ISO 16354:2013

INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 16354
First edition
2013-03-15
Guidelines for knowledge libraries
and object libraries
Lignes directrices pour les bibliothèques de connaissance et les
bibliothèques d’objets
Reference number
©
ISO 2013
© ISO 2013
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form
or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting on the internet or an intranet, without prior
written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address below or ISO’s member body in the country of
the requester.
ISO copyright office
Case postale 56 • CH-1211 Geneva 20
Tel. + 41 22 749 01 11
Fax + 41 22 749 09 47
E-mail copyright@iso.org
Web www.iso.org
Published in Switzerland
ii © ISO 2013 – All rights reserved

Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
3.1 Terms and definitions for concepts . 1
3.2 Terms and definitions for kinds of relations . 7
4 Symbols and abbreviations .16
5 Objectives .17
5.1 Introduction .17
5.2 Scope, conditions and target users .17
5.3 Problem definition .18
5.4 Objective of this standard .18
5.5 Guidelines as instrument .20
6 Types of knowledge libraries .23
6.1 Introduction .23
6.2 Definitions and types of knowledge libraries .24
6.3 Added value of knowledge libraries .27
7 Functional framework for knowledge libraries .30
7.1 Introduction .30
7.2 Functional unit: vocabulary or list of terms .31
7.3 Functional unit: Dictionary .31
7.4 Functional unit: Taxonomy .31
7.5 Functional unit: Aspect Models .33
7.6 Functional unit: Composition Models .33
7.7 Functional unit: Collections .34
7.8 Relations between functional units.35
8 Guidelines for functional units .36
8.1 Guidelines for Vocabularies or List of Terms .36
8.2 Guidelines for Dictionaries .39
8.3 Guidelines for Taxonomies .40
8.4 Guidelines for Aspect Models .46
8.5 Guidelines for Composition Models .47
8.6 Guidelines for Collections .49
8.7 Guidelines for Cross Functional Units .50
Annex A (informative) Quality labels .53
Annex B (normative) Reference model .60
Annex C (informative) Guidelines under scrutiny .66
Annex D (informative) Index .70
Bibliography .72
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out
through ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical
committee has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International
organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work. ISO
collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of electro
technical standardization.
International Standards are drafted in accordance with the rules given in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.
The main task of technical committees is to prepare International Standards. Draft International
Standards adopted by the technical committees are circulated to the member bodies for voting.
Publication as an International Standard requires approval by at least 75 % of the member bodies
casting a vote.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
ISO 16354 was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 59, Buildings and civil engineering works,
Subcommittee SC 13, Organization of information about construction works.
iv © ISO 2013 – All rights reserved

Introduction
Knowledge libraries are databases that contain modelled knowledge about kinds of things.
Knowledge libraries are intended to support business processes concerning any kind of products during
their lifetime, for example to support their design, procurement, construction, operation or maintenance.
There is an increasing awareness of the high potential value of knowledge libraries and of the drawbacks
of the inconsistencies and lack of interoperability between different knowledge libraries.
This standard is based on Netherlands Technical Agreement NTA 8611:2008 (en), Guidelines for
Knowledge Libraries and Object Libraries, Version 3.0.
On both a national and international level knowledge libraries exist or are being developed, such as the
Gellish English Dictionary-Taxonomy (previously called STEPlib), UNETO-VNI ETIM system, LexiCon
and the GWW Objectenbibliotheek [Civil Object Library] and International Framework for Dictionaries
(IFD) developed by the Building Smart consortium. International efforts include IEC 61360, ISO 13584,
ISO/TS 15926-4, and ISO 12006-3.
Historically, most libraries have had their own unique structure and methodology for defining their
objects and they use their own naming conventions. For instance, the structure of the article classes laid
down in ISO 13584-42 notably differs from that of the UNETO-VNI component classes (publication 8)
or LexiCon, based on ISO 12006-3. In most cases the intrinsic definition of objects will also be different.
The major ICT developments with regard to the Internet and XML technology have increased the
possibility for uniformity. From a technical point of view, it has become much easier to exchange
data, which increases the need and support for this within the industry. Organizations launching new
initiatives for the creation of knowledge libraries may also greatly benefit from enhanced uniformity.
They may come up with questions such as: “Which existing libraries should be used?”, “Will these
libraries receive sufficient support?”, “Do they fulfil my information needs?” and “Is there international
support for such libraries?”
INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 16354:2013(E)
Guidelines for knowledge libraries and object libraries
1 Scope
The aim of this standard is to distinguish categories of knowledge libraries and to lay the foundation
for uniform structures and content of such knowledge libraries and for commonality in their usage.
By drawing up a number of guidelines, a guiding principle is provided for new libraries as well as for
upgrading existing libraries. Without these guidelines there is an undesirable amount of freedom, so
that the various libraries may become too heterogeneous. This would render the comparison, linking
and integrated usage of these libraries very complex, if not impossible.
— The objective of the standard is to categorize knowledge libraries and object libraries and to provide
recommendations for the creation of such libraries. Libraries that are compliant with the guidelines
of this standard may be more easily linked to, or integrated with other libraries.
— The target audience of the standard consists of developers of knowledge libraries, builders of
translation software or interfaces between knowledge libraries, certifying bodies and builders of
applications who must base their work on the knowledge libraries laid down.
NOTE 1 Knowledge libraries are databases or files that contain modelled knowledge about kinds of things.
They are intended to support business processes concerning any kind of products during their lifetime, for
example to support their design, procurement, construction, operation or maintenance. There is an increasing
awareness of the high potential value of knowledge libraries and of the drawbacks of the inconsistencies and lack
of interoperability between different knowledge libraries.
NOTE 2 This standard does not aim to standardize terminology, but to harmonize and standardize concepts.
Thus the use of synonyms and synonymous phrases and one-to-one translations are allowed or even recommended,
provided that alternative terms denote the same concepts and reference is made to the corresponding synonymous
terms in this standard.
2 Normative references
The following documents, in whole or in part, are normatively referenced in this document and are
indispensable for its application. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated
references, the latest edition of the referenced
...