One of the primary reasons why engineering construction data integration remains unachieved is the absence of a comprehensive top-level design. This top-level design encompasses two key aspects: the strategic planning of enterprise-wide BIM implementation and the development of overarching BIM standards. The construction industry’s shift toward digitalization is an inevitable trend, but each construction company must define its own transformation path. This could involve changes in business models, strategies, or processes. Regardless of the path chosen, it is essential to adopt a holistic industry-wide perspective to create effective top-level planning. Such planning serves as the guiding framework for all corporate activities. Meanwhile, standards form the foundation of business operations, and their formulation must align with these guiding principles to ensure smooth execution of work.
Integrating engineering construction data involves every stage of the construction industry chain and connects multiple departments, roles, and responsibilities within an enterprise. Standards represent agreements that all parties must follow. However, due to the varying roles and participants, differences arise in the data used and provided. Effective standards therefore require consensus on both commonalities and differences, meaning BIM standards must be tailored to diverse business needs. To develop BIM standards that truly support engineering construction data integration, a broad, high-level perspective is essential—one that guides the top-level design of these standards.
Currently, BIM standards created by enterprises tend to be narrow in scope, often addressing only a single functional application. These standards are best described as BIM model standards applicable at a particular phase. Typically, they define naming conventions for model components, modeling depth and accuracy (usually based on LOD standards), color coding systems, and basic information requirements. However, they lack fundamental elements such as model component classification and coding standards vital for data integration across engineering construction, as well as platform management standards needed for information systems supporting integrated data workflows. As a result, these BIM standards are limited to guiding basic tasks like modeling and pipeline integration and fall short of enabling comprehensive engineering data integration.
This highlights the critical importance of top-level design in BIM standard development. Without it, BIM standards remain limited and insufficient to meet the complex demands of engineering construction data integration.
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