BIM Use Definition Standard
3Terms and Definitions
Analyze Design
A BIM Use to examine and evaluate a built environment asset’s design to assess its functionality, and compliance with various criteria and requirements.
[Source: BIM Use Definitions Module, NBIMS-US™ V4]
Appointed Party
The entity that is contracted for and provides information concerning works, goods, or services.
[Source: ISO 19650-1:2018(en), modified – added ‘the entity that is contracted for and provides’]
[Also known as contractor, designer, consultant, architect, engineer, subcontractor, subconsultant]
Appointing Party
The entity that holds the contract and receives information concerning works, goods, or services.
[Source: ISO 19650-1:2018(en), modified – added ‘the entity that is contracted for and receives’]
[Also known as owner, client]
Author Design
A BIM Use to develop a design using BIM authoring software with 3D and attribute information for a built environment asset leveraging an object library of parametric elements.
[Source: BIM Use Definitions Module, NBIMS-US™ V4]
Author Temporary Work
A BIM Use to generate the design of non-permanent elements in a model necessary to construct a project.
[Source: BIM Use Definitions Module, NBIMS-US™ V4]
BIM Execution Plan
A plan that explains how the information management aspects of a project will be carried out by the project team.
[Source: ISO 19650-2:2018(en), 3.1.3.1 – modified ‘delivery team’ to ‘project team’]
See Appointment BIM Execution Plan (ABEP) and Project BIM Execution Plan (PBEP).
BIM Use
The purpose for applying BIM. BIM Use includes name, definition, and related terms.
[Source: BIM Use Definitions Module, NBIMS- US, V4]
BIM Use Case
A specific methodology and outcome achieved when applying a BIM Use on a project(s) or within an organization(s). A BIM Uses Case includes a BIM Use name, followed by the method, followed by the outcome.
[Source: BIM Use Definitions Module, NBIMS-US, V4]
Building Information Management
Functions of controlling the acquisition, analysis, retention, retrieval, and distribution of built environment asset information all within an information processing system
[Source: ISO/IEC 20944-1:2013(en), modified term – added “building” to specify information about built environment assets, and modified the definition – added ‘built environment asset’ to the definition of Information Management to clarify the specific management of ‘building’ information.]
Note: Within the term, ‘building’ refers to the process of building a built environment asset, not a specific type of facility. BIM is a function that can be implemented across all types of built environment assets, including buildings, bridges, highways, tunnels, process plants, landscape, and other infrastructure and facility types.
Building Information Model
A shared digital representation of physical and functional characteristics of a built environment asset.
[Source: NBIMS-US™ Version 3, modified – added the word ‘shared’ and added the words ‘and built asset’– see Note 2 and Note 3]
Note 1: NBIMS-US™ Version 3 also included “As such it serves as a shared knowledge resource for information about a facility, forming a reliable basis for decisions during its life cycle from inception onwards.”
Note 2: Added the word ‘shared’ to the definition to be more consistent with ISO/TS 12911:2012(en) definition. The ISO definition uses the term ‘built object’ instead of ‘facility’ and adds facility types including ‘buildings, bridges, roads, process plant’.
Note 3: Added the words ‘built environment assets’ to specify that a building information model can include representations of buildings, roads, bridges, plants, and other built assets.
Building Information Modeling
Generating and using a shared digital representation of a built environment asset to facilitate design, construction, and operation processes to form a reliable basis for decisions.
[Source: ISO 19650-1:2018(en), 3.3.14, modified – revised ‘Use’ to ‘Generating and using’]
Capture Conditions
A BIM Use to collect current information about the built environment to include in a model.
[Source: BIM Use Definitions Module, NBIMS-US™ V4]
Compile Record Deliverables
A BIM Use to capture and document project and asset information for the purpose of communicating the work performed, progress made, and compliance with requirements at project completion.
[Source: BIM Use Definitions Module, NBIMS-US™ V4]
Coordinate Design and Construction
A BIM Use to verify the overall design layout and spatial arrangement of systems by applying construction means and methods and additional spatial constraints (such as code requirements, maintenance access and clearances) to validate the constructability of the project.
[Source: BIM Use Definitions Module, NBIMS-US™ V4]
Establish Project Requirements
A BIM Use to capture and monitor key project aspects and scope such as area, spatial, functional, asset, deliverable, code, end user, organizational, and other stakeholder requirements using a data-centric approach.
[Source: BIM Use Definitions Module, NBIMS-US™ V4]
Generate Estimates
A BIM Use to extract project, site, and asset quantity information from model(s) to support the development of project and/or lifecycle cost estimates.
[Source: BIM Use Definitions Module, NBIMS-US™ V4]
Generate Fabrication Detail
A BIM Use to generate the manufacturing and/or construction details in a model necessary to fabricate elements of a project.
[Source: BIM Use Definitions Module, NBIMS-US™ V4]
Layout Construction
A BIM Use to establish and mark features of work on a construction project using real-time positioning supported by model data.
[Source: BIM Use Definitions Module, NBIMS-US™ V4]
Manage Assets
A BIM Use to track asset performance and ensure proper maintenance to improve longevity and optimize functionality.
[Source: BIM Use Definitions Module, NBIMS-US™ V4]
Manage Space
A BIM Use to allocate, organize, and optimize the use of the physical space of a built environment asset.
[Source: BIM Use Definitions Module, NBIMS-US™ V4]
Monitor Performance
A BIM Use to assess and evaluate the performance of a built environment asset to ensure it operates efficiently, effectively, and with performance standards.
[Source: BIM Use Definitions Module, NBIMS-US™ V4]
Owner
The entity that holds the contract and receives information concerning works, goods, or services.
[Source: ISO 19650-1:2018(en) defined as appointing party, added ‘the entity that is contracted for and receives’]
[Also known as appointing party*]
*Note: NBIMS-US™ recognizes the term appointing party, but uses the term owner in the standard documents as it is recognized as the common term used in the US market. These should be considered interchangeable.
Produce Construction Documentation
A BIM Use to generate documentation to communicate design intent and construction details which may include plans, elevations, sections, renderings, data schedules, 3D diagrams, or specifications.
[Source: BIM Use Definitions Module, NBIMS-US™ V4]
Project Team
Owner [Appointing Party] and all delivery teams.
[Source: ISO 19650-1:2018(en), added “owner”]
Review Design
A BIM Use to validate the design intent and constructability of the project based on meeting project requirements and stakeholder expectations, and regulatory compliance (such as validating design quality, 3D model quality, and data quality).
[Source: BIM Use Definitions Module, NBIMS-US™ V4]
Sequence Construction
A BIM Use to represent and communicate the timing and/or sequencing of construction activities graphically using a model.
[Source: BIM Use Definitions Module, NBIMS-US™ V4]
National BIM Standard-United States® (NBIMS-US™) Version 4
The NBIMS-US™ v4 is a consensus-based national-level standard focused on defining standard approaches and guidelines to defining requirements, planning BIM adoption, and exchanging information between project team members. MORE
