Overview
EN ISO 12006-3:2022 - Building construction: Framework for object-oriented information defines a language‑independent information model for organizing information about construction works. The standard specifies a structure that can be instantiated to build dictionaries that act as ontologies, taxonomies, meronomies, lexicons and thesauri. It also describes an API for interconnecting data dictionaries (referenced to ISO 23386), and provides machine‑readable artefacts (EXPRESS, UML, XSD, XML) to support implementation and interoperability in Building Information Modelling (BIM) and construction IT systems.
Keywords: ISO 12006-3:2022, building information, data dictionaries, BIM, object-oriented information, API, ontology, taxonomy.
Key topics and requirements
- Language‑independent information model: a neutral schema to describe concepts, properties, relationships, units and values so dictionaries can be used across languages and systems.
- Formal specifications: includes EXPRESS‑G and full EXPRESS models (detailed entity list such as concepts, properties, objects, relationships, units and value lists) to enable consistent data modelling.
- Application Programming Interface (API): normative description enabling interconnection and querying of data dictionaries, supporting the reuse and cross‑referencing of classification systems and information models.
- Machine representations: XML and XSD representations, UML diagrams and naming conventions to support software integration and automated processing.
- Metadata and governance: structures for encoding status, change history, experts, external documents and filters to manage dictionary lifecycle and quality.
- Cross‑referencing capability: enables classification systems, object models, templates and process models to be linked from a common framework.
Applications and who uses it
EN ISO 12006-3:2022 is practical for anyone implementing structured building information and semantic interoperability:
- BIM managers and coordinators for standardizing classification and property definitions across projects.
- Software vendors and integrators building BIM platforms, data exchange tools, or dictionary services (using EXPRESS, XSD, XML, UML).
- Standards bodies and classification custodians creating or publishing interoperable dictionaries, thesauri or ontologies.
- Architects, engineers, contractors and facility managers who need consistent object and property definitions for cost, procurement, asset management and maintenance.
- IT teams in construction implementing APIs to interconnect external dictionaries as per ISO 23386.
Related standards
- ISO 23386 (linking and managing data dictionaries and definitions) - referenced for the API interconnection approach.
- Other BIM standards and IFC-related models for data exchange and semantic interoperability.
EN ISO 12006-3:2022 supports robust, language‑agnostic semantic models that make building information searchable, reusable and interoperable across tools and lifecycle stages.
