This is the second post in a series of three provided by BIMAGE Consulting, our value-added reseller in Singapore, about how companies in that country use Ideate Software products to comply with BCA BIM e-submission requirements. The first post was about IdeateApps. Keep an eye out for the next one, which will be about Ideate Explorer, Ideate StyleManager, and Ideate Sticky.
Established in 2010, BIMAGE is the leading technology company in BIM/VDC and Digitized Construction within Singapore. BIMAGE helps customers optimize design development, construction and operation phases of buildings and infrastructure while using various technologies, including Revit and Ideate Software tools plus other BIM software such as virtual design and construction, augmented reality/virtual reality, geographic information systems, cloud, mobile and more.
The Challenge – Complying with Varying E-Submission Requirements
Singapore Building and Construction Authority (BCA) requires design consultants to submit their native BIM models for new developments with a gross floor area of more than 5,000 square meters through an e-submission system for design approval. It has published several Code of Practices for BIM e-submission to clearly define the requirements for each discipline. There are also templates for different BIM software along with the respective guidelines and recommended processes.
Preparing BIM Models with Required Custom Parameters
Consultants using the e-submission system often face challenges when trying to prepare BIM models that have many required custom parameters for different elements. In these situations, the consultants need to extract large amount of data from the models, which is not easy to do via Revit schedules or properties. The consultants often spend days or weeks in Revit trying to locate this hidden data. For data requirements that come from external sources, manual data entry in Revit schedules or element properties palettes is the only way to go. Because Revit does not support autofill or mapping functions like Excel, the repetitive and mundane data entry and verification tasks are extremely tedious and time consuming.
BCA BIM e-submission parameter examples for civil & structural (C&S) requirements
Simplifying the Process with Ideate BIMLink
Ideate BIMLink gives consultants unprecedented access to the required Revit data with speed, ease, and accuracy. With the help of Ideate BIMLink, consultants can quickly pull BIM data from Revit to Excel using predefined and custom templates, efficiently edit the data in Excel, then push the changes back to Revit. Editing Revit object data and schedules becomes as simple as updating an Excel spreadsheet, which can be easily done by anyone without Revit knowledge. The consultants can then focus on their design works in Revit with an enhanced and effective workflow.
For example, while preparing the BCA submission, consultants need to fill in specific information related to “Mode of Ventilation” for Rooms, as well as “BCA_Accessible” parameters for all door and parking categories. For Urban Redevelopment Authority submissions, consultants need to submit Gross Floor Area (GFA) plans that include various information, as shown in the image, for all the floor plans and make sure that the applicable fields are completed appropriately.
Consultants can use Ideate BIMLink to quickly export these Revit parameters to Excel, use Excel to complete all the information, then simply import everything back to Revit. This streamlined process can effectively save time and effort in completing the tasks.
Undoubtedly, Ideate BIMLink is a valuable productivity application that assists in the BCA BIM e-submission process. BIMAGE Consulting has helped many consultants adopt Ideate Software workflows on multiple projects.
Browse the Ideate Software website for more information on Ideate Apps and our other Revit productivity tools. Give them a try with a free trial version, or subscribe today.
Blog Article Authors
Ms. Lee Yih Perng – Manager, BIM/VDC/Smart Cities, BIMAGE Consulting
Ms. Pratibha – Senior Consultant, Architecture & Planning, BIMAGE Consulting