4/9/2014 Mitchell Brandtman | Codes & Classes | 5D Quantity Surveyors & Construction Expert Opinion

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So many classification systems.

Projects
There is much discussion in the world about BIM and what it is and isn't and what it's supposed to achieve.

For designers the pathway is not clear and common questions that arise are: How should I classify information? What codes
should I include with my families? What codes are useful for estimating and quantity take-off?

During our time in this field which spans 20 years but more recently has become intensive in the last 10 years, we have
discovered a range of resources that demonstrate credible frameworks for BIM and act as a benchmark to what we think will
become best practice in the area of building information modeling.

Coding
View our LinkedIn page
There is no golden code.

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4/9/2014 Mitchell Brandtman | Codes & Classes | 5D Quantity Surveyors & Construction Expert Opinion

In circulation today there are a number of different coding systems but we are yet to locate a published industry code that is
View our Twitter page suitable for becoming a price code which will automatically link a rate to a specific system or assembly. UniFormat II is one
example and while it is close to achieving this goal it has insufficient levels to specifically identify the material and fixing
View YouTube videos condition.

All of the classification systems in the world fall into 4 groups, elements, trades, products and functions.
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Elements (cost): ACMM2 or “QSID”(AUS), UniFormat II(US), COBie2 Table 21(US), Uniclass Table G(UK), BCIS4(UK)
View our Blog Trades (specifications & subcontracting) NATSPEC(AUS), ASMM5(AUS), MasterFormat(US), Uniclass Table J & K(UK)
Products (supplier library) Ominclass(US), COBie2 Table 23(US), Uniclass Table L(UK)
Functions (benchmarking & usage) COBie2 Table 11 & 13(US), Uniclass Table D & F(UK)

It’s important to understand that Cobie is not one code. It is 8 - 9 different tables and encompasses all of the (4) groups above.
News
The available codes are useful for organising information in a logical order and for analysing costs at an elemental level to
enable consistent benchmarking and reporting of project costs. Each system has been developed for a different purpose and
How Collaboration the best results can be achieved by using them in combination.
Delivered on Huge
Hospital Project For these reasons Mitchell Brandtman consults with the project partners to identify the most appropriate combination to apply
David Mitchell highlights the for each specific project which is pushed into the models as a set of instance parameters.
effectiveness of a 5D
methodology and the benefits Making QSID Redundant
of BIM on the Sunshine Coast
Public University Hospital Within the architectural and design space the developing requirement for QSID is causing a lot of industry confusion and angst.
project QSID is not a classification system in itself, it is a very basic coding system, just two digits of the elemental coding that is the
Australian Cost Control Manual (ACMM2) maintained by the Australian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (AIQS). The project QS
[Read more...] should be capable of pulling information from any model (at any stage) and pushing back or “round-tripping” accurate codes
and data at the right time to alleviate the need for designers to input codes like QSID.

Selling Space in the
Frame: The Age of the
Services Contractor
We appear to be on the cusp
of a shift in the status of who
drives design - should it be
the services contractor? Take
a read of David Mitchell's
latest article...
[Read more...]
http://www.mitbrand.com/advocacy/codes_&_classes/
Using a 5DQS who can input its own and a combination of other more robust codes and “round-trip” the data to the model
provides far greater benefit. It immediately creates a model map that can be used by all project partners including the
contractor and subcontractors as well as the designers and programmers at any point through the process.
Classification Systems
Here is what we think is a simple explanation of the various classification systems and where you can find the
codes to decide for yourself. Each system has been developed for a different purpose and the best results can
be achieved by using them in combination.
Many of the current BIM Guidelines and BIM Execution Plans refer to OmniClass, MasterFormat and UniFormat to name and
code objects or families. These systems were developed by the US based Construction Specification Institute (CSI) and
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4/9/2014
Security of Payments
reviews bring about
better management for
large and complex claims
Gary Thompson reviews the
changes to NSW's Security of
Payments Act and QLD's
Building and Construction
Industry Payments Act...
[Read more...]
Financiers Update -
Distressed Projects
Darryl Bird, from Mitchell
Brandtman's specialist
Financial Services team,
discusses the warning signs
for distressed projects...
[Read more...]
Construction Cost Update
- NSW, March 2014
Greg Brandtman reviews the
latest data alongside
sentiment on the ground to
answer whether the increase
in construction activity will
lead to a rise in construction
costs...
[Read more...]
Construction Cost Update
- QLD, March 2014
In our half yearly QLD cost
update, David Mitchell
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Mitchell Brandtman | Codes & Classes | 5D Quantity Surveyors & Construction Expert Opinion
Construction Specifications Canada (CSC) for the construction industry and can be used to structure construction data attached
to a model.
If you are interested in Classification Systems for BIM, join the Linked In discussions on this topic.
Omniclass
The OmniClass Construction Classification System (also known as OCCS) is designed to assist in the organisation, sorting and
retrieval of product information and is useful for many applications, from organising library materials, product literature, and
project information, to providing a classification structure for electronic databases. It incorporates other extant systems
currently in use as the basis of many of its Tables – MasterFormat for work results, UniFormat for elements, and EPIC
(Electronic Product Information Cooperation) for structuring products. The framework is set out in OmniClass 1.0 Table 23,
which specifically addresses the classification of building products, which can be a single manufactured item, a manufactured
assembly of many parts, or a manufactured operational stand-alone system, the summary level codes include:
23.15.00.00-Utility and Transportation Construction Products
23.20.00.00-General Purpose Construction Accessories and Surfacing Products
23.25.00.00-Structural and Space Division Products
23.30.00.00-Openings, Passages, Protection
23.35.00.00-Covering, Cladding, and Finishes
23.40.00.00-Equipment and Furnishings
23.45.00.00-Sanitary, Laundry, and Cleaning Equipment
23.50.00.00-Conveying Systems & Material Handling
23.55.00.00-Manufactured Structures
23.60.00.00-General Purpose: Services
23.65.00.00-Supply and Distribution of Liquids and Gases
23.70.00.00-Waste Management
23.75.00.00-Climate Control (HVAC)
23.80.00.00-Electric Power and Lighting
23.85.00.00-Information and Communication
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4/9/2014
reviews the latest data to
track the overall trends in
construction costs and the
likely shifts in costs expected
over the upcoming period...
[Read more...]
Avoiding the Path to
Project Falter and Fail
Charles Elliott, Senior
Associate works through the
strategies that can
significantly reduce the risk of
project delay, claims and
failure...
[Read more...]
Events
The BIM Day Out | 1st &
2nd Oct 2014 in Perth
A hands on and practical BIM
festival across 2 days that's
focused on challenging the
participants and enabling
them to take away skills and
knowledge to influence and
innovate within their
practice...
[Read more...]
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Mitchell Brandtman | Codes & Classes | 5D Quantity Surveyors & Construction Expert Opinion
An example of how Omniclass can be used to find families can be seen in action on the AutodeskSeek website
http://seek.autodesk.com/taxbrowse.htm?category=std%3Aoc1&full=false. More information about Omniclass is available at
omniclass.org.
MasterFormat
MasterFormat is a master list of numbers and titles classified by work results or construction practices, which is primarily used
to organise specifications, project manuals and detailed cost information, as well as relate drawing notations to design
specifications. It provides a standardised filing and retrieval method by listing titles and section numbers for organising data
about construction requirements, products, and activities. This facilitates communication among architects, specifiers,
contractors and suppliers, which helps them meet building owners’ requirements, timelines and budgets. The framework is set
out to specifically address the classification of work results, allowing more and more gradual refinement and definition, a
sample of the summary level codes include:
00.00.00-Procurement and Contracting Requirements
01.00.00-General Requirements
03.00.00-Concrete
04.00.00-Masonry
05.00.00-Metals
06.00.00-Wood, Plastics, and Composites
07.00.00-Thermal and Moisture Protection
08.00.00-Openings
09.00.00-Finishes
10.00.00-Specialties
11.00.00-Equipment
An example of how MasterFormat can be used to find families can be seen in action on the AutodeskSeek website
http://seek.autodesk.com/taxbrowse.htm?category=std%3Amf04&full=false. MasterFormat 2012 is available to view the
sample of codes and descriptions.
UniFormat
UniFormat is a method of arranging construction information into a standard order or sequence on the basis of building
elements (including designed elements), or parts of a facility characterised by the function, without regard to the materials and
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methods used for the construction. These elements are often referred to as systems or assemblies and form the basis of Table
AWCI 'Benchmarking 21 of the Omniclass system, the summary level codes include:
Against the Best'
Conference | 19th-22nd A-Substructure
Oct in Queenstown, NZ
B-Shell
This event gives delegates
ideas on taking their business C-Interiors
to a new level of
performance through an D-Services
array of knowledgeable
industry experts... E-Equipment & Furnishings

[Read more...] F-Special Construction & Demolition

G-Building Sitework
PCA BIM Event: The New An example of how UniFormat can be used to find families can be seen in action on the AutodeskSeek website
Information | 17th http://seek.autodesk.com/taxbrowse.htm?category=std%3Auniformat&full=false. More information about UniFormat is
September 2014 available on the CSI website.
Learn from the experts
efficient, collaborative ways ACMM2
of working and position
Australian businesses at the ACMM2 is the second edition of the elemental classification system published by the Australian Institute of Quantity Surveyors.
vanguard of a new It comprises three levels of classification that apply standard elements for the first level to enable confident cost analysis and
information rich era of digital cost planning, to estimate future construction from historical data and to allow accurate comparison of different projects.
construction...
An element is a portion of a project that fulfills a particular physical purpose irrespective of construction and specification (eg,
External Walls, Air Conditioning, and Communications). So that more detailed cost information can be recorded each element is
[Read more...]
sub-divided into two more levels in a standard manner. Level two is called sub-elements and level three is called sub-element
divisions. A fourth level is anticipated by the system but not included because this level is considered to be project specific.
UDIA Qld - Heads Up: The
Sub-elements are part of an element and are physically and dimensionally independent and separable in monetary terms. Sub-
Booming Market | 18th
element divisions are portions of sub-elements and generally describe the type of system or identifiable section of the work or
Sept 2014
item of equipment or a component. A sample of the ACMM elements is as follows:
There's a huge opportunity
on the horizon for the SB-Substructure
development sector to
capitalise on housing our SBXB-Basement Excavation
baby boomers. What do you
SBXS-Swimming Pool Excavation
think this could mean for your
business and projects?... SBXF-Foundation Excavation
[Read more...] SBCP-Column Pads and Pedestals
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4/9/2014 Mitchell Brandtman | Codes & Classes | 5D Quantity Surveyors & Construction Expert Opinion

SBPR-Piles and Piers

CL-Columns

CLSS-Columns, Single Storey Building, Structural Steel

CLSR-Columns, Single Storey Building, Reinforced Concrete

UF-Upper Floors

UFSS-Insitu Slab Construction

UFSB-Insitu Slab and Beam Construction

UFFD-Flat Plate Construction

UFNF-Waffle Slab Construction

UFFB-Filler Block Floors

SC-Staircases

RF-Roof

Uniclass

The current UK construction sector classification system is being changed and NBS has been commissioned by Construction
Project Information (CPI) to deliver the first tranche of unified Uniclass Tables by Easter 2012. This tranche is now available for
comment. The first tranche tables under review include those for Facilities (D), Construction Entities (E), Spaces (F), Elements
(G and H), Work sections (J and K) and Products (L). It has been agreed that the Elements Tables as well as the Work section
tables should be combined. New Tables have also been developed in this tranche for Activities, Systems, and Work section
structure.

An example of the current Uniclass Table G codes for building elements is as follows:

G1-Site preparation

G2-Fabric: complete elements

G21 - Foundations

G22 - Floors

G221 - Floors ground slabs

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G222 - Floors suspended slabs

G23 - Stairs

G24 - Roofs

G25 - Walls

G26 - Frame/isolated structural members

G3 - Fabric: parts of elements

G4 - Fittings/furniture/equipment (FFE)

More information about the current Uniclass system is available on the Construction Project Information
website http://www.cpic.org.uk/en/publications/uniclass-listing.cfm as well as the proposed changes at
http://www.cpic.org.uk/en/uniclass/new-uniclass-proposals.cfm

COBie

COBie (Construction Operations Building information exchange) is a vendor-neutral data standard that specifies how to format
design and construction data so it can be consumed by facilities management software. COBie describes both the process of
collecting and validating data, and the dataset that contains required data.

The specific content of a COBie deliverable depends upon the phase of the project. COBie during design focuses on spaces and
zones, building products, and equipment and systems. COBie during construction focuses on the selection and installation of
products and equipment. COBie for commissioning captures the as-built.

COBie is a system for capturing information during the design and construction of projects that can be used for Facility
Management purposes including operation and maintenance. A key element of the system is a preformatted Excel spreadsheet
used for recording this information. COBie eliminates the current process of transferring massive amounts of paper documents
to facility operators after construction has been completed. COBie eliminates the need for as-built data capture after building
handover and helps to reduce operational costs.

More information about COBie is available on the Whole Building Design Guide website
http://www.wbdg.org/resources/cobie.php and the buildingSMARTalliance website
http://www.buildingsmartalliance.org/index.php/projects/cobie.

A draft COBie guide has also been released and can be downloaded and commented upon at
http://forums.buildingsmartalliance.org/.

BCIS4 2012

The principles, instructions, elements and definitions of BCIS are described within Elemental Standard Form of Cost Analysis,

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4th (NRM) Edition by the Building Cost Information Service (BCIS) of the Royal Institute of Charted Surveyors (RICS). This
publication contains example analysis forms, describes the BCIS elemental XML schema and the BCIS analysis writer
programme.

The purpose of cost analysis is to provide data that allows comparisons to be made between the costs of achieving various
building functions in a project with those of achieving equivalent functions in other projects. It is the analysis of the cost of a
building in terms of its elements. An element for cost analysis purposes is defined as a major physical part of a building that
fulfils a specific function or functions irrespective of its design, specification or construction. The cost analysis allows for varying
degrees of detail related to the design process; broad costs for building types are needed during the initial period and
progressively more detail is required as the design is developed. The elemental costs are related to square metre of gross
internal floor area and also to a parameter more closely identifiable with the elements function – the element unit quantity.

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