Why OpenBIM Is the Future of Collaboration in the Built Environment
- Loyiso Toyi BSc Eng (Civl)
- Oct 30
- 3 min read
Updated: Nov 6
The built environment is becoming increasingly digital. From architects and engineers to contractors and facility managers, collaboration now happens through shared data, intelligent models, and connected workflows. Yet, despite these advances, many projects still struggle with fragmented communication and data loss across platforms.
OpenBIM—the use of open, non-proprietary standards for Building Information Modelling—is rapidly emerging as the solution to these challenges. It empowers project teams to collaborate seamlessly, regardless of software choice, by ensuring that data remains accessible, transparent, and interoperable throughout the asset lifecycle.
The Collaboration Problem in the Digital Era
Modern projects are data-rich but often disconnected.
Each stakeholder typically uses specialized software—Revit for architecture, Civil 3D for infrastructure, Tekla for structures, and Solibri for model checking. When these tools operate in isolation, data exchange becomes cumbersome, leading to:
Version conflicts and information loss during model transfers
Inefficient coordination across disciplines
Dependence on proprietary formats that limit long-term usability of project data
This siloed approach contradicts the very essence of BIM: collaboration through shared, reliable information.
What Is OpenBIM?
OpenBIM is an industry-wide initiative led by buildingSMART International that promotes collaboration through open, vendor-neutral standards.
Key OpenBIM standards include:
IFC (Industry Foundation Classes): For model data exchange and geometry sharing
BCF (BIM Collaboration Format): For issue tracking and communication
IDS (Information Delivery Specification): For defining and verifying data requirements
bSDD (buildingSMART Data Dictionary): For standardized terminology and classification
By adopting OpenBIM, stakeholders can ensure data continuity—the ability to share and reuse information without being locked into a single platform or software vendor.
Why OpenBIM Matters for Collaboration
True Interoperability
OpenBIM enables seamless collaboration between disciplines and platforms. An architect can create a model in Archicad, a structural engineer can review it in Tekla, and a BIM manager can validate it in Solibri—all without losing fidelity.
Enhanced Transparency and Trust
Because OpenBIM uses open standards, every stakeholder can inspect and verify the data. This transparency builds trust across project teams and reduces the risk of misinterpretation.
3. Lifecycle Data Continuity
Project data often outlives the software that created it. OpenBIM ensures that asset information remains readable and usable for decades—essential for Facility Management (FM) and digital twin initiatives.
Flexibility and Freedom of Choice
OpenBIM frees organizations from vendor lock-in, allowing them to choose the best tools for each task while maintaining interoperability.
Real-World Applications of OpenBIM
Infrastructure Projects
Departments of Transport (DOTs) and infrastructure consultants increasingly use IFC and IDS standards to exchange design data between Civil 3D, Civil Designer, Bentley, and GIS platforms—enabling integrated corridor management.
Vertical Construction
Hospitals, office buildings, and educational facilities benefit from BCF-driven coordination workflows, where issue tracking occurs independently of proprietary model viewers.
Facilities Management
OpenBIM supports data handover to FM systems through standardized asset data templates, ensuring that operational teams receive clean, structured information rather than fragmented PDFs.
The Role of Standards and Governance
For OpenBIM adoption to succeed, it must be supported by strong information management frameworks—such as ISO 19650 and buildingSMART’s OpenBIM certification programs.
These frameworks provide guidance on:
Establishing clear information delivery specifications (IDS)
Defining model exchange protocols
Ensuring quality control and data validation across the project lifecycle
When combined, ISO 19650 and OpenBIM create the foundation for transparent, accountable, and collaborative project delivery.
The Strategic Benefits for the Built Environment
Adopting OpenBIM is not just a technical decision—it’s a strategic investment in the future of digital construction.
Key benefits include:
Improved efficiency and reduced rework through data consistency
Scalable collaboration across multi-disciplinary, multi-vendor environments
Long-term asset value through future-proof, interoperable data
Alignment with global digital construction mandates (EU, UK, and international public sector initiatives)
Looking Ahead: OpenBIM and the Digital Twin Era
As the industry moves toward digital twins and AI-driven analytics, open data becomes indispensable.
OpenBIM forms the backbone of these innovations by enabling continuous data flow between design, construction, operation, and maintenance systems.
In the coming decade, the success of smart cities and sustainable infrastructure will depend on how effectively OpenBIM principles are embedded into everyday workflows.
Conclusion
OpenBIM is more than a technology trend—it’s a philosophy of openness, collaboration, and longevity.
By embracing open standards, organizations can bridge digital divides, enhance cooperation, and ensure that data serves everyone—from design to demolition.
The future of collaboration in the built environment will be defined not by who owns the software, but by who owns the knowledge—and OpenBIM ensures that this knowledge remains open, accessible, and enduring.
Learn how our team helps organizations implement OpenBIM workflows, define IDS requirements, and connect Design and As-Built models to interoperable CDEs and Power BI dashboards.
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