COBie, or Construction Operations Building Information Exchange, is a structured and standardised way of passing building asset information from the design and construction teams to the facility managers who will look after the building long after practical completion. Instead of relying on stacks of manuals or inconsistent spreadsheets, COBie organises all maintainable assets, their locations, types, serial numbers, documents, contacts, warranties and maintenance requirements into a clear, reliable dataset that can be imported directly into facility management software.
It works by using a series of linked spreadsheet style tables that each represent a category of information. These might include spaces, systems, equipment, components, spare parts or scheduled jobs. This simple structure means the information is easy to follow and avoids the confusion that often happens when data is scattered across different drawings and documents. COBie becomes a bridge between construction and operations, giving the facilities team a single version of the truth from day one.
The reason it has become so important is that owners and operators now expect complete asset data at handover. It improves efficiency, helps with compliance, and cuts down on the time wasted searching for product details, maintenance instructions or warranty obligations. Contractors and designers benefit too because the standard gives them a clear target to work toward rather than trying to guess what the client wants at the end of a project.
I’m Andrew Frost and I have worked in this sector for more than twenty years. Over that time I’ve seen how much smoother a project runs when COBie is handled properly. When the data is clean, consistent and complete, FM teams can get on with their job and the builder avoids late handover surprises. When it isn’t, the frustration can last for years.
It’s a structured way of capturing asset information from your design and construction teams — so building owners and facility managers have everything they need for operations.
Think of COBie as a data-rich handover package — describing every maintainable asset, its location, type, serial numbers, warranties, documents, and more.
COBie requires accuracy, structure, and relentless attention to detail — usually at the busiest part of the project.
Owners expect fully populated and validated COBie sheets at handover — it’s now part of most government and institutional project requirements.
COBie is the bridge between design and operations — linking your Revit model to facility management systems.
Poor COBie means rework, delays, and unhappy clients. Clean COBie leads to smooth FM integration and a professional outcome.
Using your Revit model, we pull accurate Asset, Type, Component, and System data — ensuring clean formatting and no missing fields.
Our QA process ensures your COBie meets industry standards and client expectations.
Need more than COBie? We can assemble O&M content, PDFs, manuals, and asset documents into a single handover pack.
COBie is a structured data format used in BIM workflows to capture and deliver asset information for facility management. Rather than focusing on geometry, COBie records equipment, types, spaces, systems and maintenance data so owners receive usable information at handover.
In construction, COBie is the agreed method of delivering asset information at Practical Completion. It replaces old paper manuals and disorganised handover binders with a clean, standardised dataset that the FM team can load directly into their software. It is now widely required on government, health, transport and commercial projects.
COBie is delivered as a structured spreadsheet, usually in Excel or CSV. Each sheet represents a different category such as Spaces, Types, Components, Systems, Attributes and Documents. The spreadsheet format keeps it accessible for both BIM users and FM teams.
In Revit, COBie relies on parameters inside the model. Assets, families and systems must contain the right information so it can be exported cleanly into COBie sheets. We map parameters, check model structure and extract validated data for clean imports into FM systems.
COBie is usually stored in Excel workbooks, FM systems, Digital Twin platforms or cloud-based asset databases. The structure is consistent even when the storage method changes, which is why COBie remains a reliable open-standard format.
A typical COBie entry for an air handling unit includes its type, serial number, model number, installation date, location, system connection, warranty details, and required maintenance tasks. All of this is structured so FM platforms can read it automatically.
IFC is an open 3D model format, while COBie focuses on non-geometric asset data. IFC carries the geometry and model structure; COBie carries the operational information. Together they form the foundation for Digital Twins, FM systems and data-driven building management.
The simplest approach is to define required parameters early, build them into Revit templates, track them throughout design, and extract and validate them before handover. Most implementation failures come from leaving COBie too late in the project.
A COBie data drop is a staged delivery of COBie during the project life cycle. Typical drops occur at design development, tender issue and Practical Completion. Staged delivery makes review easier and reduces handover risk.
Revit exports COBie through structured parameter mapping, schedules and IFC-based workflows. Clean exports depend on consistent parameters, correct family structures and proper system assignments. We prepare and validate models so the export process is reliable.
COBie is required on many government, health, transport and commercial projects. Even where it is not mandatory, owners increasingly request structured asset data to reduce FM risk and improve long-term maintenance outcomes.
COBie contains spaces, systems, types, components, attributes, warranties, spare parts, maintenance tasks and document links. Everything required for FM teams to understand, maintain and operate the building long after handover.
Open BIM relies on interoperability and shared data standards. COBie is a core component because it provides a consistent way to deliver operational data regardless of the BIM authoring tool. It bridges design, construction and FM.
Yes. Existing buildings without BIM models can still produce COBie datasets using drawings, site surveys and asset registers. The process takes longer but delivers the same FM-ready outcome.
Yes. COBie Data Cottage is one of the few Australian-based specialists focused solely on COBie, Revit metadata, digital handover and FM-ready asset data for government and commercial projects.