VDI 2552: the German BIM guideline series
VDI 2552 is the German guideline series on Building Information Modeling. It provides the common vocabulary and the process descriptions with which clients, planners and data suppliers agree BIM services, from terms and data management through to the client’s information requirements.
What it is needed for in as-built surveys
For the tender. “We need a BIM model” is not a specification of services but a declaration of intent. The guideline series provides the terms with which this can be turned into a verifiable requirement: which information is delivered when, in which structure, who checks it and against what.
In practice, three definitions contribute to this, and all three are made before the survey: the level of information need per trade, the exchange format including its version, and the procedure by which the delivery is accepted.
How it relates to the other sets of rules
It describes processes and terms, not data formats. The format is governed by IFC, the level of information need by EN ISO 7817-1, the handover to operation by CAFM Connect. VDI 2552 is the framework in which these definitions are named and connected with one another.
Individual parts of the series are deliberately not cited here. Anyone who refers to a specific part in a tender should check its current status before writing down the number.
Frequently asked questions
What is VDI 2552?
The German guideline series on Building Information Modeling. It provides terms and process descriptions with which BIM services can be agreed and checked.
Do I need it for an as-built survey?
Not necessarily, but it helps when drawing up a tender. Anyone who wants to describe BIM services precisely will find the vocabulary for it there, instead of ordering “a BIM model”.
What is the difference from ISO 19650?
The international series governs information management across the life cycle; VDI 2552 accompanies it in the German-speaking countries with vocabulary and process descriptions. In tenders, both appear side by side.