What role does a CDE play in construction projects and how does it align with BIM? Let’s find out.

First of all, what is a CDE?

CDE stands for common data environment. It is nothing but an online/digital/cloud-based space to store information. The ‘common’ means shared, as in, a space that is common to all its users. In the context of BIM, and especially BIM for construction, the information in question would be the information about the project, like its drawings, reports, schedules, timesheets, work logs, memos, correspondence, and so on. But a BIM common data environment is more than a data repository; it’s also a working environment for the people collaborating on a project like the project team, stakeholders, and vendors.

One of the key benefits of a CDE is that everybody can access the information they need in real-time, depending on their requirements and level of authorization.

Let’s take a quick look at some of the benefits of a BIM common data environment in construction projects:

• Project data is available in real-time, online, from anywhere, which means everyone is sure to get only the latest (current) information about the status of the project, allowing them to make smarter decisions and work more efficiently.
• A CDE eliminates the over-reliance on email as the primary means of communication between project stakeholders and team members, which in turn streamlines collaboration between various team members and also between the various software.
• You will save a lot of time that would be otherwise spent in tedious and repetitive checks, cross-checks, and verifications amongst various parties.
• You get an archive of data that could be invaluable in future projects, plus, all the data you need for handover is always ready-to-hand within the CDE without any last-minute panic.

Now that we’ve understood the benefits, let’s consider what to look for in BIM Common Data Environment solutions. Here are some points to remember while implementing such a system.

Start by identifying and clarifying what users are expecting out of the CDE, keeping in mind that there will be multiple users from different organisations and cultures, and possibly even different time zones. So everybody needs to be clear about what the CDE can and cannot do.

Then, set up the protocols for standards and compliance and make sure everyone who will be accessing the CDE is aware of and agrees to those protocols. This point cannot be overstressed. At the same time, remember that it’s important to set up a central management person or role to take ownership of the CDE.

On paper, the project owner would be the CDE owner as well, but in real life with the possibility of multiple conventions and standards at play, there can be grey areas that need to be handled carefully.

Ideally, you should also choose a CDE solution that lets you cater to as many of the standards as possible, and if it has a built-in dashboard for the monitoring and management of those standards across all users, so much better.

When it comes to working with multi-disciplinary teams, it is useful to create smaller work ‘environments’ within the global CDE. Although in a perfect world, the idea of all stakeholders working with the same database is appealing, in real life this is rarely practical. Therefore, it is worth considering the option of setting up your CDE in such a way that each team has its dedicated dashboard. This way you can be sure that everybody is working on their deliverables without distraction. And it would also make it a lot easier to process specific requirements at a granular level without affecting the entire system.

A very important aspect of CDE management is security. Any time you have multiple people from multiple organisations working with the same data there is bound to be an element of risk. You can control this risk by setting up access protocols and multi-level security, both of which should be built into the software. Permissions ie access to certain kinds of data should be carefully controlled, and you could consider role-based permissions as well as seniority-based.

Finally, you need to make sure your CDE integrates perfectly with your BIM system or software if you have any. That will ensure that your product information is kept secure in a centralized cloud database, which is also accessible to users as required from any location.

The above are just a few of the points to keep in mind while considering investing in Common Data Environment solutions. As with any software solution, you will need to select a system that works for your specific organization, your team culture, and your operational requirements in the real world, to effectively boost your business bottom line.