Product modeling standards for the building and construction industry: past, present and future

For the past ten years most sectors of industry have been developing standards for the electronic sharing and exchange of product model data. While several related industries, such as automotive and shipbuilding manufacturing have been relatively successful in integrating electronic product models into their operations, the building and construction industry, continues to lag behind in this development. In order for the building and construction industry to meet the challenges of the future, the development of a product modeling standard that enables sharing, storing and exchanging project information electronically is essential. The paper discusses the rationale behind this assertion and includes a discussion of the industry requirements for the development of a product modeling standard. The paper elaborates on the results of the standardization efforts of the past and present, followed by an analysis of the current development situation. Finally, personal views are expressed regarding future development in the area of information exchange.