News release Embargoed for release on 8th July 2014

buildingSMART International Strategic Advisory Council formed to secure better interoperability in the built environment industries buildingSMART International is pleased to announce that Autodesk, HOK, Nemetschek and Trimble have joined buildingSMART International's start up Strategic Advisory Council (SAC) to foster better interoperability between stakeholders in the built environment industries.

BuildingSMART is a worldwide alliance focused on driving the transformation of the built environment to increase productivity, improve efficiencies and reduce costs of the design, construction and facilities management industries through the creation and adoption of open international standards for information-sharing and building information modelling (BIM).
SAC members will advise buildingSMART on standards and compliance programs, positioning in the industry, gaining engagement for standards development and deployment, and on the international chapter strategy.
Richard Petrie, Chief Executive of buildingSMART, said: "So far buildingSMART has been a volunteer organization with limited resources to develop and promote the critical requirements for interoperability. With the help of the SAC, we will have direct involvement from leading strategic users ensuring that the organization is well focused with the additional resources needed to drive our programs forward."
Open international standards for BIM offer significant benefits for all built environment clients and industry participants. These open standards enable participants to take full advantage of today's digital economy by creating new markets, opening portfolio and whole life cycle opportunities, and fostering performance improvements.

Notes to editors:

1. BuildingSMART has formed a Strategic Advisory Council to provide strategic advice and assistance to buildingSMART so that it can fulfil its goals, and the industry's growing need, for a neutral open standards creation body for building information modelling.
2. The SAC will comprise a group of senior representatives from the world's leading international businesses operating in or serving the built environment, when fully established the SAC is expected to comprise 12 to 15 senior representatives from multinational corporations representing owners, contractors, manufacturers, software vendors, operators and consultants.

Contact points: Richard Petrie - richard.petrie@buildingsmart.org or +44 (0)1442 879889

Website: www.buildingsmart.org

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