The Beijing Civil Building Model Information Standard offers practical recommendations for developing BIM design collaboration platforms. The core focus is on addressing the unique characteristics and practical needs of project management, ensuring strong compatibility, and enabling effective sharing of design data and information.
Design collaboration is a key value driver in BIM technology applications. The BIM design collaboration platform serves as a shared hub for data and information exchange, making it essential for successful BIM implementation. The platform primarily manages the following aspects:
(1) Integration of relevant design standards and business workflows;
(2) User management throughout the design and application processes;
(3) Authorization control over design content and related information;
(4) Oversight of the BIM implementation process, including quality control, progress tracking, and deliverables release;
(5) Management of data sharing among stakeholders;
(6) Generation, delivery, and version control of project deliverables;
(7) Archiving and reuse of project information;
(8) Support for distributed remote collaboration;
(9) Analysis, statistics, and utilization of project information to assist management and decision-making.
By creating a collaborative platform, stakeholders in BIM projects gain a shared working environment that enables effective management and control of project information. This ensures accuracy, consistency, and security of stakeholder data, as well as maintaining the integrity of data storage and transmission.
Currently, most BIM design software organizes work based on projects and includes built-in collaboration features for interdisciplinary design coordination. However, BIM data files tend to be large, and projects often require collaboration across multiple software tools and disciplines—for example, integrating 3D walkthroughs and clash detection with Navisworks, or linking project schedules with Primavera P6 or Microsoft Project. Due to differences in file formats across software, the native collaboration capabilities of BIM design tools often fall short. Therefore, establishing an independent management platform is necessary.
The guidelines propose two approaches for BIM design collaboration platforms. The first is a server-based file sharing method that requires no additional software platform. On the server, folders are arranged by project, with BIM project operation and maintenance staff creating collaboration models to manage folder contents and access permissions. Professional coordination and progress tracking are governed by agreed-upon rules. This approach is simple, cost-effective, requires minimal investment, and preserves designers’ existing workflows. It is suitable for smaller design firms or those with limited digital infrastructure.
The second approach involves a BIM collaboration platform built on collaborative management software. This type features embedded management rules, automated workflows, and streamlined processes. It enables collaboration directly through the platform and provides project data analysis and management tools. This solution is ideal for larger design organizations with advanced digital capabilities and multiple ongoing projects.
Additionally, the guidelines emphasize that BIM collaboration platforms should offer strong data scalability and compatibility with commonly used BIM software. Supporting mainstream BIM data formats is crucial for long-term sustainability. To facilitate browsing and querying, it is recommended to convert BIM data into lightweight formats for storage.
With the widespread availability of high-speed mobile networks and advances in cloud computing, cloud-based platforms and mobile client support (for smartphones, tablets, etc.) are important development directions to consider when building collaboration platforms.
Must log in before commenting!
Sign Up