Today sees the launch of the latest document in the AEC (UK) portfolio: the AEC (UK) BIM Standard for Bentley Building products. The standard is released to compliment the previous Autodesk Revit document, ensuring that consistent methods and approaches are available for the most common BIM authoring platforms. This Standard focuses primarily on adaptation of those standards for practical and efficient application of Bentley Architecture, Bentley Structural Modeller and Bentley Electrical and Mechanical Systems, drawing on best practice and proven workflows.
The AEC (UK) BIM Standards draw on guidelines from BS1192:2007 and other world-wide sources of BIM production methods. They do not replace, but instead to provide a practical implementation to any company seeking to adopt a working solution. Nigel Davies, chair of the AEC (UK) committee explains, “The importance of these standards cannot be underestimated. In the bigger picture of BIM development and standardisation in the UK, the AEC documents provide a working implementation of those codes. Our aim is to provide continual updates to align with the major initiatives taking place. Where guidance doesn’t yet exist, we help to bridge the gap between non-standardisation and a unified framework.”
Of particular note in this release:
- Definition of BIM modelling workflows and co-ordination of collaborative working
- Advice on separation of modelling data, reference use and procedures
- Workspace organisation
- Object naming recommendations
If your company uses, or is considering the adoption of Bentley’s BIM authoring tools, this document will assist you in their configuration, installation and use.
Download the AEC (UK) BIM Standard for Bentley Building here.
Please email the committee via nigel@evolve-consultancy.com if you have any comments or feedback on the first release of this standard.
AEC (UK) CAD & BIM Standards Site 
Re: AEC (UK) BIM STANDARD
Authors:
Why are not Logical Names used within MicroStation .dgn filenames, Reference Files, and, especially, drawing text names and drawing numbers?
Marked economies of file and reference file manipulations are possible by means of MicroStation logical names.
A sample project for a small building may include:
Logical Name: EL1
[ Used for reference file identification and manipulation. ]
Drawing file number: EL1
Drawing file name: Electrical [ Including characters, EL.]
Description on drawing:
Electrical Single Line Circuit Paths, Panel Box Locations,
Outlets & Switches
Level Name: EL
Plotfile Name: EL1.001
Otherwise, the enormously long level and filenames that were created years ago by complexity-worshiping AutoCAD corporate and governmental employee mentalities remain in the level [or layer] lists.
They were nearly creating a layer for every nut and bolt, and the layer names had as many as ten characters. The lists of layers included hundreds of complex names and numbers that were impossible to keep in mind. Bureaucratic edicts rather than rational and epistemological economy norms too often continue to be the order of the day
Use Logical Names for simplicity. Once a rational hierarchical ID system has been created, the entire system may be kept in mind and the drawings and data more easily manipulated.
What should be done is to organize a file or model name and layer naming system, that is based upon the physical systems of the building, and then to create subclassifications within. Use Aristotelian genus and differentia definition hierarchies that identify building construction systems for the sub-classifications.
If Platonic methods are used, such idiocies as organizing intellectual model data as major classifications by finishes, colors, pet names, or materials, become rampant.
A system of organization of project engineering, design, and construction logistics data according to construction contractor contracts is also possible. That means that a coherent set of related drawings may be sent to the contractor for bidding and cost accounting. It is desireable that each subcontractor would deal with one subsystem at a time, e.g., telephone cable systems. The telephone systems contractor would receive only the appropriate drawings and information. A drawing number may be TEL1.15, for Telephone systems, revision 1, and floor 15 or area 15. The Logical Name for the referenced drawing may be, TEL1.15.
In that case it would be desirable to maintain the rational system of scientific classifications of systems and level names. If, for example, in a contract project data organization system a some subclassifications, e.g., painting, may be found in the structural frame classification as well as in the contract information for the building exterior finishes system.
Ralph Hertle
Blue Star Houses LLC
225 Parsonage Rd.
Edison, New Jersey, USA
1-732-603-0685
zxcvzxcv3@verizon.net
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