Singapore 48 Hour BIM Challenge - update 1

BIM Programming

We are currently taking part in the Singapore 48 hour BIM challenge. As part of "Team BIM Academy", NBS are working alongside VINCI Construction UK, Ryder, kykloud, Cundall, Turner and Townsend.
are now around eight hours into our

Progress can be followed at our official team blog:
- http://www.thenbs.com/blogs/BIM/

In terms of the NBS role on the project, we are providing specification support in addition to a big push on software development. This software development is focusing on interoperability and IFC.

The sketched out plan is below...

The software development plan

There are four areas we are looking into...

1. IFC object creation 
This is the journey...

1.1 Specify your wall's material layers in NBS Create

1.2 Specify the material properties with the assistance of expert guidance and drop down values

1.3 A small external configuration file allows the user to define what materials and properties are mapped

1.4 Generate any wall configurations and property sets starting with NBS Create

If we can get this technology working then it allows an infinite amount of BIM layered objects to be created that align to NBS Create and the NBS National BIM Library naming convention, classifications and parameters.

2. Combined IFC export
This is already in beta format in the NBS toolbar for Revit that is live. However, it currently only works for objects with IFC 2x3 definitions. We're changing the configuration and mapping files around now so that it works for any object. Through the mapping file any user will be able to map any object to its equivalent object in NBS Create.
For more information see:
- http://constructioncode.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/bim-specifications-and-ifc.html

3. IFC stamping
As above, the output will be the same. But the journey the user takes will be different. Instead of starting in the design tool with mapped NBS Create specification, the user will be able to "punch out" property sets from NBS Create into the IFC file.

Combined IFC from design model and NBS Create

4. Filling IFC property sets at design time
Taking one step back from a full IFC file, all National BIM Library objects contain the IFC 2x3 property sets. For example for a door:
- http://www.buildingsmart-tech.org/ifc/IFC2x3/TC1/html/
We will be working on sucking these properties from NBS Create and pushing them into the object at design time.

IFC property sets in the design tool coming through from NBS

The team
We have myself, Calum and Chris from NBS working on this. We are also receiving support from Prof Steve Locklley whose xBIM toolkit we are working with.

Lockley