As a key deliverable of the BIM Toolkit project, experts from across the construction industry have worked with NBS to develop the new classification system – Uniclass 2015. This builds on previous versions and developments of Uniclass, but significantly extends its scope and responds to industry feedback.
With both the Uniclass and Uniclass2 classification systems, CPIC are committed to making the data and information they produce as open and freely available as possible.
Why Open?
Paying to access a classification system doesn’t make sense, and limiting the availability of the system to one specific format (be it in an actual book you have to pay for, or in a proprietary digital format such as Excel) means that unnecessary barriers are put in place for the adoption, use and sharing of the data and classification information.
What are CPIC doing?
To this end, CPIC provide the Uniclass and Uniclass2 systems as freely available data in a variety of formats. Currently, we provide csv, txt, and pdf, as well as hosting Uniclass and Uniclass2 to view freely online or print your own copy via http://www.cpic.org.uk/uniclass/ . We are currently finalising the release of a number of XML formats for reuse in various CAD/BIM software too.
How Open is CPIC?
Both Uniclass and Uniclass2 digital formats are available via the Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License, meaning that people and organisations are free copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format, for any purpose (even commercially). All CPIC require is that credit is given in the new work, and that If you remix, transform, or build upon the material, you may not distribute the modified Uniclass/Uniclass2 system as being official.
Finally, both Uniclass and Uniclass2 now have an Open Data Institute Pilot-level Certificate to show CPI’s commitment to providing Uniclass as open, reusable data. You can see more about Open Data and what the Institute does in this short video.
For More information see https://certificates.theodi.org/
Last updated: June 1, 2014 at 10:23 amIntroduction
A number of people have asked about the relationship between the CPIC website, the BIM Gateway project and the Uniclass2 labs section of the BIM Task Group website. Most importantly, there have been some queries over the “definitive” source for the new Uniclass2 classification system. This short post will hopefully clear up any confusion.
A Definitive Uniclass Resource
The BIM Gateway was a one year joint project between the RIBA Technical Research Department and Central St.Martins College. This was done with the full cooperation of the CPIC committee, and resulted in an open, online version of the Uniclass and Uniclass2 systems, plus a number of visualisations and statistical experiments.
The resulting Uniclass2 output of the BIM Gateway project was handed over to the BIM Task Group for dissemination through the labs section of their website.
Because the Uniclass2 system was (and is) still being updated, it was felt that a more natural home for the Uniclass2 system was on the CPIC website, alongside the original Uniclass system, where the CPI Committee could administer updates directly rather than through the BIM Task Group.
We have now closed down the BIM Gateway website, and the BIM Task Group website has now been updated to reflect www.cpic.org.uk being the definitive resource for the Uniclass and Uniclass2 systems. A legacy page detailing the BIM Gateway project is now available on the CPIC website: The BIM Gateway Project
The Future
Now that we have Uniclass2 under direct control of the CPIC committee, we have a plan for a number of updates for the digital delivery of the Uniclass2 system. These will be released in the coming months. If you have any ideas or suggestions for future updates or delivery formats, then contact sarah@cpic.org.uk, or contribute to our LinkedIn group.
Last updated: June 1, 2014 at 10:24 am
The CPI have released an Entities by Form table (EF) for use and comment. This has been made available in the main Uniclass2 search tool:
www.cpic.org.uk/uniclass2
and as a PDF download from the main Uniclass section of the website
Entities by Form table revised September 2013
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