Back

Interoperability Key to Future of Global AEC Industry

Categories: Architecture Engineering

Autodesk promotes openBIM at BIM World Paris

 

Autodesk buildingSMART2
Interoperability has been core to Autodesk’s approach to delivering design software from the company’s inception in 1982. From being the first software vendor to offer CAD on nonproprietary hardware (the PC), to supporting the openBIM of buildingSMART International (bSI), to equipping customers to adapt and to manage major technology disruptions, Autodesk is committed to interoperability to help ensure successful outcomes for the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industries.

Why interoperability is important
Autodesk believes that interoperability is the best way forward for AEC professionals. With such an approach, project teams can use systems and applications that are the best tools for the job, working together and freely exchanging design and construction data. This stands in contrast to proprietary systems, where teams are locked into a single vendor software solution which might not be the best suited for the task at hand.

“We greatly value our long term partnership with Autodesk as a Strategic Member of buildingSMART International and of our Strategic Advisory Council.  buildingSMART with the hard work and support of partners like Autodesk, are driving the digital transformation of the built asset industry through creation and adoption of open, international standards,“ says Richard Petrie, Chief Executive buildingSMART International.

A 20-year membership of buildingSMART
An integral part of Autodesk’s commitment to interoperability is the company’s decades old relationship with buildingSMART to maintain the IFC (Industry Foundation Classes) standard. As a founding member of bSI, originally called the International Alliance for Interoperability and founded in 1996, Autodesk’s work as part of bSI’s Strategic Advisory Committee and its Standards Committee has been to drive openness in the AEC industry.

“Autodesk is a strong supporter of openBIM as defined by buildingSMART International,” said Nicolas Mangon, Senior Director Industry Strategy and Marketing, Autodesk, Inc. “Its vendor-neutral approach to maintaining international standards and keeping openBIM  truly open is essential to advance a fully collaborative approach to how buildings and infrastructure are designed, built, and used.”

Further demonstrating its commitment to openBIM, in 2011, Autodesk launched its own IFC open source toolkit, which achieved more than 100,000 downloads. Other ways Autodesk has manifested its commitment to openBIM include:

  • Maintains the most IFC certifications of any vendor.
  • IFC import/export tool for Autodesk Revit is open source.
  • The IFC standard is used in several Autodesk products including Revit, InfraWorks 360, Navisworks and BIM 360 Glue.
  • Secured the rigorous IFC 2×3 Coordination View 2.0 certification in the first wave of vendors.
  • Published the DXF schema for all to access and use.

An increasing shift to full collaboration requires reliable BIM data flowing across disciplines throughout the design, build, own lifecycle. True openness and interoperability between applications must support this complexity. With ever-improving open platforms, Autodesk, BuildingSMART and the broader openBIM community will help make this a reality for the AEC industry.

For more information visit:
http://www.autodesk.com/solutions/bim/bim-interoperability-standards