bSDD Content Verification
The buildingSMART Data Dictionary (bSDD) is a global service designed to ensure consistent and structured terminology for the built environment. The governance of the bSDD service is the responsibility of buildingSMART International, who ensure the platform remains functional and secure. But who governs the information inside bSDD, and how do we know it’s well-structured and trustworthy?
Who Governs the Data?
While the bSDD platform is managed by buildingSMART International (bSI), the content within it is contributed and governed by independent organisations — these are the owners of individual data dictionaries. Each dictionary may represent a national classification system, a domain-specific vocabulary or else.
Before a new organisation is allowed to contribute, the bSI team verifies their credibility and that their mission aligns with the bSDD’s purpose. This ensures that bSDD remains focused on providing meaningful and usable data, and not, for instance, hosting irrelevant or advertising material.
How Is the Data Verified?
The moment someone uploads new content, it is accessible by others (except for private dictionaries). With so many that can publish, how to ensure the content is reliable? To maintain data quality, bSDD uses a multi-layered verification system combining automated checks, crowdsourcing, and a detailed verification procedure. Additionally, the bSI team investigates reports of issues, including potential license violations.
Type When Who Cost What
Organisation review On registration bSI team Free Each new organisation is reviewed to make sure its objectives fit the bSDD's mission.
Import validation On every upload automated Free Automatic step triggered on every bSDD upload, verifying compliance with the bSDD data structure.
User/reactive review On user request Community & bSI team Free bSDD users can file 'change requests' to report problems or propose improvements to the content owner and bSDD team (acc. to ISO 12006-3:2022). The bSDD team investigates reports on license violations.
Detailed verification On owner request bSI team or delegates Paid On-demand paid service to ensure the quality of the content, marked by a verified badge in bSDD. Designed to increase the trustworthiness of data within the bSDD platform. The procedure is described in the checklist.
Recently, buildingSMART established the on-request, detailed verification. Content that passes earns a “verified” badge, a proof of high quality. The process follows a detailed checklist, including guidelines from international standards like ISO 12006-3:2022, ISO 23386:2020 and ISO 704:2022. The price of the detailed verification service is determined individually depending on the content - please get in touch with the bSDD team for a quote: contact form.
Verified dictionaries
The new feature allows bSDD users to filter the content based on the verification result. Among the first verified dictionaries are the latest ETIM 10.0 and the Airport dictionary produced and published by the buildingSMART Airport Domain.
What’s in the Verification Checklist?
The checklist covers everything from technical correctness to clarity. For example, all required fields must be filled (name, code, definitions, etc.), the content needs to have an English version, class definitions must avoid circular or misleading language, and properties should use correct data types and SI units; Additionally, hierarchical and relational structures must be logical and non-redundant and use of IFC terms or prefixes like "Ifc" or "PSET_" is tightly controlled to avoid confusion. The checklist is available here: verification checklist. The list is not exhaustive and evolves over time, aiming to continuously improve the quality of the content in bSDD.
How do I know the content won’t change?
The bSDD content can evolve, as new versions are uploaded. Initially, upon upload, content is designated as "Preview," allowing for reviews and adjustments. Once all evaluations are complete, the status is updated to "Active," signifying that the content is finalized and will remain unchanged, providing a stable reference for users. If content becomes outdated or requires removal, it is marked as "Inactive," indicating that it is no longer in use. This structured approach ensures that users can trust the consistency and dependability of the information within bSDD.
Why It Matters
bSDD is more than a database — it’s the backbone for trustworthy, interoperable digital construction data. With structured governance and robust verification, it ensures that architects, engineers, software tools, and governments can rely on the terms and classifications it contains.
By maintaining high-quality standards, bSDD plays a crucial role in enabling a more open and connected construction industry.
Published on the 12th of May 2025
Author: Artur Tomczak, bSDD Product Manager