To help address the properties problem, BIM&CO offers an open properties management system.
It does not impose proprietary properties, but offers and / or suggest the use of standard data from international or local standards that will promote the standardisation of properties in projects and the interoperability with different software on the market.
Main characteristics of this system :
- Data is stored in the database and not in geometric models.
- The platform gathers the standard properties of different international standards or practices by providing a single property when several exist in different repositories.
- Each property coming from this collection has a unique identifier (The Property Code) allowing its multilingual management.
- The properties are organised by fields (thermal, acoustic, electric, etc.) for easy use and identification of properties.
- New fields and new properties can be proposed by the community.
- Data is placed in the parameters of the object at the time of its insertion in the digital model with the Smart Download function.
- Once inserted, the object can be updated with new properties.
- All IFC properties have been supported to allow objects from the platform to be inserted into a digital model to be exported correctly to IFC format.
- For software editors, API and WEB Services allow access.
Depending on the BIM software used, or more generally, according to the identified BIM process, the platform allows the connection between the software or process requirements and available properties, thus making all objects on the platform interoperable.
A collaborative method – User defined properties
What happens if a property is not available on the platform?
When a property is not available, the user can create his or her own property. Furthermore, if this property has a know repository or use, the user can propose its adoption by the BIM&CO community, and its official integration to the platform. After validation, this property becomes available to all users, thus fostering standardisation.
Defining properties for private use
With BIM&CO, it is also possible to define a set of properties for private use. Within a work group, an administrator can define a set of properties that will only be seen and used by the members of this group.
An evolving system
BIM is in constant evolution, requirements change, and the BIM&CO platform allows you to add properties to objects according to the evolution of clients’ requests. If the properties to be added do not exist on the platform, the user can add them to a private or public list in a few minutes.
Integration of international standards to define properties
BIM&CO integrates and shall add international standards on the standardisation of properties required for a given field.
For example, the standard ISO 16757 defines the properties required for heating, ventilation and air conditioning object (HVAC).