openBIM Workflows in Sunny Southern California

The openBIM Workflows: Learn from the Experts 2025 event, hosted by buildingSMART USA, delivered a comprehensive and focused look at the industry standards and practical implementations that are driving the evolution of the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) sector. Held at the stunning Esri Headquarters in Redlands, California, the event provided a venue for deep discussions among industry professionals, both in-person and virtually. 

Kicking off the proceedings, Marc Goldman, Director of AEC Industry Solutions at Esri, welcomed attendees and underscored the significance of the day, calling it both a privilege and an honor for Esri to host an event so pivotal to advancing openBIM practices. The agenda was strategically crafted to ensure a packed day of insights into crucial topics ranging from information definition to fabrication-ready models.

Defining the Data: From Requirements to Exchange

A central thread woven throughout the day was the absolute necessity of standardizing information requirements on every project. Presenters emphasized that defining data consistently is foundational to effective BIM execution. This discussion championed the use of the Level of Information Need (LOIN) framework, not just as a concept, but as a robust structure to ensure all requirements—whether they pertain to geometry, properties, or documentation—are clearly understood by all parties. The true value of LOIN lies in its ability to facilitate the sharing and contractual transfer of these requirements throughout the workflow, making them accessible in both human-readable and machine-readable ways.

The conversation naturally transitioned into the practical application of the Level of Development (LOD), particularly as it relates to fabrication and manufacturing. Experts detailed how LOD is a critical tool for defining the scope of work, noting that for downstream fabrication purposes, anything less than elements of LOD 400 is typically insufficient to provide the necessary detail for reliable production. This segment also highlighted the ongoing collaborative work by organizations like the AISC (American Institute of Steel Construction) to integrate global standards such as IFC, IDS, and BSDD. This effort is essential for creating robust, advanced BIM execution plans and ensuring that models are not only well-defined but also correctly translated and easily transported between different stakeholders and software systems.

Addressing Infrastructure and Workflow Challenges

The event also provided a dedicated focus on the unique complexities of infrastructure design. A key presentation explored challenges within bridge and transportation modeling workflows, specifically discussing the use of Item Types in Bentley's software platforms (OpenBridge Modeler and Pro Structures) as a method for adding information and custom properties to objects. The technical review revealed ongoing issues with the support of spatial structure and the necessity of finding effective, cohesive ways to connect and harmonize the data output from multiple software platforms into a final, unified digital model.

Looking Ahead and Thanking Our Partners

The event concluded with a well-deserved thank you to the sponsors. Special appreciation was given to Esri for providing the impressive facility and state-of-the-art auditorium for the in-person event, as well as Platinum sponsors Autodesk and LeapThought.

To maintain momentum, attendees were encouraged to keep the discussions going at the post-event networking gathering, and to mark their calendars for upcoming buildingSMART USA events:

• The 2025 openBIM Roads and Bridges Transportation Summit will take place on November 5th and 6th in San Diego. This meeting is expected to host a large contingent of state Departments of Transportation (DOTs) who are keen to receive external stakeholder feedback on the standards being developed.

• The second annual Rail Day 2025 is scheduled for November 19th in New York.

The wealth of information and focused discussions made the summit a highly valuable and necessary event for anyone involved in the openBIM movement. SBI is honored to have played a major role with our buildingSMART USA hats in helping to pull this event together.