Room Data Sheets and BriefBuilder

Room data sheets provide systematic reviews of the specifications for every space in a building project. They are vital for planning communication, design validation, and change management.

They are usually developed during the briefing (architectural programming in the US) phases of the project. The main audience for RDSs is the design team which includes architects, interior designers, and various types of engineers. They translate the RDSs into spatial solutions that are appropriate for the various types of building spaces.

They usually contain general requirements, as well as instructions. The ideal scenario is that the future inhabitants of each room are included in this process by means of meetings and workshops. This will equip the design team with practical knowledge of what they need from their spaces, such as slip resistance for shoes, ease of cleaning and recycling.

The RDSs may also contain details about elements and systems, such as a floor finish that has specific requirements in relation to its durability as well as environmental conditions and warranty. In these instances the datasheet will list all the specifications find more that must be met for this system/element.

BriefBuilder, a database tool that is flexible allows users to build room data sheets easily and quickly. They can also modify them to fit their workflow. The tool is able to tag every piece of data with the same parameters that are connected to similar room types which makes it simple to navigate and search for required requirements. It can be used by project stakeholder who don’t use Revit. This helps all participants in an organization.