BIM Level 2 is the UK government’s mandated standard for Building Information Modelling, requiring all centrally-procured government construction projects to use collaborative 3D BIM with all project and asset information, documentation and data being electronic. It became a requirement for all government construction projects from April 2016, putting the responsibility on the contractor to demonstrate that they have the processes in place to meet the BIM Level 2 requirements — including how electrical installation data is created, shared, and managed throughout the building’s lifecycle.
BIM Level 2 requirements at a glance
- Collaborative 3D models with electronic project and asset data (not just paper drawings)
- A defined BIM Protocol embedded in the project contract
- Structured information exchange via a Common Data Environment (CDE)
- COBie-compliant asset data handover
- Secure, auditable data sharing per PAS 1192-5
EDIS is a cloud native fixed wire electrical data management system – it provides a central, rights controlled repository for creating, managing and sharing electrical information through the lifecycle of the building asset.
EDIS provides an online solution, software and processes for BIM compliance relating to capturing and managing fixed wire electrical information. EDIS aligns with BS7671 and provides the electrical certificates to verify and validate new electrical installations, then shares the data in a re-useable format. In this way EDIS supports BIM Level 2, COBie and other construction project electrical data creation, sharing and transfer requirements.
——— PRE-CONSTRUCTION
1. UNDERSTAND AND FOLLOW THE BIM PROTOCOL
The BIM Protocol is an addendum included in every government project contract describing and specifying the BIM requirements for the project. These requirements need to be understood as part of the project specification and deliverables.
2. CREATE A LEVEL 2-READY PROJECT PLAN
The Employer’s Information Requirements (EIR) will define any Low Voltage Electrical requirements, including the need for testing the installation and delivering the resulting as-installed documents and testing results.
Your BIM Execution Plan (BEP), Master Information Delivery Plan (MIDP), and Task Information Delivery Plan (TIDP) should include a statement on how EDIS will be used to capture and deliver the required documentation.
Reference the EDIS document and record management features used to manage the sub-main, sub-circuit and earthing details, aligning this information with the electrical design schematics via suitable references.
——— DESIGN TO CONSTRUCTION
3. COLLABORATE AND CO-ORDINATE
EDIS facilitates storing, managing and exchanging information via a CDE (Common Data Environment) – a shared workspace where everyone involved in the project stores and exchanges project data. This single data point helps manage the project development process; the EDIS system provides a structured approval process for electrical installation documents that are in progress, validated and completed.
4. SHARE DATA SECURELY
PAS 1192-5 provides security considerations for safely sharing project data, depending on the nature of the client and project. EDIS security – controlling who has access to information and who can change it – ensures information is shared securely. EDIS provides controlled access to information stored in the CDE, and an audit trail to track and manage activity, specifically final inspection and testing documents.
5. SPEAK THE SAME LANGUAGE
All client personnel, engineers, designers, contractors and managers working on a government construction project need to know where electrical data lives, how to find it, and how it references back to CAD files. The key classifier is the Distribution Board reference number – a unique reference number given to sub-mains, sub-circuits and circuits that provides a key field for locating electrical project data quickly and accurately.
6. USE COBie IN YOUR PROJECT
Construction Operations Building Information Exchange (COBie) is a specification relating to managed asset information including space and equipment. It is closely associated with building information modelling (BIM) approaches to design, construction, and management of built assets.
Conceptually it is a central spreadsheet where primarily text data can be securely stored, shared and updated throughout the construction project. Technically, it is a database that contains assets, asset attributes and the associations between assets. In practice it may be a spreadsheet or other data store.
EDIS provides a list of, and relationships between, the sub-mains, sub-circuits and other electrical components required for LV electrical system testing and commissioning. EDIS feeds the electrical COBie requirements by providing data extracts that can be integrated into the COBie model.
——— HANDOVER
7. PASS ON THE BATON
Handing information to clients is as simple as providing an EDIS user transition, where client users are given access to the EDIS system so they can continue using and updating the information.
8. PLAN FOR A SMOOTH HANDOVER
The facility operational team that will manage and maintain the building on an ongoing basis can immediately access and use the information to record changes, new installations and any minor works.