Currently, many developed countries have a long history with Building Information Modeling (BIM) and have established their own systems. In contrast, China is still in the early stages of BIM development and has yet to form strict standards. Some foreign countries do not strictly follow international BIM standards; instead, they create standards tailored to their own national circumstances.
There are three main internationally recognized industry standards. Among them, the Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) standard was the first to appear, dating back to 1995. After improvements over two years, a complete version was released. Following five years of implementation, IFC was officially recognized by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), becoming a globally accepted standard. Today, it is widely used across various industries and countries.
1. Although China’s BIM market is growing rapidly, it remains in an exploratory, early stage. This has resulted in inconsistent applications and a lack of unified standards. Establishing BIM standards has become an urgent challenge for advancing BIM use in China. In 2012, the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development initiated the development of a series of national BIM standards. This effort marks the first time that BIM technology in China will follow a unified framework, which is crucial for promoting standardized BIM application and technological progress within the industry.
2. China’s three national BIM standards correspond directly to international BIM standards: the “Building Information Model Storage Standard” aligns with IFC (Industry Foundation Classes); the “Standard for Delivery of Information Models in Architectural Engineering Design” corresponds to IDM (Information Delivery Manual); and the “Classification and Coding Standards for Building Engineering Design Information Models” matches IFD (International Framework for Dictionaries).
3. Over a decade ago, Chinese industrial standards, similar to IFC (ISO/PAS16739-2005), were proposed jointly by relevant organizations and research institutes. In the following two years, national construction authorities partnered with Tsinghua University and international enterprises to research and assess the Chinese BIM landscape. This collaboration led to the development of a set of BIM standards tailored to China’s unique conditions. After a trial period, these standards officially became industry standards in China and were implemented starting July 1st of last year.
These BIM standards are vital for accelerating BIM adoption and implementation across China. They offer practical guidance, promote technological advancement, and are essential for establishing a national technical framework. Given BIM’s international nature, China not only needs to incorporate international standards to globalize its own but also actively engage internationally to implement and apply them. The Chinese Institute of Standards plans to lead the formation of an international regional alliance, collaborating with countries such as Singapore, Japan, and South Korea. This cooperation will be instrumental in advancing BIM technology development and its application, ultimately benefiting economic development.
The above summarizes the current state of BIM standards in China. Opinions may vary, but I hope this article provides helpful insights for everyone!
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