Harnessing the power of digitalisation and technology, CORENET X will allow Qualified Persons (QPs, i.e. professional engineers and registered architects) to submit a three-dimensional model of a development or building - created and developed digitally through Building Information Modelling (BIM) - to the regulatory agencies.
It allows the project team, which includes the QPs, to collaborate and review their designs in the model together, detect possible major conflicts before construction, and produce a coordinated BIM model for submission and regulatory approval. It changes the current practice of QPs dealing separately with multiple regulatory agencies, and producing different versions of building plans thereafter.
Led by BCA and URA, 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.
Concept of CORENET X
Figure 1 - Current regulatory approval process
The current regulatory process allows concurrent submissions, where industry consultants submit plans to various agencies separately. This approach does not incentivise consultants to conduct proper design coordination, which is important for productive construction practices. The plans approval process and response time of the regulatory agencies are also largely dependent on the project teams' own coordination as each individual agency assesses the submissions independently.
* Note: The diagram does not show all public agencies involved in the regulatory process.
Figure 2 - Concept of CORENET X
CORENET X requires the consultants to collaborate upfront to de-conflict their designs, and submit a coordinated BIM model to the authorities. Agencies will collectively review the submission and provide a consolidated response to the consultants. This integrated submission process provides a one-stop shopfront experience and improves regulatory governance and synergy among agencies.
What are the key aspects of CORENET X?
1. Re-designing the current approval process
- Public agencies* and the industry - including developers, architects, civil and structural engineers, mechanical and electrical engineers, builders, land surveyors, and the Trade Associations and Chambers' (TACs') representatives - have come together to map out the current regulatory approval process and identify challenges / pain points before going on to redesign the new approval process.
2. Leveraging technologies to redefine the way agencies and industry interact
- One of the key technological enablers is the Collaboration Platform that will support concurrent review and collaboration among the different agencies, before issuing a coordinated response to the project team.
3. Create a model checking tool
- A second key technological enabler is the Automated Model Checker that will allow QPs to run checks of their BIM model against regulatory requirements from seven main regulatory agencies before submission. This will ensure that QPs can address any major non-compliances before they submit them.
* Public agencies include the Building and Construction Authority (BCA), Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), Land Transport Authority (LTA), Public Utilities Board (PUB), National Parks Board (NParks), National Environment Agency (NEA), Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), Singapore Land Authority (SLA), Housing & Development Board (HDB), JTC Corporation (JTC) and Government Technology Agency (GovTech).
Benefits of CORENET X
CORENET X will shift from project parties submitting in silos, to upfront design coordination by project parties that is enabled by auto-checking. The modus operandi in project delivery will refocus on integrative design and resolution, instead of divergence and expediency.
CORENET X enables:
- Developers to enjoy overall improved cost, time, and quality project goals
- Qualified Persons (QPs) to have a true one-stop shopfront experience. They will no longer deal with individual agencies separately. With upfront coordination prior to submission, this will reduce the number of iterations between industry and agencies.
- Contractors and builders to receive coordinated models, minimise design discrepancy and abortive reworks, reduce safety hazards and risk, enjoying higher certainty of project delivery.
What are the key differences between CORENET today, and CORENET X in the future?
| |
CORENET today |
CORENET X in the future |
| Process |
Individual consultants submit plans to various regulatory agencies separately. This may result in uncoordinated design and discrepancies. |
The project team collaborates upfront to de-conflict their designs, and submit one coordinated model to agencies in the openBIM format. |
| Agencies receive submissions at different points in the project and assess them independently, with different approval process and response times. This may result in conflicting comments that project parties would have to reconcile. |
All agencies review the submission collectively at the same time, and provide one coordinated response to the project team. |
| Technology |
e-Submission platform serving mainly as a conduit for submissions from industry practitioners to regulatory agencies. |
The entire submission experience will be redesigned, improving user experience. Industry practitioners to preview and check the project's coordinated BIM model before submission.
Upon receiving the submission, Agencies will come together via the Collaboration Platform to review each project's coordinated BIM model collectively at the same time. |
How do I get ready for CORENET X?
For QPs and non-QPs, you need to be clear of how the regulatory processes will change, as it would directly or indirectly transform the project delivery process for you and fellow project stakeholders. You may need to prepare your in-house resources and workflows to transit to the new regulatory processes.
- Get started with the CORENET X Intro Toolkit
- Have more questions? Check out our FAQ or write to us here
- Ready to learn?
- Firm up your basic technical skills with our IFC and Geo-Referencing webpages
- Register for training courses
- As CORENET X is still developing, we will update our Resources webpage to release materials for you to download
- Register for our CORENET X webinars
- Stay updated for more information on this website