Using Vectorworks for BIM

Using Vectorworks for BIM

From 2016, BIM (Building Information Modelling) is a requirement on building projects which are undertaken by the UK Government. The intention is to drive reductions in waste, energy and cost. It does, however, present architects and designers with a compliance requirement. 

Vectorworks Architect is one piece of software which helps handle this requirement. Specifically, working to Level 2 BIM, project participants are required to communicate data in a collaborative way. Whilst not necessarily sharing the same model, the data from each party's CAD process should be readable by the other project parties and should carry with it standardised information to ensure a high level of understanding by everyone involved. Typically, the file type used to transport this data between parties is IFC (Industry Foundation Class). Vectorworks Architect provides tools to allow users to assign all model components with their corresponding IFC type and then export in IFC format.

Level 3 BIM requires parties to be working from a central model, known as 'Open BIM'. It's anticipated that this will take longer to implement across the industry but Vectorworks Architect does make provision for working in this way. For more information on how Vectrorworks can be used for model sharing, please take a look at the Arboleda Open BIM project

 


 

Further Reading

BuildingSmart - the group responsible for defining IFC standarsd

BIM Task Group

BIM Levels Explained

UK Government: BIM Strategy (PDF)

National BIM Library - find objects designed using the xBIM toolkit, the underlying OpenBIM API. Objects are designed to work within Vectorworks, Revit, Bentley, ArchiCAD and Teckla.

 

 


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