Standards Checker
Overview
Standards Checker validates Excel and JSON files against Construction Operations Building Information Exchange (COBie) 2.4 UK standards.
Technical Specifications
See it in action
This section provides detailed guidance on how our COBie Quality Control (QC) checker applies rule-based validation across design and construction phases. Our system aligns with NBIMs-v3 chapter 4.2 and COBie 2.4 UK Template standards while accounting for practical variations in industry software implementations.
QC Testing - Design Rule Coverage
| Information Content | Required | N/A |
|---|---|---|
| COBie.Contact | X | |
| COBie.Facility | X | |
| COBie.Floor | X | |
| COBie.Space | X | |
| COBie.Zone | X | |
| COBie.Type | X | |
| COBie.Component | X | |
| COBie.System | X | |
| COBie.Spare | X | |
| COBie.Resource | X | |
| COBie.Job | X | |
| COBie.Document | X | |
| COBie.Attribute | X |
Note: While Table 89 QC Testing - Design Rule Coverage in NBIMs-v3 4.2 COBie outlines COBie.Document as optional, we set our checker to only check data if it is present.
QC Testing – Construction Rule Coverage
| Information Content | Required | N/A |
|---|---|---|
| COBie.Contact | X | |
| COBie.Facility | X | |
| COBie.Floor | X | |
| COBie.Space | X | |
| COBie.Zone | X | |
| COBie.Type | X | |
| COBie.Component | X | |
| COBie.System | X | |
| COBie.Spare | X | |
| COBie.Resource | X | |
| COBie.Job | X | |
| COBie.Document | X | |
| COBie.Attribute | X |
Use of Assembly, Connection, Impact, Coordinate, Issue:
Due to various software implementations COBie.Assembly, COBie.Connection, COBie.Coordinate, COBie.Impact and COBie.Issue worksheets are not required since these worksheets contain information that is currently outside the scope of the capture and exchange of information required for facility and asset management. Use of these worksheets for other purposes is possible, but is outside the scope of NBIMS-US™ V3. As a result, testing of these worksheets is only accomplished if information is provided as part of the test.
Use of Assembly, Connection, Impact, Coordinate, Issue information for NBIMS-US™ V3 must be specified as a supplemental implementers’ agreement, only if required by contract.
Should you have project requirements that include above mentioned information please explore Project Checker or get in touch with us.
UK Note on Assembly column order:
While COBie 2.4 UK Template 2025-01 specifies AssemblyType in column D, NBIMs-v3 4.2 COBie Annex A specifies it in column G. Since the majority of software implementers follow NBIMs structure, our checker is set in line with NBIMs-V3 4.2 COBie Annex A.
PickLists:
The COBie Checker picklist values are aligned with the latest COBie-UK template version.
The latest template is available for download here:
https://wearenima.im/resources/construction-operations-building-information-exchange-cobie/
If uploaded COBie file contains different column names compared to the UK Template in the PickLists sheet, our system will highlight it. However, we will check the file against the latest COBie 2.4 UK Template PickList values.
Note: PickList column names
There is a huge variation between what is specified in the standard and how it is implemented in different software applications. Column names are varied, for example, JobStatus vs JobStatusType etc. Additionally, the order of PickList column names varies from software to software. To overcome this variation we utilise the latest UK COBie 2.4 Template for our standard checks available through individual license. For projects, we agree at the outset what PickList values are going to be used.
Note: project specific PickLists may be accessed through Project checker.
UK Note on objSpare: COBie 2.4 UK Template 2025-01 specifies ifcConstraint.
Design and Construction Type & Component column checks:
Apart from entire sheet requirement differences, here are the key differences between column checks during design and construction stages:
| Sheet | Column Name | Design stage | Construction stage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Manufacturer | Not applicable | Required. Value must be found in referenced Contact.Email |
| Type | ModelNumber | Not applicable | Required. Value must be provided or 'n/a' |
| Type | WarrantyGuarantorParts | Not applicable | Required. Value must be found in referenced Contact.Email |
| Type | WarrantyDurationParts | Not applicable | Required. Value must be provided or '0' |
| Type | WarrantyGuarantorLabor | Not applicable | Required. Value must be found in referenced Contact.Email |
| Type | WarrantyDurationLabor | Not applicable | Required. Value must be provided or '0' |
| Type | WarrantyDurationUnit | Not applicable | Required. Value must be found in referenced PickLists.DurationUnit |
| Component | SerialNumber | Not applicable | Required. Value must be provided or 'n/a' |
| Component | InstallationDate | Not applicable | Required. ISO date/time info added/updated or default "1900-12-31T23:59:59" |
| Component | WarrantyStartDate | Not applicable | Required. ISO date/time info added/updated or default "1900-12-31T23:59:59" |
While Component column colouring might be misleading, according to NBIMs-v3 these columns are required at construction stage.
Note: Type.DurationUnit - while it's a picklist, it is only required if specified. It should therefore allow n/a, however, the NBIMs-v3 4.2 COBie standard does not explicitly state that, therefore n/a is not allowed on our system at construction stage. n/a is allowed at design stage.
External vs Ext
NBIMs –v3 4.2 COBie Annex A specifies system column names with 'External' prefix. Different software implementers including COBie 2.4 UK Template use a variation of 'External' or 'Ext' in system column names. For UK COBie checker, our platform is set to follow the latest COBie 2.4 UK Template.
PickLists vs Picklists vs PickList vs Picklist
NBIMs –v3 4.2 COBie uses the term in two variations: Picklist and PickList
Different software implementers including COBie 2.4 UK Template use the above and PickLists/Picklists
For UK COBie checker we follow COBie 2.4 UK Template – PickLists
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