In the first of a two part article on ISO 19650, Rebecca De Cicco explores the realities of applying the new International BIM standard across the globe
Much research has been undertaken to support the way in which BIM adoption across the globe is being addressed in differing countries. There are a variety of different approaches. Some initiatives are heavily driven in the private sector (for the USA and Australia for example) and others via policy (such as UK, Europe and Asia).
As a result of the advanced level of BIM adoption in the UK, it was only logical that the development of an international standard was created to support consistency across industry on a global scale.
Therefore, we’ve all waited in anticipation on the UK releasing an international standard, and it’s finally here: ISO 19650-1 and 2.
For us and other organisations who work across multiple regions of the world, central support for a consistent framework for delivery, management and execution of BIM was something we so desperately craved.
Which is why December 2018 was a very exciting month for us and the global BIM community when the International Standard Organisation (ISO) released two important documents:
ISO 19650-1: First Edition 2018-12
Organisation and digitisation of information about buildings and civil engineering works, including BIM — information management using building information modelling — Part 1: Concepts and principles.
ISO 19650-2: First Edition 2018-12
Organisation and digitisation of information about buildings and civil engineering works, including BIM — information management using building information modelling — Part 2: Delivery phase of the assets.
Transition from PAS 1192-2
As the first edition of ISO 19650-2 was heavily aligned to the main clauses embedded in BS 1192 and PAS 1192-2 there has been much excitement surrounding the release of this specific document.
Globally, this will alleviate some of the issues that the construction industry faces when it comes to language, terminology and process. We see a variety of challenges with differing methods being implemented in regions such as the US, Asia and Australia / New Zealand and it is exciting for us, now that we can consolidate our message to be internationally aligned.
As the ISO is heavily based on both the concepts and principles as well as the main clauses of the UK BIM Standards, those who have been working with these processes will already be ahead of the game.
What happens when we see the UK Regional Annexe and no other Regional Annexes?
Early 2019 will see the release of the UK National Annexe as well as the Transitional Guidance to support how industry will transition from the use of the current 1192 series to the use of both the 1192 series still out there and the ISO. We await in anticipation as these documents will certainly support the way in which we apply the ISO when already using the concepts of and principles of the 1192 documentation.
As well as the above supporting documentation we’ll see ISO develop ISO 19650-3 and 5, both supporting the BIM methodology, and both being driven by the existing PAS documents, PAS 1192-2 and 5. This again is an exciting space for the UK BIM industry as we’ve already applied these principles to our projects so will be one step ahead.
Rebecca De Cicco is the director and founder of Digital Node, a BIM-based consultancy working with clients all over the world to educate, manage and support the implementation of a clearly defined process, underpinned by technology.
What this means to the global application of BIM?
When working with clients, both in government and industry, we always push our drive toward being global and with this our curriculum fully supports the methodologies and language of the ISO standards which have been released. Discussing these standards with companies which have a global reach is crucial as they tend to drive the smaller players.
Working across the US and Australia, more recently we have seen the benefits of applying the methodologies and process of ISO as a conceptual framework. Although we have yet to see the benefits this has provided, we know that this could mean much less wasted time and effort on a large scale for industry across the world.
We now know that the release of ISO 19650 shows great promise for global consistency when it comes to BIM. Much work has already been done to enable the release of this standard and there are obviously great benefits and risks which we’ll need to address
as an industry in this coming year. And it is imperative that we encourage those who are looking to PAS 1192-2 in other regions outside the UK to understand how the ISO will impact them. As an industry, one of our biggest challenges is trying to be globally consistent. Although there are huge challenges such as cultural diversity and historical impact, there are still ways in which we can achieve some form of unity when it comes to BIM. ISO 19650-1 and 2 will help us to achieve this and I look forward to the future where we all start to discuss our projects in a universally standardised language.
Rebecca De Cicco will be discussing the importance of the new ISO 19650 standards in more detail at BIM Show Live 2019 on Wednesday 27 February in Newcastle’s Boiler Shop in her seminar: A global BIM solution? The realities of the application of ISO 19650.
Read the second article in this series – ISO 19650: going global part II – here
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