Standard medium for a standard message
Back in the 60's, we bandied about Marshall McLuhan's phrase 'The Medium is the message' (we may even have suffixed it with 'man' but that's just plain embarrassing now).
I am not sure that I ever fully understood the phrase but it is clear that in the internet age facilitating the exchange of information between computer systems has become as important as the information itself.
BCIS has xml standards for exchanging cost analyses and other data between BCIS Online and software applications, both our own and the proprietary QS software including CATO and RIPAC.
BCIS is now working with the UN on an international data exchange standard for cost analyses of buildings based on the BCIS Standard Form of Cost Analysis (SFCA). The standard was submitted for discussion in July 2009 and could be ratified as early as the autumn.
The standard will allow cost analyses to be exchanged between systems facilitating their use in proprietary and bespoke software tools and systems.
The proposal for the international data exchange standard was submitted at a recent meeting of the United Nations Trade and Business Processes Group (TBG) hosted by RICS in July. BCIS is an active member of the sub-group concerned with international standards for architecture, engineering and construction.
Delegates from Denmark, France, India, Japan, the UK and the USA all gave their backing to the proposals. The standard will set out how to capture the costs of buildings in order to inform future comparisons. The addition of a Standard for electronic exchange of SFCA data is seen as an important development for BCIS in the international arena.
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