Based on BIM, the purposes, targets, and subsequent uses of design deliverables—as well as various types of design models—should clearly define their appropriate data formats. It is essential to ensure the data remains complete, consistent, interconnected, universal, reusable, and lightweight. So, what are the common data formats used for BIM design deliverables? Let’s explore them in detail:
Design Deliverables Data Formats According to Commercial Contracts
BIM Model: The primary goal of delivering BIM models is to provide a comprehensive data resource that supports all stages of the building’s lifecycle. To preserve data integrity, it is important to maintain the original data format and minimize data loss caused by format conversions. Thus, proprietary data formats used by BIM modeling software—such as Autodesk Revit’s RVT and RFT files—are typically preferred.
In addition, to facilitate browsing, querying, and broad application during design delivery, lightweight and widely accepted formats like NWD, IFC, and DWF should also be considered.
Other deliverables derived from BIM models—usually final outputs—emphasize universal data formats. It is recommended to provide standard formats such as PDF, DWF, AVI, WMV, and FLV for these deliverables.
Design Deliverables Data Formats for Government Approval
These deliverables primarily serve government administrative departments for reviewing and archiving specific engineering project design data. Therefore, universality and lightweight data formats are especially important.
For BIM models and other BIM-based outputs, standard data formats like IFC, DWF, PDF, AVI, WMV, and FLV are recommended.
Currently, China does not have explicit delivery requirements for design deliverables used in government approval processes. However, companies aiming to align with international standards may refer to national guidelines such as the Singapore BIM Guide and the Australian National Digital Modeling Specification, both developed by the Singapore government.
Design Deliverables Data Formats for Internal Enterprise Management
Within enterprises, BIM models are mainly used for reviewing and archiving final delivery data of specific projects, as well as building enterprise-wide model resources that include reusable assets like standard models and components.
(1) For final delivery review and archiving of project BIM models, enterprises should adhere to the same delivery formats specified in commercial contracts.
(2) For internal submission of model resources, the focus is on reusability. Formats should include proprietary data formats of the BIM software used for design submissions, proprietary formats of mainstream BIM software within the enterprise, and universally accessible lightweight formats suited for browsing and querying.
Deliverables based on BIM models for various internal applications are primarily used for archiving and future reference of final delivery data for specific projects and should comply with the delivery formats required by commercial contracts.
BIM Deliverables and Their Data Formats
BIM deliverables include various data formats depending on their content, such as:
- BIM design models and their export report files
- BIM coordination models and their simulation coordination reports
- BIM browsing model formats
- BIM analysis models and their report files
- BIM-exported traditional 2D view data formats
- BIM print output file formats
Since different BIM software use varying data formats, this overview uses the Revit platform as an example to help enterprises develop their own standards.
What data formats are included in BIM design deliverables? We hope this explanation provides clarity. For more information about BIM consulting, please visit our official website, BIM Building Training Network.
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