIM-based workflow wherein architects
can interact with MEP data via ArchiCAD Connection. The MEP
toolbox library consists of tools and features to create HVAC
components, transitions elements and connections. MEP modeller
also supports features such as collision interference, collaboration
and sharing of the datasets. MEP modeller integrates with both
GRAPHISOFT and Autodesk products.
Special notes: Extension to ArchiCAD, support AutoCAD and REVIT packages,
provides sharing and collaborative features.
See also: EcoDesigner, Virtual Building Explorer, ArchiCAD, Artlantis
Web address: http://www.graphisoft.com/products/mep-modeler
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: Microsoft Dynamics
Vendor name: Microsoft Corporation
Main features: Construction project management
Support features: Enterprise resource planning and customer relationship
management
Support formats:
Description: Microsoft Dynamics is primarily an enterprise resource planning
and customer relationship management tool for project
management and streamlining internal communication processes.
It automates office operations, manages collaboration via web
portals and provides a platform for sharing and exchanging
documents.
Special notes:
See also:
Web address: http://www.microsoft.com/en-
us/dynamics/industries/construction.aspx
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: Navisworks
Main features: Collaboration, coordination and communication
Support features: Interference management, clash detection, 4D simulation and
scheduling
Support formats: DWF and other popular CAD formats
Description: Navisworks can be used as project review software for 3D
coordination, 4D planning, high resolution rendering, visualization,
animations, measurement and mock-ups. Navisworks provides
features for design-review, creating and visualizing simulations
and coordination of project information. Navisworks provides
features to facilitate large single coordinated models which assist
in managing construction activities such as scheduling. It has tools
to provide interference checking, tracking and reporting.
Navisworks provides construction administration for large
construction projects using Newforma Project Center and virtual
server installations.
Special notes: Model-based clash detection between different discipline models.
Integrates with MqSQL database.
See also: Autodesk Revit Suite
Web address: http://www.autodesk.com/navisworks
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: Newforma Project Center
Vendor name: Newforma Inc.
Main features: Project management and BIM/CAD design review
Support features: Interference management, clash detection, 4D simulation and
mark-up
Support formats: All major CAD and BIM formats
Description: Newforma Project Center software is a project review software for
many construction related activities such as 3D coordination, 4D
planning, and mark-up. Newforma Project Center can track and
share review details along with version control. The suite of tools
inside Newforma Project Center assists in planning and improving
the performance in large teams by capturing and updating
reference information. Newforma Project Center guides and
automates the process of LEED certification.
Special notes: BIM/CAD design review, enterprise level solution
See also:
Web address: http://www.newforma.com/
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: OnCenter Software
Vendor name: OnCenter Software Inc.
Main features: Construction cost estimation and project management software
from initial bid to completion
Support features: Works with image files
Support formats: PDF and popular CAD files
Description: OnCenter allows contractors to create estimates, on-screen take-
offs and quick bids. The on-screen take-off allows a user to view,
measure and mark-up 2D plans on the computer and generate
quick bids. The quick-bid module allows the user to adjust project
parameters such as labour rates, taxes, profits and other
overheads to generate different configurations.
Special notes: Can handle concrete, interior walls, flooring, painting, landscaping,
electrical, masonry and roofing
See also:
Web address: http://www.oncenter.com/
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: Onuma
Vendor name: Onuma Systems
Main features: Interoperability, planning
Support features: Web deployment, server, GIS
Support formats: IFC, XML GoogleEarth, Autodesk and GRAPHISOFT formats
Description: Onuma software supports BIM-based predictive planning and
project management. Onuma allows users to pick and choose BIM
objects from open standard IFC files. The focus of this planning
tool has been towards scalability and interoperability. Onuma
system integrates with many popular BIM software platforms and
open standards IFC.
Special notes: Web-enabled project management and planning. Both Windows
and Apple platform are supported.
See also:
Web address: http://www.onuma.com/products/
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: Orion
Main features: Detailing software for reinforced concrete structures
Support features: Integration with CSC suite products, presentation and visualization
Support formats: DXF and Revit Structure
Description: Orion is a design and modeling software for steel and concrete
reinforced structures. Orion software supports detailed
calculations, material quantities, structural layout plans and
schedules all derived from a single model. Orion supports building
codes from many different countries. Orion also integrates with
Autodesk Revit Structure software and other popular structural
analysis software.
Special notes:
See also: Fastrak, TEDDS, S-frame, and Structural BIM
Web address: http://www.cscworld.com/orion/
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: PERFORM 3D
Vendor name: Computers and Structures Inc.
Main features: Nonlinear analysis and performance assessment for 3D structures
Support features: Performance based design capabilities
Support formats: DWG, FrameWorks, IGES, STAAD, STRUDL, ETABS, SAP2000
Description: PERFORM 3D is a platform for import, analysis and visualization
of the results for analysis of large structures. PERFORM 3D also
supports aspects of design modeling for beam, columns and
connecting members along with dampers and isolators. The
analysis suite supports different types of analysis such as 3D non-
linear static, time-history, deformation and stiffness degradation.
The analysis output results are visualized in many formats such as
plots, animation and diagrams.
Special notes:
See also: ETAB, SAP 2000, SAFE and CSICOL
Web address: http://www.csiberkeley.com/products_PERFORM.html
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: Planswift
Vendor name: Tech Unlimited
Main features: Quantity take-off and estimation
Support features: Works with image files
Support formats: DXF, DWF, DWG and other CAD standards
Description: Planswift is a point and click software for computing quantity take-
offs and estimations. Planswift integrates with Autodesk products
to provide tools for contractors, homebuilders, and remodelers for
easy computation of design parameters such as lengths, areas,
and track changes with overlays, mark-ups and labelling. It allows
users to share the datasets and also integrates with mobile
devices such asthe iPhone.
Special notes: For commercial, residential and remodeling take-off and estimates
See also:
Web address: http://www.planswift.com/
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: Primavera P3
Vendor name: Milestone/Gehery partners/Dassult Inc.
Main features: Project planner
Support features: Control, connect and manage
Support formats: Popular database formats
Description: Primavera P3 is a project planning software for generating
schedules and resource planning. Primavera P3 provides a 4D
construction simulation by linking model geometry and scheduling.
It enables analysis of different scenarios. Project scheduling
activities, creating documentation such as generation of status
reports and tracking of project performance are some of the
features of this software. Modules are provided to integrate
Primavera P3 schedules with other software such as Navisworks.
Primavera P3 can interact with large database programs such as
Oracle.
Special notes: Suitable for large projects, managing multiple projects
See also:
Web address:
http://www.oracle.com/us/products/applications/primavera/index.ht
ml
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: Project Document Manager
Vendor name: Joint partnership with McGraw Hill Construction
Main features: Create, publish, manage and distribute project information
Support features: Includes pre-construction, construction and project closeout
Support formats:
Description: Project Document Manager provides managing, job cost
accounting and sharing project information solutions between all
project participants. Project Document Manager supports activities
such as pre-construction, construction and closeout activities in
evaluations, submittal management, bid data management and
document management. Project Document Manager Suite
provides three specific contractor estimating software namely;
ProContractorMX, QuestMX and Estimation. ProContractorMX is
designed for take-off, estimation and proposal management
support. QuestMX is geared towards heavy construction activities.
An estimation module can be used to provide take-offs and
estimating solutions for HVAC and plumbing systems.
Special notes:
See also:
Web address: http://www.maxwellsystems.com/
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: Quickpen Suite
Vendor name: Trimble Technologies
Main features: Integrated software suite for contractors
Support features: Estimation, 3D modeling, fabrication, field support and tool
management
Support formats: Popular CAD formats
Description: Quickpen Suite consists of modules covering a broad range of
construction activities such as estimating, 3D modeling, fabrication
and tool management. For each of these activities specific tools
are available such as: AutoBid for sheet metal and mechanical
estimates, DuctDesigner and PipeDesigner for design and
modeling of ducts, pipes and fittings, Trimble for layout of MEP
elements, AllTrack for component tracking in the construction
site.
Special notes:
See also:
Web address: http://www.quickpen.com/index.php/Products/Products.html
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: Revit Architecture
Vendor name: Autodesk Inc.
Main features: Architecture design and modeling
scheduling, bidirectional association and parametric modeling
Support formats: DWG, gbXML, IFC, FBX
Description: Revit Architecture is a BIM platform for architectural activities. It
supports construction planning, interference checks, coordinated
processes in change management, high resolution rendering, and
generation of shop drawings, documentation, sharing and
collaboration. Revit Architecture also provides an interactive
platform for detailed design of adaptive components, form editing
tools, workflow process and integration with analysis programs.
Detailing, scheduling, material take-off, parametric design,
creating detailed construction documents, coordination and
visualization are some of the common features of the Revit
architecture platform.
Special notes: Provides API capabilities and support to LEED certification.
See also: Revit MEP, Revit Structure, Navisworks, Green Building Studio,
Ecotect, Autocad Civil 3D and Autodesk Design Review
Web address: http://www.autodesk.com
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: Revit MEP
Main features: Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing design and modeling
Bidirectional associativity, parametric, scheduling,
Support formats: DWG, gbXML, IFC, FBX
Description: Revit MEP is a BIM platform for conception to construction
documentation of MEP components and activities. Revit MEP
automates routine drafting jobs to create accurate construction
documentation and shop drawings. Also supports sharing and
collaboration and integration activities. Detailing, scheduling,
material take-off, parametric design, creating detailed construction
documents, coordination and visualization are key features.
Special notes: Provides API support, collaboration capabilities and built-in
analysis modules.
See also: Revit Architecture, Revit Structure, Navisworks, Green Building
Studio, Ecotect, Autocad Civil 3D and Autodesk Design Review
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: Revit Structure
Main features: Structural design and drafting.
scheduling and vibration analysis.
Support formats: DWG, IFC, and FBX
Description: Revit Structure is a BIM platform for conception to construction
documentation of structural components and assemblies. Revit
Structure supports structural analysis, creates shop drawings to
facilitate fabrication from the model. The Revit Structure suite
consists of modeling tools for structure elements such as beams,
columns, braces, joints, etc. Special modules are available for
concrete reinforced modeling and rebar design. Revit structure
suite helps optimize structural design by integrating design,
analysis, fabrication and documentation.
Special notes: Provides API support, collaboration capabilities and built-in
analysis modules. Autodesk suite contains packages like
Constructware for optimizing construction processes for cost and
completing the project in time and Buzzsaw to synchronize
project related information and data management. It supports
vibration analysis for steel floors.
See also: Revit Architecture, Revit MEP, Navisworks, Green Building Studio,
Ecotect, Autocad Civil 3D and Autodesk Design Review
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: RISA
Vendor name: RISA Technologies
Main features Structural analysis
Support features: 3D modeling and analysis
Support formats: DXF, DesignLINK, Revit
Description: RISA is design and analysis software for structures using different
materials like steel, concrete, wood, cold formed steel and
masonry. It integrates with other products of RISA for different
aspects of construction activities such as design of floors,
foundations and footings. The RisaFloor module integrates with
RISA3D to extract all the information and computes the
calculations for the floor details. The RISAFoundation allows the
foundation component design such as slabs and footings. Other
modules such as RISAConnect and RISASection are available
for design, modeling and analysis of other structural elements.
Special notes:
See also:
Web address: http://www.risatech.com/
Use in AEC industry: Planning and Design Construction Operation
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: SAFE
Main features: Design of slabs, beams, foundations, reinforced and post-
tensioned structural components
Support features: Modeling, analysis, and detailing
Support formats: DWG, FrameWorks, IGES, STAAD, and STRUDL
Description: SAFE is a platform for design, modeling and analysis of concrete
floors and foundation systems. SAFE modeling features include
templates, mesh generation, intelligent snaps to architectural
designs, grouping and display techniques. SAFE analysis features
include structural analysis of components such as slabs, beams,
foundations and columns. It supports both linear and non-linear
analysis. It also supports many country codes, has export options,
reporting and documentation features built-in.
Special notes: Available in two different levels to suit the requirements
See also: ETAB, SAP 2000, PERFORM-3D and CSICOL
Web address: http://csiberkeley.com/SAFE/SAFE_overview.html
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: SAP 2000
Main features: Integrated software for structural analysis and design
Support features: Bridge design, live load analysis and design, bridge construction
sequence analysis and cable supported bridge analysis.
Support formats: DWG, FrameWorks, IGES, STAAD, and STRUDL
Description: SAP 2000 is a platform for design, modeling and analysis of large
structures. It provides templates to speed up the design process
and capture all the attributes and properties required for analysis.
SAP 2000 supports various analysis types such as static,
dynamic, displacement loading, frequency domain analysis and
time history. It also provides modules for optimisation of design of
structural elements.
Special notes: Available in three different levels to suit requirements. The
Advance module has a programming interface to be embedded
inside a BIM environment.
See also: ETAB, SAFE, PERFORM-3D and CSICOL
Web address: http://www.csiberkeley.com/SAP/SAP_features.html
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: SAGE Suit
Vendor name: SAGE Timberline
Main features Financial and operational functions such as estimates and
managing vendors and sub-contractors
Support features: Visual estimating
Support formats: Autodesk formats, outputs in Microsoft Excel spreadsheet
Description: SAGE Suite provides project lifecycle management support by
management of workflows, documents, sharing and collaboration
starting from real estate development. SAGE is a web-based
software tool to support construction activities such as accounting,
estimation, project management, construction scheduling and
documentation. The SAGE Suite consists of modules for job
management, estimation and service management. The SAGE
Master Builder module provides construction-specific functions to
manage the business. SAGE lifecycle management suite offers a
customized workflow with a shared user interface.
Special notes: Suite of tools built on Mirosoft SQL platform
See also:
Web address: http://www.sagecre.com/products/project_lifecycle
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: SDS/2
Vendor name: Magnus Inc/Design Data
Main features: Steel detailing software
Support features: Shop drawing and fabrication details.
Support formats: DXF, DesignLINK, IFC, CIS/2, VRML
Description: SDS/2 is steelwork 3D detailing software with built-in intelligence
and a library of components of connecting elements such as
beams, columns, braces and joists. SDS/2 generates connection
details based on designated load parameters. It uses a parametric
approach to create members and joint components. It supports
creation of shop drawings for fabrication. SDS/2 provides
collaboration capabilities among project teams using Global
Review Station and a web-based review system. Other core
features include 3D modeling and 2D drafting using rules.
Special notes: Knowledge-based design
See also:
Web address: http://www.dsndata.com/index.php?content=1
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: S-Frame
Main features: Structural engineering analysis
Support features:
Support formats:
Description: S-Frame is a design and analysis software for a variety of steel
structures and other materials. Construction documents can be
derived from the structural model such as shop drawings and
fabrication details. S-Frame supports steel, precast and rebar
detailing. It can integrate with Tekla suite to perform structural
analysis. The link between design and analysis is bidirectional. It
supports the results taken back to the design environment to
update the component member size and loads. Report analysis
and documentation are also provided.
Special notes: Output to Microsoft Excel spreadsheet
See also: Fastrak, Orion, TEDDS, and Structural BIM
Web address: http://www.cscworld.com/sframe/
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: SketchUP Pro
Vendor name: Google
Main features: 3D modeling, 2D documentation and presentation
Support features: Presentations, attribute data population and watermarks
Support formats: Google Earth, popular 2D image formats, COLLADA, VRML,
DWG, DXF, FBX
Description: SketchUP Pro is a 3D modeling software for design and
visualization. It allows generation of quick 3D models from
sketches, overlays and aerial imagery. The models can be
rendered to provide high resolution images to be shared and
communicated with other applications. It provides layout, 2D
documentation and presentation tools to create and share design
and has the ability to add attributes and create dynamic
components. SketchUP Pro allows interactive presentations using
sheet layouts, style browsers and material library making it
suitable for conceptual design review.
Special notes: Report creation
Web address: http://sketchup.google.com/intl/en/product/gsup.html
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: Simlab Soft
Vendor name: Simulation Lab Software
Main features: Imports major CAD/BIM models, scaling, and scene preparation,
3D PDF
Support features: Integrates with major CAD and BIM formats
Support formats: Popular CAD formats, Collada, FBX, STL, Google SketchUp,
Rhino3D and many Autodesk products such as 3ds Max and
Maya.
Description: Simlab Soft software provides creation of 3D PDF versions of
construction documents. It provides features such as rendering,
animations to enhance the models. The models can be used to
create 3D scenes with photo realistic rendering. It provides a
programming approach to build interactive visualization
applications. It organizes and generates a tree structure of the
model components. It has the ability to publish the scene in many
graphic export formats.
Special notes: User Adobe Acrobat environment for visualization.
See also:
Web address: http://www.simlab-soft.com/
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: Solibri Model Checker
Vendor name: Solibri Inc.
Main features: Analysis of Building Information Models
Support features: visualization, interactivity
Description: Solibri Model Checker provides analysis of models for integrity,
quality and safety. It highlights potential flaws in the geometrical
design such as interferences. Options of code compliance and
checking the model for pre-defined rules are available. Multiple
models can be imported and saved as a single model to be
reviewed. Solibri Model Checker is a fully IFC-compliant tool.
Allows updates of new version of IFC data while maintaining notes
and edits from previous model presentations. It has built-in
reporting capabilities, tools to validate corrections, enhanced 3D
navigation tools and annotating capabilities and can share the
data with team members. This tool can be run on both Windows
and Apple platforms.
Special notes: Other support tools around Solibri Model Checker are available as
modules.
See also: Solibri Model viewer, Solibri IFC Optimizer and Solibri Issue
Locator
Web address: http://www.solibri.com/solibri-model-checker.html
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: Solibri Model Viewer
Main features: Visualization of BIM data in IFC standard
Support features: Visualization, interactivity
Support formats: IFC2.0 to IFC 2x3
Description: Provides viewing of IFC data and Solibri Model Checker files.
Multiple IFC data files can be brought into a single environment for
visualization.
Special notes:
See also: Solibri Model checker, Solibri IFC Optimizer and Solibri Issue
Locator
Web address: http://www.solibri.com/solibri-model-viewer.html
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: Solibri Optimizer
Main features: Optimizes IFC file size
Support features: Imports and integrates major BIM vendor formats
Description: Solibri Optimizer checks for redundant data and applies
compression techniques to reduce the IFC file sizes. The resulting
files are reported to be 5-10% of the original file sizes thus
improving the loading time and portability.
Special notes:
See also: Solibri Model Viewer, Solibri Issue Locator
Web address: http://www.solibri.com/solibri-ifc-optimizer.html
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: Solibri Issue Locator
Main features: Closed-loop design process
Support features: Imports and integrates major BIM vendor formats via IFC
Description: Solibri Issue Locator is a tool to review BIM IFC models for design
inconsistencies and interferences. It serves as a construction
management tool for managing IFC models based on rule sets
and spatial requirements. The software has the ability to provide a
quick general check of the model and also a detailed check based
upon specific rules which helps to validate the model at an earlier
stage in the construction process.
Special notes: Embedded into Grapisofts ArchiCAD and works in conjunction
with Solibri Model Checker
See also: Solibri Model viewer, Solibri Optimizer and Solibri Model checker
Web address: http://www.solibri.com/solibri-issue-locator.html
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: SolidBuilder
Vendor name: Digital Canal Corporation
Main features: 3D building blocks and templates, framing, roofs, quantity take-off
Support features: Scheduling and resource management
Support formats:
Description: SolidBuilder is a building design software tool. SolidBuilder
extensively uses the concept of building blocks for design
automation and analysis for residential buildings. Building blocks
and templates are based on building design intelligence and rules
which can be user-defined. The templates are filled with a few
basic questions which are later used to generate a fully loaded 3D
model. Later the 3D model can be edited and it still maintains all
its relationships and intelligence. The working drawings are
automatically produced from the model along with schedules and
framing details. The suite from Digital Canal contains tools for
structural engineering, design engineering, cost and quantity
estimation, scheduling and resource management and other
services.
Special notes: Mostly for design of residential type buildings
See also:
Web address: http://www.digitalcanal.com/
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: STEEL
Vendor name: 4M
Main features: Design and analysis of steel structures
Support features: Dynamic spectrum analysis and member connections
Description: STEEL is an interactive software environment for creation and
analysis of steel structures including its structural elements and
components. Additional modules, such as PreSTEEL,
SteelCONNECT, STEEL Section Editor and STEELPLOT
create full detailed geometry based on calculations.
Special notes: Uses IntelliCAD engine and AutoCAD
See also: IDEA, FINE, and STRAD
Web address: http://www.4msa.com/steelENG.html
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: STRAD
Vendor name: 4M
Main features: Design and analysis of steel and concrete structures
Support features: Dynamic spectrum analysis
Description: STRAD is a software environment for creation and analysis of
steel and concrete structures. STRAD performs both space frame
analysis and design modeling of member components. The
individual member design modeling is accomplished by either
AutoCAD or IntelliCAD CAD environments. The analysis is carried
out using the Finite Element Method. The STRAD suite of tools
provides capabilities ranging from modeling, analysis and
simulation to production drawings.
See also: IDEA, FINE, and STEEL
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: Structural BIM
Main features: Share code based design data
Support features: Integrates with other BIM environments such as Revit
Support formats: CIS/2, IFC
Description: Structural BIM is an integration environment for structural steel,
reinforced concrete and analysis. The software has the ability to
share code-based design data of structures within the BIM
environment.
Special notes:
See also: Fastrak, Orion, S-frame, TDDDS
Web address: http://www.cscworld.com/bim/
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: Synchro Suit
Vendor name: Synchro Ltd.
Main features: 4D solutions, database, server and constructor
Support features: Project scheduling, change management, risk management
Support formats: Google SketchUp
Description: Synchro Suit is a platform for planning, scheduling and resource
management. The Synchro suite of tools support 4D construction
simulation, tracking of activities, risk assessment and cost
evaluations. Synchro servers are also available to manage large
collaborative projects.
Special notes: Integrates with Revit and Primavera for BIM-enabled construction
management and scheduling.
See also:
Web address: http://www.synchroltd.com/
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: TEDDS
Main features: Structural engineering calculations
Support features: North American, UK, Asian and Australian steel codes are
supported
Support formats: CIS/2, VRML
Description: TEDDS is a steelwork design modeling and analysis software for
structural elements. TEDDS includes a library of a civil and
structural engineering calculations database for a variety of
materials and structural forms to suit codes for different countries.
The calculations support code check, component design, analysis,
section creation and also compute properties for various types of
structures and materials. The results of these calculations are
directly documented in a structured way for the purpose of
reporting.
Special notes:
See also: Fastrak, Orion, S-frame, and Structural BIM
Web address: http://www.cscworld.com/tedds/
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: Tekla
Vendor name: Tekla International
Main features: Steel detailing, precast concrete detailing, reinforced concrete
detailing
Support features: Clash detection, viewing, collaboration, scheduling and fabrication
tool
Support formats: DWG, DXF, DGN, IFC, CNC, DSTV, and CIS/2
Description: Tekla software supports the creation of 3D structural models and
can be used to assist structural erection and construction
management. Tekla also supports site logistics, site planning and
management of steel, concrete and reinforced structures. The
modeling suite allows users to create, view, add load details,
create assemblies, create detail drawings, create component
erection sequences, manage schedules and track materials.
Specific modules for reporting and collaboration are also
available. Templates and modeling enhancement tools are
provided to make the modeling easier and faster for structural
elements.
Special notes: API support is available, structure-centric approach, online
learning tools and self-learning portals.
See also:
Web address: http://www.tekla.com/us/products/Pages/Default.aspx

____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: Tokoman
Vendor name: Digital Alchemy
Main features: BIM server, quantity take-off, estimation and scheduling
Support features: Integration with other BIM packages
Support formats: IFC, CIS/2, ArchiCAD, Tekla, Revit
Description: Tokoman is a model-based quantity management solution. BIM
server capabilities, cost estimation, quantity take-off, construction
scheduling, a link with BIM and structural design software are
some of the main features. Tekla provides a module called ilinks
which integrates Microsoft applications such as Visio and other
standard office tools.
Special notes: Integrates with Revit, ArchiCAD, Tekla and Sage Timberline
Web address: http://digitalalchemypro.com/Joomla/index.php
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: Vectorworks Architect
Main features: Freeform CAD modeling
Support features: Space programming
Support formats: IFC, Parasolid, IGES, STL and 3DS
Description: Vectorworks Architect is a architectural software offering high
resolution rendering, 2D dimensional constraint modeling and 3D
modeling. Building data can be entered in a preformatted space
planning worksheet with areas and adjacency information. This
planning sheet is used as input to create a bubble diagram with
each space shown as a corresponding square which can be
modified. The colour, pattern, score and connecting lines of these
squares give a visual interactive environment to assist space
planning. These space boundaries can be converted to
construction elements such as walls which can quicken the
design process.
Special notes: API programming, reporting and analysis tools, cost analysis and
techniques to quicken the modeling process. Support a proprietary
format called VMX which is capable of representing a wide
variety of information.

See also: Vectorworks Designer, Vectorworks Landmark
Web address: http://www.nemetschek.net/architect/index.php
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: Vectorworks Designer
Main features: Freeform modeling, 3D solid modeling
Support features: Cinema 4D rendering, reporting tools
Support formats: IFC, PDF, Google Earth, DXF, DWG, SAT, STL, 3DS and IGES
Description: Vectorworks Designer is an integrated tool for both model creation
and presentation. Vectorworks Designer allows quick
conceptualization of ideas by using imported hand sketches and
images/pictures. Vectorworks Designer has tools to provide a 3D
modeling environment such as solid and surface modeling. It also
provides a range of edit tools to modify the design intent. Provides
a library of presentation tools integrated inside the modeling
environment for creating realistic pictures. Modules for integration
with CNC routers for fabrication purposes, cost analysis, quantity
take-off, energy calculations, collaboration and documentation are
also available. Software is supported by both Windows and Apple
platforms.
Special notes: API programming available. Supports a proprietary format called
VMX which is capable of representing a wide variety of
information.
See also: Vectorworks Architect, Vectorworks Landmark
Web address: http://www.nemetschek.net/landmark/index.php
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: Vectorworks Landmark
Main features: Design modeling in 3D, Landscaping
Support features: GIS, site modeling and realistic rendering.
Support formats: Google Earth, DGN, DXF, SAT and DWG
Description: Vectorworks Landmark is a landscape design software with 2D
and 3D capabilities. It generates construction drawings based on
component libraries of furniture, plants, symbols and design
patterns. It is able to create and modify intelligent space objects
with GSA specific details. Vectorworks Landmark provides wizard-
based modeling techniques for standard building elements such
as walls, floors, slabs, end caps, window and door settings. It
integrates with GIS to assist land planners, landscape architects
and landscape designers in modeling. It has the ability to overlay
image and PDF files.
Special notes: Site documentation, GIS support. Both Windows and Apple
platforms are supported. Supports proprietary format called VMX
which is capable of representing a wide variety of building/site
support information.
See also: Vectorworks Architect, Vectorworks Designer
Web address: http://www.nemetschek.net/landmark/index.php

service.

Product name: Vertigraph
Vendor name: Vertigraph Inc
Main features: Quantity take-off and estimation
Support features: Integrates with Microsoft Excel
Support formats: XLS
Description: Vertigraph software can be used to automate quantity take-off and
estimating activities. These modules can be used as decision
support tools for bidding of site excavation tasks. The BidPoint
module allows take-off from electronic plans and integrates with
Microsoft Excel. Vertigraph software also assists in calculations
for organizing and creating work flow process specifically for site
planning activities.
Special notes:
See also:
Web address: http://www.vertigraph.com

service.

Product name: VICO Suite
Vendor name: VICO Software
Main features: Integrating construction activities, quantity take-off, cost
estimation, virtual construction
Support features: Project scheduling, coordination and change management, export
to PDF
Support formats: IFC, Revit, Tekla, ArchiCAD
Description: VICO Suite is a set of software modules for the development of
virtual construction models. These models can be used for
activities such as scheduling construction processes, cost
estimation, quantity take-off, producing shop drawings, etc. VICO
tools support construction management for large projects
specifically for 5D BIM applications. Features provided in the
software include interference checking, publishing the models,
review, specifying constructability issues and redline and mark-up
capabilities. It provides visual analysis of a schedules feasibility,
what-if analysis, forecast and optimized schedule planning.
Finally, the document set manager automates the process of
checking revisions of 2D drawing sets and the changes are easily
recorded and documented.
Special notes: Uses Doc Set Manager to handle change management. Uses
Microsoft Excel for sharing cost data and integrates with the 3D
model.
See also:
Web address: http://www.vicosoftware.com/
____________________________________________________________________________

service.

Product name: Virtual Building Explorer
Main features: Explore BIM models, visualize, communicate and share
Support features: 3D VR presentations, publishing
Support formats: Google Earth
Description: Virtual Building Explorer software is an authoring tool. It works as
a 3D presentation tool with navigation capabilities, uses a 3D
virtual model with physics engine support. An additional option to
view the 3D design in a stereoscopic environment is also
available. The authoring capability provides the ability to make
measurements and extract element/component information. The
main highlights of the software include modeling features, like
layer management for optimized viewing; communication features
like collaboration with remote clients and annotating features such
as redlining and mark-up. This software runs on both Windows
and Apple platforms.
Special notes: Is an add-on to ArchiCAD. Exports project documents as a self-
contained 3D model file.
See also: MEP Modeller, ArchiCAD, EcoDesigner, Artlantis
Web address: http://www.graphisoft.com/products/virtual-building-explorer/
____________________________________________________________________________


Appendix B: Interoperability Formats and Standards
This section briefly summarises the major construction sector interoperability format
specifications and standards defined or being created and the references the organizations
involved in their establishment.
B.1 IFC
The best known, broadly applicable BIM standard, is the Industry Foundation Classes (IFC)
currently at IFC2x3 version 3. In fact, it is in the process of becoming an International Standard
as defined by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) but is currently a Publicly
Available Specification (ISO/PAS 16739). It enjoys wide spread support by a large number of
software packages including the major civil and architectural design suites, however the quality
of their implementations of reading or writing IFC files remains an issue for use of the standard
for the exchange of building data.
IFC is built on an object-based approach to the problem of unambiguous encapsulating ly
building information in a model that can be shared by different professionals in the course of
fulfilling their duties. Thus, IFC models are built up of objects with a real world context in the
construction environment in contrast to simply bounding spaces with geometric surfaces or
lines. For example, the space a human might identify as a corridor or room has a specific object
equivalent in BIM models that will be interpreted to represent a space with a particular function
by all compliant software packages that read that model. Lines in older 2D drawings might have
represented walls, windows or even plumbing runs. In BIM models, walls, windows and
plumbing runs all have specific objects to represent them with no ambiguity as to the nature of
the object being represented. BIM models go further to capture the relationships between
objects (how they are assembled and connected) in a model to create the facility being
modelled.
The standard/specification is published by buildingSMART International
(http://buildingsmart.be.no:8080/buildingsmart.com) and has gone through 5 revisions since 1997
with a new revision IFC2x4 planned for release soon. buildingSMART International is a neutral,
international organization supporting open BIM throughout the life cycle whose focus is to
develop and maintain international standards for construction sector. There are regional
chapters in Europe, North America, Australia, Asia and the Middle East. The buildingSMART
alliance is the North American chapter and is a council supported by the National Institute of
Building Sciences of the United States.
Basic specification background:
- File extension .ifc .
- An alternate equivalent file format has been proposed, .ifcxml, by transferring the ifc file
structure into an .xml representation.
- Certification processes of IFC implementations are organized by buildingSMART
International.

An .ifc file defines the format of the file but does not define the content or model view being
used. Recognizing that not every business transaction should involve the exchange of all the
model data (e.g. some being irrelevant or proprietary) buildingSMART created exchange
requirements which define the subsets of data needed to support the task or process or
deliverable at a given stage of a project. Exchange requirements are grouped into Model View
Definitions (MVDs) to support particular common data exchanges of subsets of the model. The
IFC coordination view, version 2 (established Jan 2010), is the most commonly implemented
view and includes the exchange requirements:
- "Architecture" (Architectural Model for Coordination)
- "BuildingServices" (Building Services Model for Coordination)
- "Structural" (Structural Model for Coordination)
Other current views, developed in buildingSMART International include the IFC2x3 Structural
Analysis View (2008) and the IFC2x3 Basic FM Handover view (in development) which will be
addressed later in its own section. About 30 other MVDs are being developed outside
buildingSMART (http://www.blis-project.org/IAI-MVD/).
The IFC format relies on the International Framework for Dictionaries (IFD) work done by
buildingSMART International to establish standards for terminology libraries or ontologies and
thus supports unambiguous computer interpretation of elements in the models in context of
external professional resources. The ontologies are also meant to include support for language
independence.
Information Delivery Manuals (IDMs) are created by buildingSMART international to provide a
reference document on the information exchange in business processes in the building and
construction industry. This reference is then used to help build the IFD and exchange
requirements that form parts of the IFC standard.
B.2 COBIE & IFC2x3 Basic FM Handover view
The Construction Operations Building Information Exchange (COBie) is the receiving handover
format being propounded to represent the required data specified in the model view definition
(MVD) of IFC2x3 Basic FM Handover view. This work is mostly being championed by the Whole
Building Design Guide program of the National Institute of Building Sciences (USA)
(http://www.wbdg.org/resources/cobie.php) and is focused on the transfer of Facility
Management related model elements over to the software used in the operations part of a
facilitys life-cycle.
This specification in development is particularly relevant to both smaller contractors and
operators as it defines a translation to and from a spreadsheet structure of the IFC data
supporting the installation, commissioning and maintenance of equipment and systems in a
facility. Smaller contractors can copy and paste data to update spreadsheet files with new
equipment information including warrantees, operational parameters and serial numbers for
import into computer-aided facility management packages, etc. A certification program has been
established and a significant number of industry software developers are participating in
implementing the specification.

Two supporting specifications are being developed by the buildingSMART alliance but are not
mature enough for current use:
- Equipment Layout information exchange (ELie) - define, augment and exchange the
location of equipment within a navigable 3D spatial environment
http://www.buildingsmartalliance.org/index.php/projects/activeprojects/114
- Specifiers' Properties Information Exchange (SPie) - create an open schema that can be
used by manufacturers to export product data into a format that can be consumed by
designers, specifiers, builders, owners and operators
B.3 CIS/2.1
CIMsteel Integration Standards Release 2: Second Edition (2003) is a product model and
electronic data exchange file format for structural steel project information. Though developed
by Andrew Crowley and Alastair Watson at the Steel Construction Institute (UK) it was endorsed
after review by the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC). Its intent is to create a
seamless and integrated flow of information among all parties of the steel supply chain involved
in the construction of steel framed structures. The standard includes steel specific fabrication,
assembly and construction features less well covered by IFC structural representations. As an
older accepted standard it is broadly supported by industry software leaders and practitioners.
CIMsteel stands for the Computer Integrated Manufacturing of Constructional Steelwork and is
written using a similar format as adopted by the STEP standards, ISO 10303, for the exchange
of different CAD models. NIST offers a free converter (SteelVis
9
) that allows CIS/2 files to be
viewed as VRML files.
B.4 gbXML
The Green Building XML (gbXML) open schema is intended to help facilitate the transfer of
building properties stored in 3D BIM to engineering analysis tools. Originally developed as a
schema by GeoPraxis for use in Green Building Studio (later bought by AutoDesk), the format
was intended as a simplified intermediary building model as a step towards the data required by
the US Department of Energy analysis tools DOE-2 and EnergyPlus.
The current intent of the Open Green Building XML Schema, Inc., a non-profit organization
formed to maintain and develop the standard, is to support the identification of sustainable
building solutions in the design, operation maintenance and recycling of buildings
(http://www.gbxml.org/index.php). However, to date, most green building analysis packages
focus on the energy and resource use of buildings during the operations phase of the life-cycle.
In a nutshell, gbXML consists of a very specific set of definitions and data requirements focusing
primarily on energy analysis. Its geometric requirements deal only with spatial volumes and
thermal zones with relatively simple polygonal boundary surfaces.
Though not an official standard recognized by any standards granting agency, gbXML has
become a defacto standard due to wide adoption by engineering analysis tools and is now

9
http://cic.nist.gov/vrml/cis2.html

supported as an output format by a number of design suites, including those developed by
Autodesk, Bentley, Graphisoft and even Google SketchUp. A comprehensive list of major
applications supporting the standard can be seen at http://www.gbxml.org/software.php .
B.5 National Building Information Modeling Standard
The NBIMS-US Project Committee (the National Building Information Model Standard Project
Committee - United States), is a project committee of the buildingSMART alliance which is a
council of the National Institute for Building Sciences (NIBS). The committee was originally
formed in 2005 but was re-chartered in 2008 as part of the buildingSMART alliance. Its mandate
is to establish and manage through Industry consensus a series of open source National
standards and guidance for all aspects of Building Information Modeling in the US. The first
release of their standard in December 2007, Version 1, Part 1, was written by a team of 30
experts and primarily provided their approach to actually developing open BIM standards.
Version 2 is expected to be released before the end of 2011 and is intended to be a consensus-
based document based on industry input documenting an open BIM standard covering all
stages and processes of the construction life-cycle. A link to download Version 1 can be found
at http://www.wbdg.org/bim/nbims.php.
A significant contribution of Version 1 is the inclusion of a Capability Maturity Model that
organizations can use to self-assess their progress in adopting BIM and associated practices. A
spreadsheet-based questionnaire has been built to facilitate self-assessment. The Capability
Maturity Model provides a solid guideline of steps companies can take to maximize the benefit
BIM and related business and professional processes can have on their business.
B.6 CAD and other Construction Standards
Although the following standards cannot be considered BIM standards, they form a fundamental
foundation of the current construction industry and have and will contribute directly or indirectly
to the establishment of newer BIM standards.
B.6.1 NCS v4.0
The United States National CAD Standard is currently at version 4 (NCS v4.0) which was
released in January 2008. The intent of the NCS
(http://www.buildingsmartalliance.org/index.php/ncs) is quite similar to the intent for establishing
a national BIM standard. The difference is that the NCS focuses on construction data exchange
traditionally rooted in exchanging paper documents to be interpreted by construction
professionals rather than the digital exchange of machine interpretable documents.
The NCS is a consensus standard with the focus of synthesising interrelated standards,
guidelines and tools for uniformly organizing and presenting facility drawing information to
streamline traditional construction practices. Thus, it focuses on standardizing how construction
documents, mostly drawings, are organized and how they present information shared by
professionals during facility planning, design, construction and operation. This includes CAD
layers, drafting conventions, symbols meanings, notations and even sheet ordering and plotting
practices. To do this, it incorporates broadly accepted professional guidelines, including the
National Institute of Building Sciences' Administration and Plotting Guidelines, the American

Institute of Architect's CAD Layer Guidelines and the Construction Specification Institute's
Uniform Drawing System.
B.6.2 OmniClass
The OmniClass Construction Classification System (OCCS) is a commonly accepted
classification system used in the construction industry for organizing all construction information.
In general, it is made up of a number of tables based on other ISO recognized systems currently
in use, such as MasterFormat for formalized work results specification and UniFormat for
formalized construction element specification. OmniClass role is to help organize library
materials, product literature and project information and can be used to provide a classification
structure for electronic databases.
OmniClass is being used as one of the bases for the buildingSMART IFD Libraries, the
dictionaries that uniquely identify properties functions and objects to ensure proper machine
interpretation. This work includes mappings between common naming conventions for elements
in multiple languages and disciplines.
The Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) and Construction Specifications Canada (CSC)
are responsible for both MasterFormat and UniFormat. MasterFormat can be summarized
as covering materials and building systems but not assemblies, focusing on work results and
the organization project manuals with specifications for use by manufacturers and for final cost
estimation. UniFormat can be summarized as describing assemblies and functional elements
where it is possible to include element specific performance specifications without regard to the
materials and construction methods.


Appendix C: BIM Bibliography
C.1 Books, Reports and Publications

Description Reference/Pointer/Link/Source
301 BIM Addendum http://consensusdocs.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/301-Guidebook-Consensus-
7.31.2010-FINAL.pdf
A Case Study in Structural
Drafting Analysis and
Design Using an
Integrated Intelligent
Model
Reid Senescu et al, Joint International Conference on Computing and Decision
Making in Civil and Building Engineering, 2006
A Study of Application of
BIM to Pre-design in
Construction Project
Nam-Hyuk Ham et al, International Conference on Convergence and Hybrid
Information Technology, 2008
Applications of BIM and
Hurdles for Widespread
Adoption of BIM
WP # 105, Stanford University, Centre for Integrated Facility Engineering
Barriers and Adopters of
BIM in Building Industry
Autodesk Building Solutions,
images.autodesk.com/adsk/files/bim_barriers_wp_mar05.pdf
BIG BIM, little bim - eBook Finith Jernigan, http://www.4sitesystems.com/4sitepublishing/Home.html
BIM RAIC Practice Builder, https://www.raic.org/practice/bim/bim-practice-builder_e.pdf
BIM Evaluation Study
Report
Lachmi Khemlani, AEC Bytes, June 2010
BIM - A Framework for
Collaboration
Howard W Ashcraft,
http://www.hansonbridgett.com/docs/articles/bim_building_information_modeling_a
_framework_for_collaboration.pdf
BIM - Experts Views on
Standardisation and
Industry Deployment
Rob Howard and Bo-Christer Bjork, Advanced Engineering Informatics, # 22, 2008
BIM - Integrated Practice
Putting it all Together
Allan Partridge, https://www.raic.org/practice/bim/powerpoints/putting-it-all-
together.pdf
BIM 101 Mark Cichy, U of Waterloo, Canada, mark_at_markcichy.com
BIM and Engineering
Practice
Mitchell Clark, https://www.raic.org/practice/bim/powerpoints/oeac-team.pdf
BIM Facts and Options Mickel Bohms, TNO, ITcon, Journal of IT in construction, Aug 2009
BIM for Improved Building
Design Communication
Between Architects and
Clients in Schematic
Design Phase
Yohannes Abbay Tessema, Thesis, Texas Tech University, 2008
BIM for Sustainable
Design
Autodesk Revit Whitepaper,
http://images.autodesk.com/adsk/files/bim_for_sustainable_design_white_paper.pd
f
BIM Guidelines and
Standards for Architects
and Engineers
Division of State Facilities, State of Wisconsin
BIM Handbook
Eastman, Teicholz, Sacks, Liston, Wiley Publisher

BIM in Practice
Autodesk Building solutions, http://south-
apac.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/index?siteID=1157326&id=14480102
BIM Whitepaper
ImagineIT Technologies, 2009
BIM: A Strategic
Implementation Guide
Michael Tardif and Dana Smith, NIST, ISBN: 978-0-470-25003-7
BIM: Agency Wide
Actions, GSA, 3D-4D BIM
Program
Design Management Review, Winter 2009, by Ho, Pegggy, Matta and Charles
BIM: An Academic
Perspective
Vivek Sah and Clark Cory, IAJC-IJME 2008 Conference
BIM: An Overview
Chuck Easman, et al, Georgia Tech
Building Information
Modeling framework: A
research and delivery
foundation for industry
stakeholders
Journal: Automation in Construction 18 (2009) 357-375, by Bilal Succar
Code of Standard Practice
for Steel Buildings and
Bridges, American
Institute of Steel
Construction Inc.
www.aisc.org/uploadedFiles/Steel_Solution_Center/Technical_Resources/Engineer
ing_FAQs/Code_of_Standard_Practice.pdf
Collaboration, Integrated
Information and Product
Lifecycle in Building
Design
The Construction Users Roundtable, WP-1202
Computer Integrated
Construction Research
Program
BIM Project Execution Planning Guide, Version 2.0, The Pennsylvania State
University, USA, 2010
ConsensusDOCS 301 BIM
Addendum
http://www.agc.org/galleries/contracts/ConsensusDOCS%20301%20BIM%20Adde
ndum%20Article.pdf
Current Trends in USA
Building Research
VTT, ISBN 9513866149
E202 Document - Building
Information Modeling
Protocol Exhibit
American Institute of Architects
Evaluating Industry
Perceptions of BIM Impact
on Construction
ITcon, Journal of Information Technology in Construction, Vol 14, 2009
Evaluating the Impact of
BIM on Construction
Patrick C. Suermann and Raja R.A, Issa, Thesis, University of Florida, 2009
http://etd.fcla.edu/UF/UFE0024253/suermann_p.pdf
General Buildings
Information Handover
Guide (GBIHG)
Fiatech + K.Fallon, NIST, http://www.nist.gov/manuscript-publication-
search.cfm?pub_id=861038

Green BIM
Krygiel, E and Nies, B Wiley publisher, 2009
GSA BIM Guide Series
U.S. General Services Administration
How BIM Transforms
Construction
http://www.worldarchitecturefestival.com/news-detail.cfm?newsId=150
Innovate: A Canadian
Cross Country Review
Caesar Ruest, https://www.raic.org/practice/bim/ipd_e.htm
Integrated Practice in
Architecture: Mastering
Design-Build, Fast-Track
and BIM
Goerge Elvin, Wiley Publication 2007
Integrated Project
Delivery: A Guide
American Institute of Architects, 2007
Interoperability in the
Construction Industry
McGraw Hill Construction Report, 2008
IPD
Allan Partridge, https://www.raic.org/practice/bim/ipd_e.htm
IPD for Public and Private
Owners
NASFA, COAA, APPA, AGC and AIA,
http://www.agc.org/galleries/projectd/IPD%20for%20Public%20and%20Private%20
Owners.pdf
IPD: A Working Definition
AIA and McGraw Hill Construction,
http://www.haskell.com/upload/NewsLibrary/WhitePapers/IntegratedProjectDelivery
.pdf
Next-Gen BIM
Jerry Laiserin, Laiserinletter, # 25, July 2009
Portal of BIM
Journal of BIM, Spring 2010
Practical BIM
http://www.wspgroup.com/upload/documents/PDF/Bim%20Article_WSPCS.pdf
Return on Investment on
BIM
Michael Evans, TEKLA, http://www.tekla.com/international/about-
us/news/pages/bims-return-on-investment-wheres-the-beef-now.aspx
Revit 2010 Family
Standards and Best
Practices
Shawn Zirbes, ISBN: 978-0-615-32083-0
The Business Value of
BIM - Smart Market
Report
McGraw Hill Construction, 2009
The Contractors Guide to
BIM
Construction Association of America, 2009
The Perceived Value of
BIM in the U.S. Building
Industry
ITCon, Journal of IT in Construction, ISSN 1874-4753

The Role BIM and
Integrated Performance
Analysis Can Play in
Analyzing Building Design
for Sustainability
May 2007, STANTEC
The VA BIM Guide
Department of Veterans Affairs, 2008
USACE Roadmap;
Attachment F
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 2008
VERA- Information
Networking in the
Construction Process
Thomas Froese, UBC, Canada, 2003
Whole Building Design
Guide
http://www.wbdg.org/bim/bim_libraries.php
Wisconsin Bets on BIM,
Jeff L. Brown
Civil EngineeringASCE, Vol. 79, No. 9, September 2009, pp. 40,42


C.2 Magazine Articles

210 King Street: BIM Case Study, CIMS Lab,
Carleton University, Ottawa
http://digital210king.org/downloads.php
Adopting Innovation: BIM and IFC in Finland VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland
AEC Bytes http://www.aecbytes.com/
BIM and the U.S. GSA http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/105075
BIM as a Construction Management Tool U of Virginia - South Lawn Project
BIM in Practice Autodesk Building Solutions
BIM Project Execution Planning Guide http://www.engr.psu.edu/ae/cic/BIMEx/
BIM Uses http://www.engr.psu.edu/ae/cic/bimex/bim_uses.aspx
BIMThinkSpace http://changeagents.blogs.com/thinkspace/
CIFE Publications list http://cife.stanford.edu/Publications/index.html
Comparing Pommes and Naranjas, Jerry
Laiserin
http://www.laiserin.com/features/issue15/feature01.php
Digital Modeling and BIM CRC Construction Innovation, Australia
Interoperability with CIS/2 and IFC Robert Lipman, NIST, NASCC-BIM 102 for Steel Fabricators,
2009.
IPD Tools and Publications http://www.ipd-ca.net/IPD%20Tools%20and%20Publications.htm
Managing the Risks of BIM http://www.structuremag.org/article.aspx?articleID=1057
Modeling Rules, Dace A. Campbell http://www.architectureweek.com/2006/1011/tools_1-1.html
Project and Portfolio Management and BIM
for the Plan, Build, Operate Phases of a
Facilities Lifecycle
Meridian Systems
Specifying and Cost Estimating with BIM,
Dean and McClendon
http://www.buildings.com/Magazine/ArticleDetails/tabid/3413/Articl
eID/3624/Default.aspx
The Business of Architecture AIA firm Survey, 2006
The Daily Life of BIM http://buildipedia.com/in-studio/item/1212-the-daily-life-of-building-
information-modeling-bim
The Five Fallacies of BIM REVIT- BIM Whitepaper
The Importance of BIM in Structural
Engineering
Willam F. Ikerd, Structural Magazine
The Potential of Digital Building Modeling Lachmi Khemalani, AIA Tech. In Architecture Practice, 2003
Top criteria for BIM Solutions http://www.aecbytes.com/feature/2007/BIMSurveyReport.html
Towards Digital Facility Modeling for Sydney
Opera House Using IFC and Semantic Web
Technology, Schevers, Mitchell, Akhurst,
Marchant, Bull, McDonald and Drogemuller
http://www.itcon.org/data/works/att/2007_24.content.02481.pdf


C.3 Tools that support BIM Processes

Affinity http://www.trelligence.com/
AllPlan Architecture http://www.nemetschek.eu/solutions/architecture.html
AllPlan Cost Management http://www.nemetschek.eu/solutions/cost-management.html
AllPlan Engineering http://www.nemetschek.eu/solutions/engineering.html
AllPlan Facility Management http://www.nemetschek.eu/solutions/facility-management.html
ArchiCAD http://www.graphisoft.com/products/archicad/
ArchiFM http://www.archifm.com/english/vinto-megoldasok.php
Artlantis http://www.graphisoft.com/products/artlantis/
ArTra BIM http://www.artrainc.com/
AssetWise http://www.bentley.com/en-US/Products/AssetWise/
AutoCAD Architecture http://usa.autodesk.com/autocad-architecture/
AutoCAD Civil http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/pc/index?id=12432687&siteID=123112
AutoCAD Civil 3D http://usa.autodesk.com/civil-3d/
AutoCAD Land Desktop http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/pc/index?id=3091031&siteID=123112
AutoCAD Map3D http://usa.autodesk.com/autocad-map-3d/
AutoCAD MEP Suite http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/pc/index?id=6668606&siteID=123112
AutoCAD Revit Architecture
suite
http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/pc/index?id=3761844&siteID=123112
AutoCAD Structural Detailing http://usa.autodesk.com/autocad-structural-detailing/
AutoCAD Constructware http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/pc/index?id=6871224&siteID=123112
Autodesk Design Review http://usa.autodesk.com/design-review/
Autodesk Ecotect Analysis http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/pc/index?id=12602821&siteID=123112
Autodesk GIS Design Server http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/pc/index?siteID=123112&id=971522
Autodesk Green Building
Studio
Autodesk LandXplorer http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/pc/index?id=12561246&siteID=123112
Autodesk MapGuide http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/pc/index?siteID=123112&id=2995478
Autodesk NavisWorks
Products
http://usa.autodesk.com/navisworks/
Autodesk Quantity Take-off http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/pc/index?id=10354648&siteID=123112
Autodesk Revit Architecture http://usa.autodesk.com/revit-architecture/
Autodesk Revit MEP http://usa.autodesk.com/revit-mep/
Autodesk Revit Structure http://usa.autodesk.com/revit-structure/
Autodesk Robot Structural
Analysis Professional
Autodesk Seek http://seek.autodesk.com/
http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/pc/index?siteID=123112&id=11033278
Autodesk Topobase http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/pc/index?siteID=123112&id=6038912

Autodesk Utility Design http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/pc/index?id=734508&siteID=123112
Bentley Suite http://www.bentley.com/en-US/
BIM Sessions http://www.bimroadmap.com/
Bluethink http://www.selvaag.no/en/aboutselvaag/Sider/default.aspx
bonsai 3D http://www.formz.com/
Bridge Design and
Engineering Products
http://www.bentley.com/en-US/Products/Bridge+Design+and+Engineering/
Building Analysis and Design
Products
http://www.bentley.com/en-US/Products/Building+Analysis+and+Design/
CATIA Suite http://www.3ds.com/products/catia/welcome/
Civil Construction Products http://www.bentley.com/en-US/Products/Civil+Construction/
Coordination 2.0 http://www.vicosoftware.com/clash-detection-and-constructability-
analysis/tabid/89603/Default.aspx
Construction Management http://www.tekla.com/US/PRODUCTS/CONSTRUCTION-
MANAGEMENT/Pages/Default.aspx
CostOS BIM http://www.nomitech.eu/cms/c/bimestimating.html
CSICOL http://www.csiberkeley.com/products_CSICOL.html
DDS http://www.dds-cad.net
Dexter + Chaney http://www.dexterchaney.com/spectrum
Digital Canal http://www.digitalcanal.com/
Digital Project http://www.gehrytechnologies.com/
DOE-2 http://www.doe2.com
Dprofiler http://www.beck-technology.com/product_dp.asp
EaglePoint suite http://eaglepoint.com/
EcoDesigner http://www.graphisoft.com/products/ecodesigner/
EnergyPlus http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/energyplus/
ENOVIA http://www.3ds.com/products/enovia/welcome/
e-specs http://www.e-specs.com/products.html
ETAB http://www.csiberkeley.com/products_ETABS.html
Facility Information Products http://www.bentley.com/en-US/Products/Facility+Information+Management/
Fastrak http://www.cscworld.com/fastrak/
FieldBIM http://www.velasystems.com/construction-field-software-products
FINE http://www.4msa.com/
FULL http://www.tekla.com/US/PRODUCTS/FULL/Pages/Default.aspx
Geospatial Imaging and
Document Conversion
Products
http://www.bentley.com/en-
US/Products/Geospatial+Imaging+and+Document+Conversion/
Geospatial Information
Management and Web GIS
http://www.bentley.com/en-US/Products/Geospatial+Information+Management/
IDEA http://www.4msa.com/
IES Suite http://www.iesve.com/
Innovaya http://www.innovaya.com/

LandCAD http://www.eaglepoint.com/solutions/workflow/office/landscape/landcaddforrevit.asp
Land Development Products http://www.bentley.com/en-US/Products/Land+Development/
Mapping Products http://www.bentley.com/en-US/Products/Mapping/
Maxwell http://www.maxwellsystems.com/
MEP Modeller http://www.graphisoft.com/products/mep-modeler/
Microsoft dynamics http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics/industries/construction.aspx
Newforma http://www.newforma.com/
OnCenter http://www.oncenter.com/
Onuma Planning http://www.onuma.com/products/
Onuma Systems http://www.onuma.com/products/OnumaPlanningSystem.php
Orion http://www.cscworld.com/orion/
Perform 3D http://www.csiberkeley.com/products_PERFORM.html
Plant Operation Products http://www.bentley.com/en-US/Products/Plant+Operations/
Planswift http://www.digitalcanal.com/
Precast Concrete Detailing http://www.tekla.com/US/PRODUCTS/PRECAST-CONCRETE-
DETAILING/Pages/Default.aspx
Primavera http://www.3ds.com/products/caav5/
Project Document Manager http://www.maxwellsystems.com/
ProjectWise http://www.bentley.com/en-US/Products/ProjectWise+Project+Team+Collaboration/
QuickPen suite http://www.quickpen.com/index.php/Products/Products.html
Reinforced Concrete
Detailing
http://www.tekla.com/US/PRODUCTS/REINFORCED-CONCRETE-
DETAILING/Pages/Default.aspx
RISA http://www.risatech.com/
Road Design Software
Products
http://www.bentley.com/en-US/Products/Road+and+Site+Design/
SAGE http://www.sagecre.com/products/project_lifecycle
SAP 2000 http://www.csiberkeley.com/SAP/SAP_features.html
SDS/2 http://www.dsndata.com/index.php?content=1
S-Frame http://www.cscworld.com/sframe/
Simlab Soft http://www.simlab-soft.com/
SketchUp http://sketchup.google.com/intl/en/product/gsup.html
Solibri Model checker http://www.solibri.com/solibri-model-checker.html
Solibri IFC http://www.solibri.com/solibri-ifc-optimizer.html
Solibri Issue Locator http://www.solibri.com/solibri-issue-locator.html
Solid builder http://www.digitalcanal.com/
SAFE http://csiberkeley.com/SAFE/SAFE_overview.html
Steel detailing http://www.tekla.com/us/products/steel-detailing/Pages/Default.aspx
STRAD http://www.4msa.com/
Structural Analysis and
Design Products
http://www.bentley.com/en-US/Products/Structural+Analysis+and+Design/
Structural BIM http://www.cscworld.com/bim/

Synchro Suite http://www.synchroltd.com/
TEEDS http://www.cscworld.com/tedds/
Tekla http://www.tekla.com/us/products/Pages/Default.aspx
Tokoman http://digitalalchemypro.com/Joomla/index.php
Vectorworks Architect http://www.nemetschek.net/architect/index.php
Vectorworks Landmark http://www.nemetschek.net/landmark/index.php
Vertigraph http://www.vertigraph.com
Vico http://www.vicosoftware.com/
Vico 5D Virtual construction
Software
http://www.vicosoftware.com/construction-software-
products/tabid/84567/Default.aspx
Vico Control 2009 http://www.vicosoftware.com/products/Vico-Control/tabid/84573/Default.aspx
Vico Cost Planner http://www.vicosoftware.com/products/vico-office-cost-
planner/tabid/85288/Default.aspx
Vico Office Suite http://www.vicosoftware.com/products/Vico-Office/tabid/85286/Default.aspx
Vico Take-off Manager http://www.vicosoftware.com/products/vico-office-quantity-takeoff-
manager/tabid/85287/Default.aspx
Virtual Building Explorer http://www.graphisoft.com/products/virtual-building-explorer/
Water and Wastewater
Network analysis and Design
Products
http://www.bentley.com/en-
US/Products/Water+and+Wastewater+Network+Analysis+and+Design/


C.4 Organizations Involved in BIM

American Institute of Steel
Construction
http://www.aisc.org/
American Society of Heating,
Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning
Engineers
http://www.ashrae.org/
ASHRAE: An Introduction to Building
Information Modeling (BIM)
http://cms.ashrae.biz/bim/
BIM Guidelines & Standards for AECs Indiana University
BIM Resources @ Georgia Tech http://bim.arch.gatech.edu/
Construction Specification Canada http://www.csc-dcc.ca/
Contract Documents http://www.aia.org/contractdocs/index.htm
GSA: BIM www.gsa.gov
Integrated Project Delivery www.aia.org/ipdg
National Institute of Building Sciences www.nibs.org
Penn State Computer Integrated
Construction
http://www.engr.psu.edu/ae/cic/bimex/
RAIC: BIM & IPD https://www.raic.org/practice/bim/ipd_e.htm
State of Wisconsin http://www.doa.state.wi.us/dsf/masterspec_view_new.asp?catid=61&locid=
4
The American Institute of Architects http://www.aia.org/
The Associated General Contractors
of America
http://www.agc.org/
The Construction Specification
Institute
http://www.csinet.org/
The Steel Construction Institute http://www.steel-sci.org/


C.5 Interoperability and Standards

BIMServices: supporting
COBIE2 with IFC
http://www.buildingsmartalliance.org/index.php/projects/ifccobie
buildingSMART/IAI http://buildingsmartalliance.org/ ; www.buildingsmart.com ; www.iai-international.org
CIMSteel Integration
Standards
http://www.cis2.org/
COBIE http://www.wbdg.org/resources/cobie.php
Evolution of Data Exchange
Standards
http://www.cis2.org/faq/Crowley1999.pdf
gbXML http://www.gbxml.org/
IFC Solutions http://blis-project.org/IAI-MVD/
ISO:PAS 16739:2005 http://www.iso.org/iso/iso_catalogue/catalogue_tc/catalogue_detail.htm?csnumber=3
8056
Los Angeles Community
College
http://standards.build-
laccd.org/projects/dcs/pub/BIM%20Standards/released/content.html
National BIM Standard- US http://www.wbdg.org/bim/nbims.php
National BIM Standard
Version I Part I
Facilities Information Council, National Institute of Building Science
Open vs. Proprietary
Formats
http://www.openformats.org/en1
Specifiers Properties
Information Exchange
The Utilisation of BIM in nD
Modeling: A Study of Data
Interfacing and Adoption
Barriers
Tao-Chin Kenny Tse, et al, ITcon, Vol 10, 2005
Performance of Different
(BIM/IFC) Exchange
Formats Within a Private
Collaborative Workspace for
Collaborative Work
Mohamed Nour, ITcon vol 14, 2009

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