Since 1997 the International Alliance for Interoperability (IAI) has developed a standard way of describing buildings. The main purpose of the Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) standard is to define a standard way of sharing data (interoperability) within the construction industry.

The IAI has released four major versions of the standard to date and in November 2003 received ISO endorsement. The IFC is the only Building Information Model to be endorsed by the ISO.

A major research effort worldwide is underway to develop the knowledge and tools to utilise the appealing capabilities of a Building Information Model (BIM).

In the USA, the Federal government agency responsible for the construction and management of all government buildings, the Public Buildings Service (PBS), has developed a set of CAD standards for the delivery of all 2D CAD data to the US government. In recognition of the importance of a BIM, the PBS’s goal is to upgrade its requirement for the delivery of data in the form of a BIM by 2006.

In Singapore, the BIM standard is used to provide online building approvals for buildings supplied in the standard format.
In Australia, research into the use of the BIM is underway to develop tools to provide energy rates for buildings and to investigate the possibility of connecting building designers with manufacturers.