BIM Collaboration Format

File:Building_Collaboration_Format_icon.png

{{short description|Structured file format}}

The BIM Collaboration Format (BCF) is a structured file format suited to issue tracking with a building information model. The BCF is designed primarily for defining views of a building model and associated information on collisions and errors connected with specific objects in the view. The BCF allows users of different BIM software, and/or different disciplines to collaborate on issues with the project.{{cite book |last1=Rafael Sacks, Chuck Eastman, Ghang Lee, Paul Teicholz |title=BIM Handbook: A Guide to Building Information Modeling for Owners, Managers, Designers, Engineers and Contractors |date=2018 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |isbn=978-0-470-54137-1}} The use of the BCF to coordinate changes to a BIM is an important aspect of OpenBIM.

The format was developed by Tekla and Solibri and later adopted as a standard by buildingSMART.{{Cite web |url=http://www.buildingsmart-tech.org/specifications/bcf-releases |title=BCF intro |website=www.buildingsmart-tech.org |language=en |access-date=2018-11-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181124220315/http://www.buildingsmart-tech.org/specifications/bcf-releases |archive-date=2018-11-24 |url-status=dead }} Most major BIM modelling software platforms support some integration with BCF, typically through plug-ins provided by the BCF server vendor.

Although the BCF was originally conceived as a file base there are now many implementations using the cloud-based collaborative workflow described in the BCF API, including Open Source implementation{{cite journal |last1=Léon van Berlo, Thomas Krijnen |title=Using the BIM Collaboration Format in a server based workflow |journal=Procedia Environmental Sciences |date=2014 |volume=22 |issue=12th International Conference on Design and Decision Support Systems in Architecture and Urban Planning, DDSS 2014 |pages=325–332 |doi=10.1016/j.proenv.2014.11.031 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2014PrEnS..22..325V }} as part of the Open Source BIM collective.

Research work has been done in Denmark looking into using the BCF for a broader range of information management and exchange in the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) sector.{{cite journal |author1=Treldal, Niels |author2=Parsianfar, Hussain |author3=Karlshøj, Jan |title=Using BCF as a mediator for task management in building design |journal=Proceedings of the International RILEM Conference Materials, Systems and Structures in Civil Engineering 2016 |date=2016 |pages=48–59 |url=http://orbit.dtu.dk/en/publications/using-bcf-as-a-mediator-for-task-management-in-building-design(5ce7b1e8-c53c-4bc3-b5d4-fba24cc6ead2).html |accessdate=15 February 2019}}