International standardization lies at the heart of the principles of the Global BIM Network. It provides common definitions and principles while also allowing local context to be applied through national annexes and local guidance documents.  

The Network recognises the value that digitalisation, currently BIM aligned with international standards, brings to the construction sector and the delivery of the world’s infrastructure.  

Sharing best working practice and using common definitions accelerates BIM transformation and fosters trade, with international standards underpinning and enabling this to take place.  

A key example is the ISO 19650 series of standards. Developed and published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the series focuses on the collaborative process integral to the entire life cycle of constructed assets. It is a key set of global standards for implementing BIM. 

A large and growing group of countries are adopting international standardization, providing testament to the wide applicability of such standards. Recent analysis by the Network shows at least 44 countries have already adopted ISO 19650 while others are in the process of evaluating and adopting it.  

Regional standards organization, the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) have ratified ISO 19650, requiring member countries to adopt its approach. CEN Technical Committee 442 supports the creation and management of BIM related standards.  

ISO Technical Committee 59, Sub-Committee 13 manages the ISO 19650 series of standards. It focuses on international standardization of information through the whole life cycle of buildings and infrastructure across the built environment. 

In adopting ISO 19650, a country can bring about international alignment, improved collaboration, risk reduction, and enhanced competitiveness in the construction industry. Together with public programmes, this contributes to more successful and sustainable infrastructure development. 

The Global BIM Network’s digital knowledge base, the Information Collection, provides numerous resources on ISO 19650 standards. The Collection includes articles on the national standards bodies which have adopted these ISO standards. 

Discover more about how countries are implementing ISO 19650 standards.