Nick Nisbet, technical co-ordinator, represented buildingSMART UK at an international conference – Integrated Construction for Sustainable Build – in Abu Dhabi on 28 and 29 March 2011, as one of four speakers in a session on current standards in construction.

 

Nick explained the buildingSMART standards and underlined the importance of agreeing terms now that we are operating in an international market. A panel discussion followed, covering – among other things – building codes, and Nick pointed out that the Dubai Regulations were among the first to be transformed into IFC.

 

Abu Dhabi’s Department of Municipal Affairs, established three years ago, creates policies, regulations and standards, and has developed a series of building codes to cover eight areas of construction. A cocktail of codes fed into the process, including those of the UK, and the session provided the opportunity to look at the interplay of codes. In the event, codes derived from the US International Code Council were being adopted.

 

Christopher Groome, buildingSMART UK’s business manager, was also present as a delegate. At the buildingSMART International User Group meeting that followed, he gave a presentation on developments in the UK, including the consultation on BIM held by the government’s chief construction adviser, Paul Morrell.

 

Running in parallel, the International Technical Committee meeting reviewed the progress towards the final release IFC2x4 as ISO 16739. It also adopted criteria for accepting external standards as compatible with buildingSMART principles. Nick commented: “Consultants and contractors in the Middle East, as elsewhere, need to know that sharing structured data leads to a seamless and efficient outcome. BuildingSMART is leading the way.”

 

Mark Bew, chairman, buildingSMART UK, was scheduled to speak at the conference but was prevented at the last minute from attending.