How the terminology evolved
Each event cites its source and is labelled by type, so the invention of a concept is not confused with the first use of a term, its standardisation or its wider adoption. Events marked provisional are awaiting primary-source verification.
- December 1959 · First documented term
Critical path method published
Kelley and Walker present "Critical-path planning and scheduling", formalising the scheduling method developed at DuPont and Remington Rand; PERT is developed in parallel for the US Navy. Related definition
Source: Critical path method (Wikipedia) · Secondary source — primary check pending
- September 1974 · Concept
Building Description System
Charles Eastman and colleagues at Carnegie-Mellon University publish an outline of a computer-based Building Description System — an early description of a building as a database of elements rather than drawings. Related definition
Source: An Outline of the Building Description System (Research Report No. 50) (Institute of Physical Planning, Carnegie-Mellon University, 1974) · Verified against source
- January 1981 · Concept
Contract A / Contract B in Canadian tendering law
The Supreme Court of Canada decides R. v. Ron Engineering, establishing that a compliant tender can create a process contract (Contract A) separate from the construction contract (Contract B). Related definition
Source: R v Ron Engineering and Construction (Eastern) Ltd (Wikipedia, 1981) · Secondary source — primary check pending
- 1992 · First documented term
"Building information model" in academic literature
G.A. van Nederveen and F.P. Tolman use the phrase "building information model" in "Modelling multiple views on buildings", published in Automation in Construction. Related definition
Source: Modelling multiple views on buildings (Elsevier — Automation in Construction, 1992) · Secondary source — primary check pending
- 1994 · Standardisation
Industry Alliance for Interoperability founded
An industry consortium is formed to develop open data standards for building software; it later becomes buildingSMART. Related definition
Source: buildingSMART (Wikipedia) · Provisional — primary source needed
- 1996 · Standardisation
First IFC release
The first version of the Industry Foundation Classes schema is published. Related definition
Source: buildingSMART (Wikipedia) · Provisional — primary source needed
- 2002 · Wider adoption
"Building Information Modeling" popularised
A 2002 software-vendor white paper and industry commentary (notably the Laiserin Letter, 2002–2003) bring the term "Building Information Modeling" into wide use. Related definition
Source: Building information modeling — History (Wikipedia) · Provisional — primary source needed
- 2005 · Reinterpretation / renaming
IAI renamed buildingSMART
The International Alliance for Interoperability adopts the name buildingSMART.
Source: buildingSMART (Wikipedia) · Provisional — primary source needed
- 2007 · First documented term
Integrated Project Delivery guide
The AIA and AIA California Council publish Integrated Project Delivery: A Guide, setting out IPD principles. Related definition
Source: Integrated Project Delivery: A Guide (The American Institute of Architects and AIA California Council, 2007) · Verified against source
- 2009 · Specification or product
BCF development begins
Development of the BIM Collaboration Format begins with Solibri, Tekla and the Institute for Applied Building Informatics (iabi), later maintained by buildingSMART. Related definition
Source: BIM Collaboration Format (BCF) (buildingSMART International) · Verified against source
- 2012 · First documented term
VDC framework documented at CIFE
Stanford CIFE Working Paper WP097 by John Kunz and Martin Fischer documents Virtual Design and Construction themes, case studies and implementation suggestions (repository creation date 2012). Related definition
Source: Virtual Design and Construction: Themes, Case Studies and Implementation Suggestions (CIFE Working Paper WP097) (Stanford University, Center for Integrated Facility Engineering (CIFE), 2012) · Verified against source
- December 2018 · Concept
Gemini Principles
The Centre for Digital Built Britain publishes the Gemini Principles to guide the development of digital twins and a national digital twin. Related definition
Source: The Gemini Principles (Centre for Digital Built Britain, University of Cambridge, 2018) · Verified against source
- December 2018 · Standardisation
ISO 19650-1 and ISO 19650-2 published
The first international standards for information management using BIM are published, internationalising the UK PAS 1192 approach and introducing terms such as appointing party, exchange information requirements and level of information need. Related definition
Source: Organization and digitization of information about buildings and civil engineering works, including building information modelling (BIM) — Information management using building information modelling — Part 1: Concepts and principles (ISO, 2018) · Verified against source
- October 2019 · Standardisation
Ontario prompt payment and adjudication in force
Prompt payment deadlines (28 days for owners, 7 days down the chain) and construction adjudication take effect under Ontario's amended Construction Act. Related definition
Source: Getting ready for prompt payment in Ontario (Gowling WLG, 2019) · Verified against source
- 2020 · Reinterpretation / renaming
CCDC 2 (2020) introduces Ready-for-Takeover
The new edition of the Canadian stipulated price contract adds the Ready-for-Takeover milestone and aligns payment terms with prompt payment legislation. Related definition
Source: CCDC 2 (2020): 8 Key Changes to the Stipulated Price Contract (McInnes Cooper, 2021) · Verified against source
- August 2022 · Standardisation
ISO 19650-4 (information exchange) published
Part 4 sets out processes and criteria for individual information exchanges.
Source: Organization and digitization of information about buildings and civil engineering works, including building information modelling (BIM) — Information management using building information modelling — Part 4: Information exchange (ISO, 2022) · Verified against source
- December 2023 · Standardisation
Federal prompt payment in force
The Federal Prompt Payment for Construction Work Act takes effect for construction on federal real property, with its own adjudication regime. Related definition
Source: Canada's federal prompt payment legislation now in force (Miller Thomson LLP, 2023) · Verified against source
- June 2024 · Standardisation
IDS v1.0 approved
buildingSMART approves the Information Delivery Specification v1.0 as a final standard for machine-readable information requirements. Related definition
Source: Information Delivery Specification (IDS) v1.0 is approved as a final standard (buildingSMART International, 2024) · Verified against source
- March 2024 · Standardisation
IFC 4.3 published as ISO 16739-1:2024
IFC 4.3 extends the open schema to roads, railways, bridges, ports and waterways. Related definition
Source: Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) for data sharing in the construction and facility management industries — Part 1: Data schema (ISO, 2024) · Verified against source
- June 2024 · Standardisation
ISO 7817-1 (level of information need) published
The European level-of-information-need concepts are published as an international standard. Related definition
Source: Building information modelling — Level of information need — Part 1: Concepts and principles (ISO, 2024) · Verified against source
- November 2025 · Standardisation
ISO 29481-1:2025 (IDM) published
The third edition of the Information Delivery Manual methodology replaces the 2016 edition. Related definition
Source: Building information models — Information delivery manual — Part 1: Methodology and format (ISO, 2025) · Verified against source
- November 2025 · Reinterpretation / renaming
PMBOK Guide, 8th edition
PMI publishes the eighth edition, built on six principles and seven performance domains.
Source: A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide), Eighth Edition (Project Management Institute (PMI), 2025) · Verified against source
- 2026 · Standardisation
CCDC progressive design-build forms
CCDC releases updated design-build documents (CCDC 14 and 15) and new progressive design-build contracts (CCDC 32 and 33). Related definition
Source: CCDC releases 2026 documents for design-build and progressive design-build contracting (Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, 2026) · Verified against source
- August 2026 · Reinterpretation / renaming
ISO 19650-1 and -2 revisions at DIS stage
Draft second editions retitled around "information management" complete their DIS ballot; ISO records a decision for a further DIS ballot. Not yet published. Related definition
Source: Organization and digitization of information about buildings and civil engineering works, including building information modelling (BIM) — Information management — Part 1: Concepts and principles (draft) (ISO, 2026) · Verified against source
- February 2026 · Standardisation
SAE EIA-748E published
A new edition of the earned value management systems standard is issued. Related definition
Source: Earned Value Management Systems (SAE International, 2026) · Verified against source