You've built your facility with Building Information Modeling (BIM), but how does all that valuable data move from the construction site to the operations team?

The answer is COBie (Construction Operations Building Information Exchange).

What is COBie?

COBie is a simple, structured format—usually a spreadsheet (Excel or XML)—that captures the essential non-geometric data for facility management (FM). It acts as a standardized digital handover document, ensuring that the data needed for maintenance and operations is clear, organized, and easily digestible.

Instead of thick binders, facility managers receive a clean data list of:

• Assets/Components: Equipment like pumps, HVAC units, and doors.

• Locations: Spaces, rooms, and floors.

• Warranties & Contacts: Key operational information.

• Maintenance Schedules: Necessary upkeep tasks.

Why You Need COBie

COBie transforms your BIM investment into long-term operational savings:

1. Seamless Handover: It eliminates the chaos of traditional data transfer, giving FM teams accurate data from day one.

2. Efficient Facility Management: By linking assets to their data, COBie allows FM teams to quickly find warranties, manuals, and maintenance records, leading to faster repairs and lower operational costs.

3. Foundation for Digital Twins: The structured data is the perfect starting point for populating your CAFM (Computer-Aided Facility Management) or EAM (Enterprise Asset Management) systems, setting the stage for smart building operations and better asset management.

4. Data Quality: Mandating COBie early forces the design and construction teams to gather and validate necessary data throughout the project, ensuring accuracy and completeness.

The Bottom Line

COBie is the critical bridge from BIM to FM. It ensures your building's data is delivered in a usable format, transforming a construction project into a smarter, more cost-effective, and easier-to-manage long-term asset. It's about operating your building as intelligently as you built it.