Open BIM – Driving force for a new culture and new possibilities in façade business

Abstract

ABSTRACTA digital and integrated design process has been applied over the last decades to build façades with complex geometry. Nevertheless, Open Building Information Modeling (Open BIM), considered as fully integrated digital collaboration in a common data environment (CDE) of all major project stakeholders, was not common practice in the past. Process approaches were mostly “island solutions”, closed, internal, not allowing open data exchange. Latest project requirements and specifications, however, usually require Open BIM environments which are accessible by all project trades and are partly mandatory by state. Those developments are a driving force for a new digital planning process in the building industry. Consequently, the way forward needs to embrace Open BIM. Drivers for implementing an Open BIM solution will be explained; furthermore arising opportunities of the new digital planning processes are shown. Necessary changes within the company's product realization processes (design, management, etc.), the organisation itself, the responsibilities and the affected tools will be highlighted and finally a conclusion is drawn.