Constructive Objects and the INtegration of processes and Systems

Constructive Objects and the INtegration of processes and Systems, commonly abbreviated COINS, is a flexible standard for the exchange of BIM information making use of existing multiple ISO-IEC standards and semantic web technology. It provides a data exchange and storage mechanism by means of a container or envelope for BIM related data/information. The standard provides a semantic model comprising a small core information model which can be extended with reference information models and object libraries for specific domains. The standard provides functionality to integrate data structures which are a combination of RDF formatted, non geometric data structures and standardize data structures like IFC and GML, object type libraries and non structured documents. It is developed by a Dutch consortium of governmental bodies, contractors, consultants, ICT-providers and educational institutes. Its first edition (version 1.0) was released in 2010, followed with a minor maintenance update in 2014. Version 2.0 will be released in 2015.
Why COINS?
* BIM is more than 3D
* COINS is an answer to the needs of practice in which information delivery often consist of combinations of various data structures
* COINS is an answer to the need of practice to combine BIM, GIS, Systems engineering and Life Cycle Information
What is COINS?
COINS is an open standard that provides a data exchange format by means of a container. This format enables the exchange of various datasets annotated by an OWL ontology with the following features:
* Extendibility: The kernel model can be extended with specialized models (reference frameworks) for various disciplines. These submodels may address various areas of interest (company-wide, building sector, national) and therefore can be regarded as semistandards in itself. A reference framework can also function as an incubation project to prototype new model concepts. After maturing it may promote later as a tested part in a higher placed reference framework or even the kernel.
* Dynamic semantics: Semantics are typically recorded in libraries forming a dynamic means to add semantics to instance models. Since version 1.0 library structuring mechanisms form an integral part of COINS.
* Integrating document oriented information with object oriented information: The boundary between document oriented information and object oriented information areas can be moved over time. Offering parties an evolutionary path to develop in BIM maturity level.
* Integrating adjacent standards: COINS delegates specific modelling areas to existing standards as GML (GIS data) and IFC (3D building data). More general every relevant standard (open or not) may be used if parties involved agree mutually on using it in data exchanges.
* Library model: The COINS 2.0 library model is fully OWL-class based and in line with standard OWL modeling features.
* An off-line transaction-based information exchange: COINS information exchange can be integrated with transaction-based information exchange as for instance supported by the IDM part 2 standard for process modelling.
* Version management: COINS offers features to record the history of the BIM.

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