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The free to use plugin which NBS has developed is a great example of how cleverly connecting technologies can deliver a result which is greater than the sum of its parts. It simply and elegantly links Revit, the National BIM Library and NBS specification to deliver an information eco-system which allows accurate and easy coordination of project information.

For over 40 years, NBS has been the backbone of how the UK construction industry specifies projects. Its name was born out of its very heritage, the National Building Specification. They are the de facto standard for specification. But in the last 10 years a quiet revolution has been happening at NBS, which is emerging as one of the key players in the world of BIM.

NBS is helping to do for BIM what it did for specification all those years ago. It is shaking off the perception that it is just about specification, but rather about information businesses using technology as a delivery mechanism. It started with the launch of NBS Create, its BIM specification tool and the development of the National BIM Library. Recent weeks have also seen NBS develop a national BIM object standard and win the key £1 million contract to develop the digital BIM toolkit for the government's BIM Task Group.

THE NBS NATIONAL BIM LIBRARY
The NBS National BIM Library provides a comprehensive, free to use source of 1,000s of generic BIM objects as well as detailed proprietary objects from more than 60 manufacturers. This service is already used by over 10,000 registered users and its content is growing exponentially.

NBS Create is the company's flagship new specification software tool developed for use with BIM projects. The plugin for Revit connects these two services, with Revit giving users not only direct access to NBS BIM objects and the NBS specification guidance without having to leave your Revit world. It also provides some impressive additional functionality which will save users significant time and deliver better coordination of critical project information. NBS talks about an 'information eco-system'.

The BIM objects come in many levels of detail; from generic concept objects used as placeholders to more detailed generic construction, then onto proprietary manufacturer objects populated with detailed information. Information within the objects defines physical characteristics as well as its geometric shape, and allows it to behave in a 3D model exactly as it would in real life (windows opening in a number of different ways, doors rotating on hinges etc.). Component objects are building products like doors and windows that have fixed geometric shapes, whilst layered objects have no fixed shape or size, such as roofs, walls and ceilings. Other critical information such as performance and maintenance data are also contained within the objects.

NBS has developed a consistent way to develop BIM objects that gives designers the confidence to include them in their models, working with manufacturers to accurately represent their products in a virtual environment. NBS also looks at data associated with the product to determine the relevant specification and IFC properties that allow it to be categorised, or compared with similar products.

New intelligence has been added to objects such as heating boilers to make life even easier for the designer. Boilers, for example, need a certain amount of clearance for them to work properly and to allow access for servicing. Its attributes can be extended to include a required clearance space, shown in the 3D model as a transparent box around the boiler. Similar tools can be used for electronic devices like beam interruption detectors.

The library provides a level playing field for smaller SMEs, providing access to the same types of BIM object as their larger competitors. However, if they wish to subscribe to NBS, the wealth of information available is immeasurably increased. Instead of limiting access to just the geometric and performance capabilities of the BIM object, subscribers have access to object classification data, manuals, performance details, installation guidance - in fact everything about the BIM object that could possibly be required for any type of installation or usage.

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