CFTA Terminology
BIM
Building Information Modeling - BIM refers to constructing and managing a building information model over time. The complete vision for BIM is for designers, construction firms, and owners to collaborate and use integrated vector drawing and database tools throughout the design, build, commissioning, and maintenance cycles of a building's life. The ultimate goal of BIM is to not only provide large savings throughout the design and construction phases of a building by actually assembling a virtual model of the facility in a computer, in which the assembly of building systems can be tested and evaluated prior to actual physical construction, but also provide to the owner at the end of construction a complete model that can be used and updated over time while dealing with maintenance and renovation work.
CADD
Computer Aided Drafting and Design - "CADD" software is generally considered an early, significant, and critically important tool the use of which led to the development of several other technologies now used for planning, design, maintenance, and management of campus operations around the world.
CAFM
Computer Assisted Facilities Management - A computerized system historically used for maintaining inventories related to building floor plans and campus space. A CAFM system incorporates within it an electronic drawing component and a database component, with the two components offering bi-directional linkages for the production of graphical and textual reports as well as functionality for maintaining data related to rooms and related inventories over time.
CMMS
Computerized Maintenance Management System - A CMMS is most often understood to be an enterprise system that incorporates the activities of the management of Preventive Maintenance (PM) and the management of scheduled work. Normally included in a CMMS are components that allow for the tracking of work requests, assignment of tasks, and the management of materials and costs. CMMS activities and process are often incorporated into CAFM systems.
COBIE
Construction Operations Building Information Exchange - COBIE is a performance-based specification written to control the delivery of electronic construction data that is delivered to owners upon the completion of projects. A COBIE-compatible deliverable replaces boxes full of paper currently used to deliver O&M manuals, PM requirements, warranties, and replacement parts information with electronic data that can be used to manage the facility. COBIE deliverables provide operations, maintenance, and asset information that can be directly used by a facility manager or loaded into maintenance management and asset management systems. The same construction handover information that has always been needed is, through COBIE, provided in an open-standard format so data is not locked into a specific vendor solution. COBIE has been specified on major federal projects since 2007. For more information: http://www.wbdg.org/resources/cobie.php
EDMS
Electronic Document Management System - A computerized system used for the storage and retrieval of electronically produced drawings and other documents and scanned images of paper-based drawings and documents. A fully functional EDMS has incorporated into it a database component used for storing information used for producing searchable electronic card catalogues of the stored documents.
Geospatial Data
Data that can be defined or identified by its relationship to other data in a geographical manner in real-world, measurable, and verifiable positioning.
GIS
Geographical Information System - Computer software used for gathering, assembling, and maintaining various types of data, especially geospatial data related to real-world coordinates. A fully functional GIS incorporates, vector data such as CADD drawings, raster data such as aerial photogaphy, and data stored in a database and provides tools for not only showing visual and textual data stored within the GIS but also for the analysis of that data.
GPS
Global Positioning System - GPS refers to the general existence and functionality of the use of a global network of satellites in earth orbit dedicated to broadcasting microwave signals that can be received by ground and air-based receivers for the purpose of establishing geographical locations expressed in both coordinate or longitudinal/latitudinal values and elevation data. The most common use for GPS in campus operations is for performing accurate surveying and mapping functions.
Metadata
Metadata is simply defined as "data about data." Metadata describes information about existing data that is stored and distributed. Example: Information on a flow line in a manhole or the condition of a pipe gathered in a condition assessment survey is "data." Information on how the information was gathered, who gathered it, and expected accuracy would be classified as metadata.
Planimetry
Planimetry refers to geographic data in terms of horizontal location without regard to elevation. A planimetric map is a map that shows geographical information laid out on a flat, horizontal plane (as in a bird's eye view showing linework and objects representing what appears on the surface of the ground). Planimetric data is expressed in X,Y coordinates only (see Topography).
Topography
Topography generally refers to geographic data in terms of both horizontal location (X,Y coordinates) and vertical position (Z coordinate). The "Z" coordinate contained in "X,Y,Z" point data is expressed as an elevation relative to either sea level or some other point used for describing the base point for the "Z" elevation. A topographic map commonly shows some level of detail of planimetric data (see Planimetry) along with vertical data expressed in the form of elevation contour lines, point elevations, and/or graphical relief.
