CIBSE launch is major step in BIM progress
The creation and management of product data templates (PDTs) for BIM (Building Information Modelling) has moved a major step forward with the launch of BIMHawk by CIBSE at its recent annual conference. This website and software plug-in enables the creation of standard parameters for use in BIM objects. The software has been developed by Paul Marsland, NG Bailey’s design and BIM development manager.
The software enables authorised users to create or upload PDTs corresponding to actual products, with a full set of industry-recognised parameters ready to be filled in. The model can then be directly imported into BIM platforms without disrupting the rest of the design.
The primary benefit of the plug-in is to enable clients to acquire structured data in a predictable format that is used from start to finish by the design and delivery teams. There is no need to create new models from scratch for every element of a design or to edit generic or existing models that are not compatible and do not use the same parameters.
Contractors, consultants and commissioning engineers will be able to use BIMHawk to compare products on a like-for-like basis, making the process of specifying much faster, simpler and saving the client money.
BIMHawk uses PDTs created to an extremely high industry consensus standard. It requires three stages of review by chartered engineers and a peer-to-peer review process, with the parameters specified also being signed off by relevant trade bodies and other stakeholder.
Carl Collins, CIBSE’s digital engineering consultant, said, ‘BIM is supposed to make the whole construction process better, faster and cheaper, but until now models have suffered from big flaws around compatibility and interoperability between BIM modelling platforms. BIMHawk fixes those problems and allows us to quickly import accurate and consistent parameters that can be used with confidence that the data is robust and standard across the industry.’
