A British Standard, BS 1192:2007 (now a Code of Practice), has been published to establish the methodology for managing the production, distribution and quality of architectural, engineering and construction information, including that generated by CAD systems. It uses a disciplined process for collaboration and a specified naming policy. BS 1192 is applicable to all parties involved in the preparation and use of information throughout the design, construction, operation and deconstruction in a project lifecycle and the supply chain.

The principles for information sharing and common modelling are equally applicable to building and civil projects. BS 1192 is also a guide for developers of software applications to enable them to support implementation through the provision of configuration files or application add-ons.

The committee were pleased to have a representative on the British Standard committee contributing to the new British Standard.

BS 1192:2007 supersedes BS 1195-5:1998 which has been withdrawn. Among the changes in this revised standard is the incorporation of BS ISO 12006-2 compliant classification tables, including Uniclass.

CPIC holds the copyright for Uniclass and is currently in the process of identifying revisions and additions needed to meet industry requirements. Details of the proposed revisions will be made available on this website for industry comment.

Uniclass has been used successfully in a number of high profile developments as part of the former DTI’s Avanti project and can typically save 10% on cost in a project.

For further information on BS 1192:2007 see the BSI website.

The AVANTI programme was one of the two ‘programmes’ of activity selected for funding by DTI in 2002. The introduction of larger areas of development – aiming to become self-funding, ongoing networks – was a response to the recommendations made by Sir John Fairclough in Rethinking Construction Research and Innovation (see Chapter 1).

The Avanti initiative was led by Collaborating for the Built Environment (Be) in partnership with Teamwork and IAI. The group identified a need to reduce the risks involved in adoption of new methods of working, bringing together areas of current best-practice (such as CPIC protocols) that had previously gained too little market penetration to have significant impact on the sector.

The objective was to deliver improved project and business performance through the use of ICT to support collaborative working, applying the AVANTI approach by getting people to work together; providing processes to enable collaboration; and applying tools to support collaborative working.

The Avanti approach increases the quality of information, the predictability of outcomes and by reducing risk and waste. Avanti is not an IT system or tool. As a method or approach, Avanti can be applied to projects using 2D CAD as well as those using 3D intelligent modelling or building information models. It is supported by handbooks, toolkits and on-site mentoring.

The core of the Avanti method is an approach where all CAD information is generated with the same origin, orientation and scale, and organised in layers that can be shared. All layers and CAD model files are named consistently within a specific Avanti convention to allow others to find the relevant CAD data.

Avanti achieves its core objective in three ways; through providing consultants, each an expert in the Avanti approach; Information standards and procedures; and cross-project assessment and measurement.

In February 2007, the Dti published The Construction Research Programme – Project Showcase which included a report on the CWC Avanti project.

CPIC is currently rewriting Uniclass and Common Arrangement of Work Sections and invited proposals for amendments. Details of changes already proposed for the services sections of CAWS can be seen on the CAWS and Uniclass page.