NF EN ISO 23386 standard: the BIM dictionary

From an experimental status in France, the NF EN ISO 23386 standard on semantics used in Building Information Modeling (BIM) is becoming international. With these digital catalogs of objects and materials, building professionals will be able to easily understand each other!

BIM, or Building Information Modeling, is a computer-based process that enables building professionals to design and document construction and architectural projects. It functions as a digital catalog of objects and materials, allowing a project to be digitally modeled, object by object, with all its technical characteristics, beyond its visual representation.

However, to be effective and universal, it is essential to adopt a common language for all this data. All trades must be able to understand it, otherwise it is a waste of time! This is precisely what the new standard allows. NF EN ISO 23386 , published in March 2020 in the AFNOR collection. Based on a French experimental standard (XP P07-150), this voluntary standard is the result of a roundtable discussion involving representatives of professionals in the field from more than 20 countries: companies, architects, industry associations, including France's AIMCC (French Association of Construction Product Industries). Its drafting is the result of several years of collaboration, which has not always been easy. "It has been a long road, but today, with all the contributing countries, we are proud because we are convinced that the standard meets a market need," says Roland Dominici, CEO of Cobuilder France and leader of the standards working group.

NF EN ISO 23386: a common language
The text marks a turning point in the creation of BIM dictionaries. As Frédéric Grand, from Quod Semantics, one of the experts at the standardization table, explains, "this standard is the result of a need: that of manufacturers being asked to provide information about their products. From one contact to another, they were forced to describe the same information many times, adapting the level of language according to the people to whom they had to communicate it." In short, it was tedious and, above all, a source of confusion.

It was therefore urgent to offer a tool for all BIM users that would standardize data, with a standard format and common labels, and then establish a common methodology for building a library of digital objects that could be understood by all trades. For example, for the object "wall" or "window," the architect will draw on information relating to appearance or aesthetics, the design office will be interested in its strength, and the engineer in its composition. The properties listed are numerous and useful to all those involved in a project, but they still had to be established on the same grid.

The voluntary standard NF EN ISO 23386 now allows this. "Digital technology leaves no room for interpretation, hence the need for a shared methodology for describing and managing properties. How can industry players exchange information if they don't speak the same language?" points out Elsa Lucas, project manager at AFNOR Standardization, who assisted professionals in drafting the standard.

NF EN ISO 23386: creating interoperability and trust

Beyond saving time and therefore reducing costs, Frédéric Grand emphasizes that "previously, users didn't know where the information came from. So they were naturally reluctant to use it. Now they can verify the content and therefore trust it. It's more efficient and also more controlled." " This sentiment is shared by Roland Dominici: "Interoperability is not possible without standards. Standards are irrefutable. If you comply with a standard, no one can oppose it; it is a trusted third party."

February 15, 2021, The European Committee for Standardization organized a webinar on the subject. .