ISO 19650 Drawing Numbering

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is a collaborative process that involves creating and managing digital representations of physical and functional characteristics of buildings and civil engineering works. BIM enables efficient information exchange and coordination among different stakeholders throughout the project lifecycle.

One of the key aspects of BIM is the use of a consistent and structured naming convention for files and folders that contain information about the project. A naming convention helps to identify, classify, and retrieve information easily and accurately. It also reduces errors, misunderstandings, and duplication of data.

 An international standard called BS EN ISO 19650-1:2018 intends to make collaborative working in the construction sector easier. It offers suggestions for utilizing building information modeling (BIM) to manage building information. The standard is broken down into two parts: Part 1 contains ideas and principles related to information organization regarding construction projects, while Part 2 deals with information management requirements for the delivery phase of assets.

Due to its ability to guarantee adherence to industry regulations, the standard has been widely used in big projects both domestically and abroad. The UK BIM Alliance has released a handbook in the UK that outlines the essential ideas of ISO 19650-1:2018. This manual has been integrated into the UK BIM Framework Standards & Guidance, offering both people and companies invaluable assistance in comprehending and using the standard.

Drawing Numbering Convention

According to ISO, issued drawings should follow Project – Originator – Volume/System – Level/Location – Type – Role – Number – Suitability – Revision.

Field 1	Field 2	Field 3	Field 4	Field 5	Field 6	Field 7	Field 8	Field 9
Project Number	Originator	Volume / System	Level / Location	Type	Role	Number	Suitability	Revision
12345	CMP	Z1	L1	DR	A	10001	S1	P01

Below is a description of how the Field information within each software is driven by the parameters. Status and Revision codes are driven by metadata but can be easily incorporated into title blocks. 

Software	Field 1	Field 2	Field 3	Field 4	Field 5	Field 6	Field 7
	Project Number	Originator	Volume / System	Level / Location	Type	Role	Number
Revit	Project Information > Project Number	Project Information > ISO_Originator	Sheet Properties > ISO_Zone	Sheet Properties > ISO_Level	Sheet Properties > ISO_Type	Project Information > ISO_Role	Sheet Number
Archicad	File > Info > Project Info > Project Code	File > Info > Project Info > Contact Company Code	Layout Settings > Layout Info < Iso Volume System Code	Layout Settings > Layout Info < Iso Level Code	Fixed Text	Fixed Text	Layout Settings > Identification & Format > Layout Id

- Project: A code for the project, between two to six characters in length, in letters or numbers.

- Originator: A code for the organization creating the information, between three to six characters in length, in letters or numbers.

- Volume or system: A code for the system reference, one or two characters in length, in letters or numbers. ZZ is used when all volumes are referred to.

- Levels and location: A code to locate the information, two characters in length, in letters or numbers. ZZ is used for multiple levels, XX for no level applicable, GF for the ground floor, 01 for floor 1, M1 for the mezzanine above level 1, B1 for floor -1, etc.

- Type: A code for the type of file, two characters in length, in letters or numbers. For example, AF for the animation file, CM for the combined model, DR for the 2D drawing, M3 for the 3D model file, CO for correspondence, CP for the cost plan, RP for the report, etc.

- Role: A code for the role of the organization, one character in length, in letters. For example, A for an architect, C for a contractor, E for an engineer, S for a surveyor, etc.

- Classification: An optional code to reference the asset, using a classification system such as Uniclass or equivalent.

- Number: A sequential file number, four digits in length, in numbers.

- Suitability: A metadata code for the status of data, two characters in length, in letters. For example, WIP for work in progress, S0 for suitability level 0 (suitable only as a reference), S1 for suitability level 1 (suitable only as a draft), etc.

- Revision: A metadata code for the revision of data, two characters in length, in letters or numbers. For example, P01 for primary revision 01 (issued by the originator), S02 for secondary revision 02 (issued by the receiver), etc.

The fields are separated by a hyphen (-) and words or codes inside a field are separated by an underscore (_) if a space character is not suitable. The filename must be fully descriptive without having to open it and independent of its location. The filename must not exceed 260 characters in total.

Using this naming convention based on ISO 19650 can help to improve the organization and digitization of information about buildings and civil engineering works using BIM.

ISO 19650 FILE NAMING UPDATE

Earlier this year, the UK National Annexe for BS EN ISO 19650-2 was amended. This explained a modification in the guidelines for "Information Container Identification," which most of us understand to imply file naming.

The previous recommendation followed the format:

Project – Originator – Volume/System – Level/Location – Type – Role – Number

And gave us file names along the lines of:

2023-BBM-Z2-03-DR-AR-0001

In this blog post, I will explain the new file naming system for structural drawings based on the updated UK National Annexe for BS EN ISO 19650-2. This system aims to make the file names more flexible and descriptive for different types of projects.

 

The new file naming system follows the format of:

 

Project – Originator – Functional Breakdown – Spatial Breakdown – Form – Discipline – Number

 

Let's take an example of an Architectural  drawing of Zone 2, Level 3 for Project 2023 by BakuBIM:

 

2023-BBM-20-B01-D-A-2001

 

This file name can be broken down into the following components:

 

- Project: 2023

- Originator: BBM (BakuBIM)

- Functional Breakdown: Package of Drawing 20

- Spatial Breakdown: B01 (Building B Level 1)

- Form: D (Drawing)

- Discipline: A (Architectural)

- Number: Sheet number 2001 

 The content describes two major changes in the context of functional breakdown and spatial breakdown. In the functional breakdown, the field previously labeled as Volume/System has been changed to Function. This change allows for the designation of different design functions for the information contained in a file. It facilitates grouping similar information together based on their design purpose, regardless of the project's location or file type. The use of functional breakdowns enables consultants to define functions using work packages, which aids in organizing and packaging relevant drawings.

Regarding the spatial breakdown, the field previously labeled as Location/Level has been renamed to accommodate a wider range of spatial locations. This change allows for the inclusion of geographical regions or site locations in infrastructure projects, while in building projects, it allows for the combination of zones and levels. The removal of the character limit in this field allows for more complex and project-specific codes. Examples of spatial breakdown codes are provided, such as using a building reference combined with a floor level to denote specific locations within a project.

Additionally, the recommended level codes have been removed, allowing for the use of codes that are more suitable and agreed upon for specific projects. It is important to specify and document the proposed breakdowns for both functional and spatial aspects in the project documentation, with agreement from all parties involved in the project.

FUNCTIONAL BREAKDOWN

Therefore, the option to use a functional breakdown allows us to use work packages to define the function. 

SPATIAL BREAKDOWN: 

Building C, floor level 02 could be specified as “C02”

Building D, mezzanine of level 4 could read as “D04M”

 The Functional Breakdown and Spatial Breakdown fields can be used to denote different design functions and locations intended for the information contained in the file. For example, Z2 could mean Zone 2 of a site or a building, and 03 could mean Level 3 of a building or a section.  Z2-03 Like before rules

The Number field can be used to group drawings into types or packages, such as 1,000s for plans, 2,000s for sections, 3,000s for elevations, and so on.

Additionally, we have the option to use the "Form" field as a package type for drawings. This allows us to categorize and organize drawings based on their specific form or type, making it easier to group and manage similar drawings together. By utilizing the "Form" field, we can create distinct packages for Plan, Section, Detail, or any other specific drawing types within the project. This helps streamline the information management process and ensures efficient collaboration among project stakeholders.

For example : 

 The new file naming system allows for more flexibility in assigning codes that suit the purpose of the project. For example, if the project does not have zones or levels, or if the drawing spans multiple zones or levels, the Functional Breakdown and Spatial Breakdown fields can be replaced with “ZZ” or “XX” respectively. This means that no applicable zones or levels are used.

 

The new file naming system also removes the recommendation of fixed field lengths, meaning that each field can have any number of characters as long as it is agreed upon and noted within the project documentation. This allows for more clarity and readability of the file names.

 

The new file naming system is expected to improve the consistency and efficiency of information management and exchange across different projects and disciplines. It is also expected to reduce errors and confusion caused by ambiguous or duplicate file names.