Memorandum of Understanding on IT Standards
(29 September 1998)

Government and Industry Collaborate to Set Common National IT Standards in the Construction Industry

Parties Involved:   CIDB REDAS   NCB SCAL   PSB SIA   IAI(S) SIB   ACES SISV   IES SPM

A landmark memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed between the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB), the National Computer Board (NCB), the Singapore Productivity and Standards Board (PSB), and the Singapore Chapter of the International Alliance of Interoperability (IAI) to jointly sponsor the developments of a set of common standards for restructuring the Computer-Aided Design (CAD) data and information of building projects and to adopt them as national standards. This will pave the way for quicker and wider exchange of vital electronic information and increases productivity in the construction industry.

Co-signing as supporters to the MOU were presidents of the eight professionals bodies representing the Singapore construction industry. The bodies are the Association of Consulting Engineers, Singapore; the Institution of Engineers, Singapore; the Real Estate Developers Association of Singapore; the Singapore Institute of Architects; the Singapore Contractors Association of Singapore; the Singapore Institute of Building Ltd; the Singapore Institute of Surveyors and Valuers; and the Society of Project Managers.

All the signatories will actively participate in the project to improve the process of data exchange, including the adoption of common standards such as layering convention, the use of symbols and classification of data among developers, architects, engineering consulting firms and quantity surveyors.

Mr Lam Siew Wah, Chief Executive Officer of CIDB, said, "The setting up of a national IT standard for information exchange is a concrete step in transforming the construction industry for the next millennium." As the key agency responsible for the development of the construction industry. CIDB's role is to lead and co-ordinate the efforts of construction professionals to move towards enhanced IT interoperability. (source - Construction Focus Sept-Oct 98 Issue)