Overview of CORENET X

Overview of CORENET X

CORENET X is a digitalisation and technology-drive platform that enables Qualified Persons (QPs) like professional engineers and registered architects to submit three-dimensional models of developments or buildings created using Building Information Modelling (BIM) to regulatory agencies.

This collaborative system allows project teams to review designs together, identify potential conflicts before construction, and generate a coordinated BIM model for regulatory approval. CORENET X aims to streamline the regulatory approval process, replace the current practice of QPs dealing with multiple regulatory agencies separately and producing various versions of building plans.

With BCA and URA leading the initiative, CORENET X was developed in close collaboration with the other regulatory agencies and leading built environment professionals, firms and Trade Associations and Chambers (TACs). It is slated for implementation by the end of 2023.


The CORENET X project was initiated in 2018 with the objective to leverage technologies such as Building Information Modelling (BIM) and automation, to transform the regulatory approval process for building works. CORENET X is conceived as the future ecosystem of regulatory approvals, redefining Government to Business interactions as a One Stop Integrated Digital Shopfront. It adopts the agile approach and is targeted to be rolled out from end 2023.

“X” signifies the quantum leap in both technology and work processes. It is a new operating model that emphasizes integration and better design.

CORENET X will shift the current practice of consultants dealing separately with multiple agencies (and at times) using different versions of plans, to one where consultants come together, collaborate upfront to harmonise their designs, and produce one coordinated BIM model.


CORENET X aims to promote greater collaboration and productive workflows for both the industry and public agencies, complementing ongoing efforts on Integrated Digital Delivery (IDD), which is a key component of the Built Environment Industry Transformation Map.


More than 100 professionals from the public and private sectors embarked on a co-creation journey to redesign the envisaged future regulatory process for building works, kickstarting the development of CORENET X.


The transformation of current regulatory approval workflows from agency-centric to customer-centric, reducing the current over 20 approval stages across 7 regulatory agencies, into 3 key submission milestones.
Through an industry-facing portal, CORENET X will utilize technological enablers to bring about collaboration, automation and interoperability.
  • openBIM Format
  • Automated Model Checker
  • Collaboration Platform (for inter-agency collaboration)
    • BIM Viewer (for industry use)

Watch (2 mins): The Future of Smart Regulation


 

Watch (4 mins): CORENET X: Redefining the Way We Work


 

For feedback or enquiry related to CORENET X, please complete the form here.

 


A Service Journey is a Whole-of-Government movement to redesign processes and services through a user-centric approach, in order to deliver services that are easy to use, seamless and relevant.

The current regulatory processes have been largely in place for decades. While we can make incremental changes to the processes to facilitate ongoing projects, we see the opportunity (and an increasing imperative) to do something more transformative. This is also in line with the push for Integrated Digital Delivery (IDD) and the use of smarter digital tools to improve productivity while enhancing quality.

In late 2018, the agencies and industry first came together to map out the current service blueprint, understand the associated pain-points, gaps etc, before proceeding to the next stage. Facilitated by GovTech, we held a "Visioning Workshop" with senior leaders in the built environment industry to re-imagine and envision what regulatory processes can be like in the near future.

In this co-creation effort, about 60 firms were represented, involving more than 100 professionals from the public and private sectors, including the TAC presidents of REDAS, SIA, ACES, IES, SCAL and SISV.

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What's next after the CORENET X Service Journey?

We will adopt 3 strategies to progressively onboard our industry stakeholders onto CORENET X:

  • Ensure industry is aware of the vision of CORENET X, its benefits and how it will impact them.
  • Keep the industry updated of the latest development, upcoming events and downloadable resources through our website.
  • We had organised a series of introductory webinars on CORENET X. Click here for the materials on past and upcoming webinars.

  • Industry and Agencies to collaborate together to share ideas on how CORENET X can be refined and improved.
  • We recently kickstarted the CORENET X Industry Community of Practice (COPr), an initiative which brings together like-minded industry practitioners and provides a platform for focus group discussions on specific topics related to the development of CORENET X. Currently, there are 37 firms in the COPr, as it continues to expand.
  • We are also working closely with industry project teams on the pilot developments of our new BIM-enabled technologies.

  • We have started a series of IFC webinars, jointly held with key BIM software developers. Please find out more info and help resources from the webinars in our IFC webpage.
  • The first phase of industry training has kick-started since August 2022, focusing on IFC-SG. Please click here for more information and course availabilities.

For feedback or enquiry related to CORENET X, please complete the form here.



openBIM Format


  • The openBIM format, which would be platform-neutral, is being adopted to enable the industry to continue using the software of their choice to design and coordinate.
  • To find out more about more about the Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) openBIM format, including export and how it will be used in future CORENET submissions, go to this link.

Automated Model Checker


  • Improves the efficiency of code checking and enables self-checking by consultants prior to submission.
  • This upfront validation will aid industry and agencies in checking for regulatory compliance and improve the accuracy and consistency in code interpretation.
  • Under development to verify straightforward regulatory requirements, such as those related to geometric and spatial aspects of building elements and spaces, across all 3 key disciplines (Architectural, Civil and Structural, Mechanical and Electrical Engineering).
  • Concurrently, potential areas for rules harmonization by the agencies are identified, and agencies are also in collaboration with industry partners to develop model preparation guidelines.

Collaboration Platform (for inter-agency collaboration)


  • Aims to transform the current way agencies review plans, bringing agencies together to concurrently access the same coordinated BIM model. Agencies will then collaborate within the same Collaboration Platform, and provide a coordinated response to the industry.
  • Uses technology to improve efficiency and overcome tedious work, with capabilities to identify amendments between submissions, thus eliminating massive industry efforts in preparing amendment plans.
  • Enables greater collaboration and clearer communication among agencies and with the industry.
  • BIM Viewer (for industry use)
    • Today, QPs need to prepare different sets of plans for different agencies. Leveraging technology, QPs will prepare one coordinated model and agencies will extract relevant information. This reduces the need for manual annotations on plans.
    • The BIM Viewer is one of the key functionalities of the key platform supporting CORENET X. It will bring about 3 key features for the industry:

The BIM Viewer will allow the QPs to preview their models prior to submissions and incorporate auto-checking capabilities from the Automated Model Checker.

 

Today's amendment plans require QPs to prepare the submission highlighting deviations from earlier approved submissions. This process is currently carried out by QPs manually. Going forward, QPs will only need to submit the amended model. The platform will allow model comparison with the previously approved model and identify the deviations automatically.

 

Today's Written Direction and comments from agencies are provided in a list to the QPs. Leveraging technology, the comments will also be provided in the BIM Collaboration Format (BCF), which allows tracking and tagging of comments directly to the BIM model. This aims to improve the current communication between industry and agencies.

 

For feedback or enquiry related to CORENET X, please complete the form here.