Asset data is the structured information that describes physical assets: their identification, function, location, relationships and lifecycle history. When asset data is well-structured and maintained, it becomes a strategic resource that reduces maintenance costs, speeds up procurement and enables digital services throughout an asset’s lifetime.
BIM (Building Information Modelling) and the IFC standard provide the framework for capturing and exchanging this information during the design and construction phase. The challenge is that BIM data often stops at handover: the rich digital model created during design is rarely maintained or made accessible to operations teams.
The digital thread concept addresses this: a continuous data link from design through construction, commissioning, operation and eventual decommissioning. Achieving this requires a Reference Designation System (RDS), consistent metadata and a digital handover process that is defined in the contract, not added at the end.
The digital twin is only as valuable as the asset data it is built on.
Key concepts
- Data Governance
- Metadata
- Single Source of Truth (SSoT)
- UNS
- RDS
- IEC 81346
- Naming Convention
- Open Standards
- IFC / BIM
- Asset Management
- Life Cycle Management
- Digital Thread
- Digital Handover
Related articles
- ISO/IEC 81346: Background, Purpose and Significance
- Why Standardisation Is Critical
- Multidisciplinary Digitalisation
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