IBIS: online platform for management of design and construction processes

As part of our ambition to digitalise and automate the construction industry, Witteveen+Bos has successfully completed the first phase of the IBIS project in Singapore. IBIS, also known as ‘Integrated Building Information System’, is a web-based platform for managing design and construction processes online.

The platform has been developed for and under contract to the Housing Development Board (HDB) in Singapore. It forms part of a larger initiative in that country led by Nanyang Technology University, one of Singapore’s biggest universities. The project involves developing a digitalised and partly automated construction system, including automated construction cranes and tracking systems for managing the progress of construction and logistic processes. IBIS is at the core of the system and, for that reason, Witteveen+Bos forms part of the project team of Nanyang Technology University.

IBIS is a web-based platform accessible to anybody – always and everywhere. The platform manages design and construction processes by intelligently combining and visualising them in a user-friendly online interface.  This allows, for example, management of processes relating to design, prefabrication, logistics, construction and communication. The first phase of IBIS was completed in 2020. In the next phase, expected in mid 2021, the IBIS platform will be utilised for a construction project by HDB.

Integration of entire workflow in one place

What makes IBIS unique is the integration in a single platform of the entire workflow, from design right up to construction. With existing software, on the other hand, it is necessary to employ several solutions simultaneously. Also, by managing the data intelligently, changes in it can be tracked and visualised. This allows us, for example, to see which BIM objects are new or have been changed or removed. We can even follow the progress of construction in 3D – this information is delivered in real time from the construction site.

Employees of Witteveen+Bos offices in Singapore and the Netherlands have worked together on the development of IBIS. To accommodate this, we have developed an efficient workflow which includes making optimal use of time differences to reduce waiting times and dependencies.