How to manage bSDD (buildingSmart Data Dictionary) in Revit

In the world of openBIM, the integration between design tools like Autodesk Revit and standardized platforms such as the buildingSmart Data Dictionary (bSDD) represents a fundamental step forward in ensuring efficiency and consistency in BIM projects.

Managing information and its interoperability across various software is crucial for improving collaboration among multidisciplinary teams.

In this context, the integration of bSDD dictionary collections in Revit allows for standardized and automated management of complex data, ensuring consistency and quality at every stage of the project. To fully leverage this integration and manage BIM data efficiently and innovatively, book your free trial of usBIM.revolution now.

What is the bSDD dictionary collection?

The bSDD is a free collection of interconnected data dictionaries provided by buildingSMART, containing definitions to describe the built environment, published by independent organizations that include international classifications, national standards, and corporate agreements.

The buildingSMART Data Dictionary (bSDD) is a fundamental component of the openBIM ecosystem, designed to provide a standardized framework for managing built data. It is an online service that hosts a comprehensive collection of classes, properties, and terms relevant to the construction industry, allowing users to access standardized and internationally shared definitions.

The bSDD is crucial to ensure that all stakeholders involved in a project — architects, engineers, contractors, and facility managers — use consistent and precise terminology, thereby improving communication and collaboration between different software and geographically distributed teams. The integration of bSDD into BIM processes, as occurs in Autodesk Revit through the plugin we will discuss in this article, offers significant advantages in terms of interoperability, data quality, and error reduction.

Issues and benefits of using the bSDD library in Revit

One of the main issues faced by BIM professionals is the lack of consistency in data and inefficiency in information management. Often, data manually entered into a model can be subject to errors or misunderstandings, especially when working with distributed teams or using different software. bSDD offers a solution to this problem by centralizing the management of classifications and properties through standardized and updated dictionaries, accessible to all project participants.

The integration of bSDD in Revit offers numerous benefits:

1. standardization and interoperability: thanks to the bSDD dictionary collection, all terms and properties used in the Revit model follow recognized international standards, eliminating misunderstandings and ensuring that the data is readable and usable by anyone, regardless of the software used;
2. operational efficiency: integration with bSDD automates the classification and property entry process, reducing the time needed to complete these manual operations and minimizing the risk of errors;
3. quality control: using bSDD allows for automated quality checks directly in Revit, verifying that all elements are correctly classified and compliant with defined standards. This helps identify and correct any inconsistencies before they become problems.

How bSDD improves workflows in Revit

The integration of bSDD in Revit through tools like usBIM.revolution allows for significant improvements in model management. This plugin enables you to sync the RVT model with the corresponding IFC file in the usBIM cloud, keeping the data always updated and consistent between the two formats. But how does this integration work in practice?

When working on a project in Revit, you often face the need to enrich the model with specific information. For example, consider a model that includes photovoltaic panels: thanks to the bSDD libraries and usBIM.revolution, it is possible to search the bSDD dictionary for the correct classification for this type of object and enrich it with all the relevant properties.

This process not only speeds up the workflow but also ensures that all data is standardized and compliant with the latest updates. Once changes are made in the IFC file, they are automatically synchronized in the RVT model, ensuring that all information is always aligned and ready to be shared with work teams.

usBIM.revolution: an innovative solution

To fully exploit the benefits of bSDD-Revit integration and overcome associated challenges, a revolutionary tool has been developed: usBIM.revolution. This plugin opens Revit to all openBIM processes and standards, including bSDD, offering advanced features for managing BIM data.

With usBIM.revolution you get:

1. real-time synchronization: the plugin allows perfect synchronization between the RVT model and the corresponding IFC file in the usBIM cloud, ensuring a constant and updated connection between the two formats;
2. direct integration with bSDD: usBIM.revolution allows direct access to the buildingSmart Data Dictionary from within Revit, facilitating the addition and modification of standardized properties;
3. model enrichment: it is possible to integrate structured and standardized information from bSDD even for specific objects that may initially lack detailed properties in the Revit model;
4. flexibility in choosing dictionaries: the tool allows you to select specific dictionaries from bSDD, such as the ETIM Dictionary, to find the classification most suitable for the project’s needs;
5. real-time model validation: ensuring that all entered information complies with bSDD standards.

With usBIM.revolution, the RVT model and the IFC model are perfectly synchronized[/caption>

A practical example: how to manage data related to specific objects in the RVT model

A practical example of using usBIM.revolution that we also see in the attached video concerns the management of data related to specific objects in the RVT model in Revit.
Imagine working on a Revit model of a building with photovoltaic systems. The RVT model might initially lack detailed properties for the solar panels. With usBIM.revolution, we can:

• export the IFC file to the Common Data Environment of usBIM;
• select the ETIM Dictionary from the bSDD;

We select the buildingSmart dictionary from which to obtain information for the object in the RVT model of Revit

• identify the classification “photovoltaic module” in the renewable energy category;
• add and modify the properties suggested by the dictionary;
• automatically synchronize the new information in both the IFC model and the RVT model.

With usBIM.bsDD we edit the properties of the object by retrieving data from the chosen dictionary directly in Revit and simultaneously align the RVT file and the IFC file

To learn more, watch the video: “How to manage object data in Revit with bSDD and usBIM.revolution”.

This process ensures that project lifecycle management is accurate and compliant with openBIM standards, significantly improving the quality and utility of the BIM model.

Without bSDD, the properties of these objects would need to be entered manually, with the risk of errors or inconsistencies. Thanks to usBIM.revolution, it is possible to enrich the model with structured properties, which are automatically synchronized between Revit and the IFC file, thus ensuring that all data is accurate and up-to-date​.

The integration of the buildingSmart Data Dictionary (bSDD) in Revit through tools like usBIM.revolution represents a turning point in BIM data management. With the ability to use standardized classifications, automatically synchronize Revit and IFC models, and automate quality checks, BIM professionals can improve the efficiency of their work, reduce errors, and ensure that information is always consistent and up-to-date.

This solution not only enhances project quality but also facilitates collaboration among multidisciplinary teams, promoting an integrated workflow based on openBIM standards. For those working in Revit, the integration of bSDD in Revit through usBIM.revolution is a valuable resource for tackling the challenges of BIM data management efficiently and innovatively.