1. The ISO 19650 Common Data Environment (CDE)
ISO 19650 is the international standard for managing information over the operational lifecycle of built assets using Building Information Modeling (BIM). At the core of ISO 19650 is the Common Data Environment (CDE)—a combination of technical solution and workflow processes for collecting, managing, and disseminating project information containers.
2. The Four Information Container States
Information within a CDE moves through four distinct states controlled by strict gateways and authorization checks:
| Container State | Access Control | Purpose & Gateways |
|---|---|---|
| Work in Progress (WIP) | Internal team only | Unapproved development data produced by task team. |
| Shared | Visible to all project team disciplines | Checked & approved for coordination/co-authoring (Status S0 to S4). |
| Published | Contractors, Client, Authorities | Authorized for tender, detailed design, or construction (Status A1, A2, etc.). |
| Archived | Read-only historical log | Permanent record of all transactional container revisions and audit trails. |
3. ISO 19650 Naming Convention Standards
To enforce automated document indexing across CDE platforms (e.g., Autodesk Construction Cloud / ACC, Bentley ProjectWise, Asite), containers must strictly follow standard metadata fields:
Example: PRJ1-KSS-STR-01-M3-S-0001.rvt identifies Project 1, Kasun Samarasinghe Consultancy, Structural System, Level 01, 3D Model, Structural Role, Drawing #0001.
4. Master Information Delivery Plan (MIDP)
The Task Information Delivery Plan (TIDP) prepared by each lead discipline feeds into the overarching Master Information Delivery Plan (MIDP). The MIDP details deliverables, responsible originators, CDE milestone dates, and required ISO 19650 status codes prior to container submission.
CDE Implementation Rules
- 1
Gatekeepers
Assign a Task Team Manager to review and approve internal WIP models before releasing them to the Shared CDE container.
- 2
Status & Revision Metadata
Ensure every container revision carries explicit suitability status codes (e.g., S1 = Suitable for Coordination, P01 = Preliminary Revision).
- 3
Single Source of Truth
Strictly eliminate local desktop file storage; mandate all project communication via the cloud CDE environment.