Uniclass2 (Development Release) Classification Tables

[edit] Introduction

The Uniclass2 Development Release Classification Tables were provided through the CPI - the Construction Project Information Committee, who were responsible for providing best practice guidance on the content, form and preparation of construction production information, and making sure this best practice was disseminated throughout the UK construction industry.

[edit] Uniclass2 Development Release Search Tool

This tool is a fully searchable, online version of the following ten Uniclass2 Development Release Classification tables (to find out how to use this tool see the FAQ):

1. Co - Complexes
2. En - Entities
3. Ac - Activities
4. Sp - Spaces
5. EF - Entities by Form
6. Ee - Elements
7. Ss - Systems
8. Pr - Products
9. Zz - CAD
10. PP - Project Phases

A full PDF version of these eleven tables is available here: 2013-12-03_Uniclass2(Development Release).pdf

[UNICLASS2-SEARCH]

[edit] Classification and Uniclass2

A classification system is an essential tool for organising information. Without an agreed, comprehensive system for organising construction information it will be impossible to ensure interoperability between different information systems, design tools, and facilities management tools, with data entered once and re-used several times through the process.

A construction classification system must include buildings, infrastructure and integrated project and office management. It must be able to map project information from the initial concept through brief, detailed design, construction, handover and facility operation and maintenance. To fully adopt the BIM process it is important to organise such information systematically and consistently.

Uniclass 2 was developed to produce a classification system for structuring information that is freely available for all participants throughout the life cycle of a project and beyond, endorsed by all construction and property bodies and professional institutions. It is dynamic, available online in various formats and managed by a team of experts who will monitor requests, update and control versioning. The tables available in this tool are ready for use in applications to test their usability.

[edit] FAQ

[edit] Q: What is the code for the activity of 'Bell Ringing'?/How do I find a specific term?

A: To find the code for Bell Ringing, or indeed any specific term, you can use the 'Search Uniclass2' box at the top right of the table. Start typing the term you require (in this example, start typing 'Bell'), and the tool will begin filtering down the tables to contain only item codes which mention that term.

[edit] Q: Can I browse through the Systems (Ss) table on its own?/How do I find a specific table?

A: At the foot of the table is a set of search box which lets you filter out the codes you don't want. To show only a specific table, for instance the Systems (Ss) table, type the table name or appropriate code (in this case 'Ss' or 'Systems') in the box at the foot of the Table column (where it says 'Search by Table'). This will filter out all the codes that are not part of the Systems (Ss) table.

[edit] Q: How do I find codes that mention 'Office', but only in the Entities (En) table?/How do I search for a code in one specific table?

A: You can combine multiple searches in the Uniclass2 tool. For instance, if you want to find a term containing 'office' only in the Entities (En) table, type 'Office' into the 'Search Uniclass2' box at the top right of the table, then filter out the table you do not want by entering 'En' or 'Entities' in the 'Search by Table' box at the foot of the table column.

[edit] Q: What is the Parent Code column?

A: Uniclass2 is organised in a hierarchical tree-like structure, with each term having a 'parent/child' relationship to a more general term higher up that tree. This column shows the broader classification term for each item.

[edit] Q: How do I see more items on the page?

A: The tool displays 10 Uniclass2 items per page by default. You can flip through these pages using the buttons at the bottom right of the table (First, Previous, 1,2,3,4,5, Next, Last).

To display more than 10 items per page, select another value from the drop-down list at the top left of the table, where it says 'Show X Entries', where X is the number of entries to show (up to 100 per-page)

[edit] Q: What is ISO 12006-2?

A: ISO 12006-2 is an international standard dealing with structuring of information for construction, and is the standard to which Uniclass2 is aligned.

ISO 12006-2 Building construction - Organization of information about construction works - Part 2: Framework for classification of information, sets out the need for standardization in the construction industry: "Modern information systems for the construction industry, whether local or networked, need to handle data of many different types, e.g. geometrical data, technical properties, cost data, maintenance data, for use within different applications such as CAD, specification, product information and cost information systems. All these data and the relations between them need to be defined and structured in such a way that the stored information is consistent and reliable within and between the different applications."

[edit] Q: How does Uniclass2 relate to the previous version of Uniclass?

A: In general, the following mappings hold between Uniclass2 and the previous Uniclass:

• Ac - Activities is new to both ISO 12006-2 and to Uniclass
• Co - Complexes will replace parts of table D (Facilities)
• Ee - Elements will replace table G (Elements)
• En/EF - Entities will replace parts of table D (Facilities)
• PP - Project Phases is new to both ISO 12006-2 and to Uniclass
• Pr - Products will replace table L (Construction Products)
• Sp - Spaces will replace parts of table D (Facilities)
• Ss - Systems is new to both ISO 12006-2 and to Uniclass
• Zz - CAD is new to both ISO 12006-2 and to Uniclass

[edit] Uniclass2 Development Release Table Descriptions

[edit] Ac - Activities

Activities can be classified by function and while there is a close relationship between Activities and Spaces, they do not necessarily have one-to-one correspondence. A given Space may house a multitude of Activities, consecutively or simultaneously. Also, a given Activity such as administration, storage or circulation may be distributed across many Spaces. Classification for Activities will prove useful for briefing and space planning.

[edit] Co - Complexes

In ISO 12006-2, Complexes include both infrastructure and facilities. Facilities – multi-entity construction projects that occupy a site – come in all sizes, from large ones such as housing estates and hospitals to small ones such as individual houses and grounds. Infrastructure projects serve and often straddle many sites. This table adapts the previous Uniclass 1.4 Table D (Facilities), which covers complexes, entities and spaces so that Complexes are classified by function.

[edit] Ee - Elements

Elements are typically multi-trade built objects, made up of several systems, collectively serving a common purpose. They start life as un-designed objects such as ‘external walls’ with performance attributes such as U-values attached, but become steadily more defined as design decisions are made during the project. At the end of the project, we will have an external wall Element which is fully defined technically.

Elements are of interest to those modelling BIM geometries, specifying by performance, and calculating properties such as cost, embodied carbon and waste through the project lifecycle, so this table has to meet a wide range of demands. It adapts some of the concepts found in existing UK elemental tables such as SFCA, NRM and the previous Uniclass 1.4 table G (Elements).

[edit] En - Entities/EF - Entities by Form

In ISO 12006-2, Entities include buildings and grounds, and other large-scale independent constructions such as bridges, roads, canals, tunnels, towers and dams. Similar to the new Complexes (Co) table, this Entities table adapts the old Uniclass Table D (Facilities). Entities are classified here by function (En) and by form (EF).

[edit] PP - Project Phases

New to Uniclass2.

[edit] Pr - Products

To replace Uniclass Table L (Construction Products).

[edit] Sp - Spaces

As with Complexes (Co), this table adapts the previous Uniclass 1.4 Table D (Facilities). Spaces are classified by function, not by form (degree of enclosure). Both classifications are covered in ISO 12006-2, but in separate tables, and it may be that a table for ‘Spaces by form’ might be developed in the future. The population of this Uniclass2 Table is well-rounded, compared with the similar OmniClass Table 13, where over 40% of the spaces are healthcare.

[edit] Ss - Systems

Systems are typically single-trade built objects made up of several products, collectively serving a common purpose, such as the load-bearing blockwork inner skin of an external wall Element. In ISO 12006-2, they roughly equate to the concept of ‘designed elements’.

[edit] Zz - CAD

New to Uniclass2.

For a full description of the new Work Results table, see: The new Uniclass Work sections table - John Gelder

[edit] Further Reading

Please note: All links will open in a new window

[edit] Articles

• 2013-01: An introduction to Uniclass2 - Ian Chapman
• 2012-11: Using Uniclass2 - John Gelder
• 2012-05: Ten Tables in Uniclass2 - John Gelder
• 2012-01: Standard section structure revisited - John Gelder
• 2011-11: The new Uniclass Work sections table - John Gelder
• 2011-11: Unifying Uniclass - John Gelder
• 2011-08: Towards a new Uniclass - Sarah Delany
• 2008-04: CPIC and Uniclass – who, what and why? - Sarah Delany

[edit] Version History

• 2013-12-03: Withdrawl of Work Results Table - originally issued to link tables, but led to confusion so is no longer included
• 2013-12-01: Fourth release with updated Ac,Co,En,Sp,Ee,Ss,Pr tables
• 2013-09-26: Third release with Entities by Form (EF) table
• 2013-08-25: Second Release with new tables plus added Products (Pr), Project Phases (PP) and CAD (Zz) tables
• 2013-02-28: Initial Release

The original Uniclass2 Beta search tool was a development from the BIM Gateway, a collaborative project between the RIBA Technical Research Department and the University of the Arts London. The project was co-funded by the government-backed Technology Strategy Board “Metadata Production Tools (Fast Track)” funding stream.

[edit] Copyright

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/3.0/ or send a letter to:

Creative Commons,
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Suite 900,
Mountain View,
California,
94041, USA.

[edit] Open Data Certificate

Uniclass2 and Uniclass1.4 have an Open Data Institute Pilot-level Certificate to show CPI's commitment to providing Uniclass as open, reusable data.

For More information see https://certificates.theodi.org/