{"id":29500,"date":"2017-01-03T15:50:43","date_gmt":"2017-01-03T15:50:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pbctoday.co.uk\/news\/?p=29500"},"modified":"2023-03-11T19:03:18","modified_gmt":"2023-03-11T19:03:18","slug":"delivering-cobie","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pbctoday.co.uk\/news\/digital-construction-news\/bim-news\/delivering-cobie\/29500\/","title":{"rendered":"\u00a3185,000,000: Is this the cost of delivering COBie UK?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Paul Oakley, Director BIM at BRE talks about the cost of COBie and the challenges associated with utilising the schema<\/h2>\n

The benefits in design and construction of using BIM and the processes set out in BS 1192:2007 and PAS 1192-2:2013 are well documented, and various measures have illustrated the benefits that have been achieved. Also included is the need for constructors to deliver structured data to aid the maintenance and operation of a built asset. PAS1192-2:2013 sets the delivery requirements for BIM Level 2, which includes PDFs, proprietary file formats and something called COBie (Construction Operations Building Information Exchange).<\/p>\n

COBie is generally delivered in an excel format using a multi-worksheet approach, each holding specific data sets defined within British Standard BS1192-4: 2014, fulfilling employer\u2019s information exchange requirements using COBie. Unfortunately, this British Standard only relates to the data schema and has left the industry with the unenviable task of attempting to actually do it.\u00a0 This has created total chaos for the poor constructors and their supply chain who have been left to try and implement it. One specific quote from the standard highlights the issue:<\/p>\n

\u201cThe COBie deliverable should include all the information that needs to be transferred as part of an information exchange including the COBie data and local documents referenced from it\u201d.<\/p>\n

The intention was that information would be automated from the BIM by pressing the magical COBie button. The reality is completely the opposite with teams of people manually entering thousands of elements into a spreadsheet trying to work out if they have supplied \u201call the information\u201d they are supposed to. After all, the Client requirements just stated that they want \u201cBIM Level 2\u201d, whatever that is\u2026<\/p>\n

The perception is that for a BIM Level 2 project, the client identifies their Asset Information Requirements (AIR) and includes them in their Employers Information Requirements (EIRs). This defines all the information that is required including formats, etc. and would probably use a digital Plan of Work to help with identifying the details. It is then up to the supply chain to identify their standards, methods and processes within their BIM Execution Plan, developing the models and objects with the appropriate attributes before finally delivering the data in the COBie format. The data would then be extracted by pressing that magical button and passed over to the operations team.<\/p>\n

COBie includes an identified picklist which ensures compliance, and part of the delivery review process should involve both Information Receiver and Information Provider to ensure that either there has been no significant loss of information as a result of the transfer, or that a process is initiated to resolve the issues. Again, there are basic misconceptions as many of the authoring tools fail to have the same picklists or even the technical implementation to use them. On receipt, the extraction process should cover the activities of populating the target systems and data stores using the content out of the COBie deliverable.<\/p>\n

So what can possibly go wrong?<\/h3>\n

Before embarking on COBie, the big question is who is contractually responsible for the delivery of the information and who makes the decisions. This is a very important question as it will define how COBie is created along with who validates the information. Despite the obvious, there are then vital questions which must be answered before proceeding:<\/p>\n