Specifiers Journal 2016

ICOM members support BIM with PDTs
From the 4th April 2016, centrally-procured public
construction projects have required the use of
‘Level 2 BIM’, setting the scene for wider use of
Building Information Modelling in subsequent years.
Product Data Templates are set to make a vital
contribution.
It is well accepted that, despite
its major contribution to the
UK economy, the construction
industry has not achieved the
same levels of efficiency as
other major sectors. It is now
recognised that the required
improvements in productivity
with a reduction in costs
can be delivered through
better use and integration of
digital information. Building
Information Modelling (BIM)
will play a key role in this
process by underpinning better
communication and more
effective data sharing.
Compliance with BIM Level 2,
as a minimum, requires fully
collaborative 3D BIM with
electronic project and asset
information, documentation
and data. Therefore, in order
Integrated condensing hot water and heating
for product data to support BIM
Level 2 it needs to be available
in appropriate and consistent
formats. Historically, however,
the presentation and content of
product data in the construction
industry has varied considerably
between manufacturers.
The need for greater
consistency is being addressed
through the creation of Product
Data Templates (PDTs), in an
initiative developed by the
Chartered Institution of Building
Services Engineers (CIBSE)
and now being adopted by a
number of other professional
bodies. “With product data
underpinning many of our
processes, the PDTs provide a
consistent and reliable format
for manufacturers to share
product data for use throughout
Ross Anderson, Director of the
Industrial & Commercial Energy
Association (ICOM).
the life-cycle of a project and
the resultant asset.,” says Carl
Collins, consultant to CIBSE.
Joanna Houldridge of Ideal
Boilers adds: “BIM has allowed
Ideal to standardise our boiler
3D CAD models and technical
descriptions for ease of use by
customers involved in building
projects. For the construction
industry as a whole, BIM reduces
time, cost and project risks by
bringing 3D CAD models and
technical descriptions together
in a shared model.”
Richard Davies of Bosch
Commercial and Industrial
Heating believes that BIM
offers other opportunities in
the future: “The ability to use
BIM as a design tool to predict
system function/performance,
for scheduling and budgeting
maintenance and replacement,
and as a budgeting tool are all
interesting future possibilities.”
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