The National Institute of Building Standards (NIBS) through its Facility Information Council (FIC) has formed a committee to create the National Building Information Model Standard (NBIMS). The Standard is considered to be a critical element in reforming business practices in the capital facilities industry and recapturing at least $15B annually lost due to inefficiencies.
The NBIMS team is actively soliciting participation from public and private organizations and individuals and, to date, 26 organizations representing most aspects of the facility lifecycle and many types of associated businesses have signed the Committee charter and over 80 individuals, overseen by an executive committee, are actively participating on NBIM working groups.
The NBIMS Project Committee seeks to facilitate integration by providing a common language for describing facility information, common views of information based on the needs of businesses engaged in all aspects of facility commerce, and common standards for sharing data between businesses and their data processing applications. Use of common language and practices is expected to reduce building costs, insurance liability, construction schedules, and operating expense while increasing building performance, safety, building life and occupant efficiency.
To further rapid development and wide acceptance, the Committee is partnering with international standards organizations and leveraging existing initiatives. Organizations include the Open Standards Consortium for Real Estate (OSCRE), the Open Geospatial Consortium, Inc.® (OGC), International Alliance for Interoperability (IAI) International, and FIATECH – a private standards consortium. In addition, the Committee is seeking and receiving active participation by professional organizations such as the American Institute of Architects (AIA), Building Owners & Managers Association (BOMA), Construction Specifications Institute (CSI), Construction Users Roundtable (CURT), International Facilitates Management Association (IFMA), Mortgage Bankers Association, etc.
Recent announcements by the US General Services Administration (GSA), US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the US Coast Guard (USCG) are an indication of rapid and immediate evolutionary pressures in the capital facilities industry. These government agencies and, similarly, private organizations, now require integrated service delivery approaches, use of ‘virtual building models’ to reduce errors and omissions, and the use and delivery of digital datasets for facility operations, maintenance and renewal; which support improved service delivery, enhanced emergency planning, management and response. Without a standard this is a risky endeavor.
Release of the first version of the NBIM Standard is planned for December 2006.
