Common data environment

Abstract

Building InformationModeling, as a model-based approach, has various implications for the information and data management of construction projects. In particular, data exchange during the planning and execution of BIM-based projects creates unique demands for the management of data, since the participants involved exchange different kinds of information at various levels of detail according to their individual requirements, and not just once but repeatedly and back and forth. To address this, procedures for structuring, combining, distributing, managing and archiving digital information must be set up and technically supported within a framework for integral model-based project management. It is widely recognized that for the implementation of BIM-based projects and the related collaborative processes, digital collaboration platforms are highly suitable. The British Publicly Available Specification (PAS) 1192 offers a general framework for the implementation of such central platforms based on a so-called Common Data Environment (CDE). The CDE is defined as a common digital project space that provides distinct access areas for the different project stakeholders combined with clear status definitions and a robust workflow description for sharing and approval processes. This chapter presents the technical aspects of the CDE and introduces selected practical aspects.