LeaDE: Ensuring Valid BIM Data

When handling metadata in real life projects, inputting the correct parameter names and values across a large project, with multiple stakeholders, is always a challenge. There are plenty of tools out there that serve this specific need: ensuring consistency, correct naming according to project specifications, validating parameter values, etc.

Nevertheless, they are all defensive, rather than offensive. What does this mean? Data is validated post factum, after it’s been introduced - correctly or incorrectly. Mistakes are spotted after they are made, and thus require going back and forth to correct them. It’s a time consuming process.

ekkodale, a BIM software development company and business consulting for digitisation in the construction industry, wants to turn this around. They have developed LeaDE, an application that leverages Speckle in the backend. LeaDE completely eliminates the need to defend against invalid data: instead of spotting the mistakes after they are made, why make any mistakes at all?

How Does it Work?

In a nutshell, leaDE detaches the process of inputting BIM data from the idiosyncrasies of existing authoring software. Firstly, it allows design and construction stakeholders to specify, based on pre-existing standards, what data they expect, and where. So, we talk about EIR definitions, roles and phases. Subsequently, architects, engineers and technicians can use leaDE to assign the correct properties to building elements and, simultaneously, ensure that they have the correct values - no more typos!

All is stored outside the BIM authoring software to avoid the bottleneck and ensure the accessibility of the information at the right time and place. For example, the installer can provide data on the job site, while mounting a fire damper - and help with status tracking too!

Of course, an access rights management system ensures that no one can see or modify data they’re not allowed to. All data is yours, accessible through APIs. Moreover, hosting inside your own environment is the plan, not only a possibility.

Speckle & LeaDE

Speckle’s mission is to create an open data platform for the AEC industry on which we can build together the digital future of the industry. leaDE leverages Speckle as a backend to store project information, and extends Speckle with the business logic described above.

What's in it for you? Here's what ekkodale had to say:

“Speckle helped us to focus on our part of the job, supporting our backend, minimising the efforts for data persistency, versioning and collaboration.”

Data Sovereignty

Both Speckle and leaDE care for how and where you store your data. Speckle is open source and can be hosted on pretty much any cloud infrastructure, under the legislative jurisdiction of your choosing.

leaDE builds on these principles, and comes as a fully containerised application that can be deployed in any scenario your project and team might require - including completely air gapped environments for top secret projects!

Want to know more?

Together with Speckle, leaDE is ready for action. If you want to know more, get a demo, or deploy it on your project, please get in touch with ekkodale!