And thus the importance of providing an .IFC file BIM Model as a deliverable, where the client/owner should be the first one interested in obtaining it. This should be one of the first things laid out on the EIR and BEP.
Adopting a openBIM approach should be for the benefit of all stakeholders and not being software/version dependant.
Think of operations and maintenance stage. Having to have a repository of installers of old versions of the software just in case, or depending on which year it will be used doesn't seem practical, nor logical, for the firm/design studio and much less for the end user or client.
One last note, other BIM software platforms by other vendors do not have this version limitation.
It´s a broad topic.
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Alex J. Nader - Intl. Assoc. AIA
BIM Expert and Consultant l LEED Green Assoc.
ARQPRO - Design, Architecture, BIM
www.arqpro.netalex.nader@arqpro.net------------------------------
Original Message:
Sent: 08-17-2020 11:00
From: Sidney Griffin
Subject: BIM Model Archiving and Versioning
I have not found a discussion thread that talks in depth about the need to reference old Revit models entangled with the limitations on backwards-compatibility and the lack of Revit software support for versions more than 3 years old. We adopted Revit in 2007 and are fully committed with 100% production of construction documents coming from the Revit platform. One discussion I read on another forum suggested upgrading each model to the latest version of Revit as they are released. With hundreds of models developed in the past 13 years, upgrading our old models now would be nearly impossible.
If we were still a CAD based office, I believe we could open a copy of a 13-year-old file and work on it today without much issue. I cannot say that for our Revit files. I would imagine owners would have an even tougher time keeping file versions up to date with the number of files they are maintaining in their archive. What are you doing to keep models viable for current versions of the software? Are we doomed to see the production of Revit files as a one-and-done effort? I hope not.
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Sidney Griffin AIA
Design Technology Director
VMDO Architects
Charlottesville, VA
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