Classification problems of building information

Abstract

Many subject fields are facing significant problems in classifying professional literature as required. Internationally known and adopted current classification systems are suitable only partially for arranging and retrieving of documents in some special fields.

In the field of building special classification systems were elaborated in some countries, but – in comparison with the Universal Decimal Classification (UDC) – these are adopted only to a lesser degree. In 1952 CIB and FID established a joint International Building Classification Committee (IBCC) which performed a comparative analysis of 55 different building classification systems. Since that time the IBCC plays an important role in co-ordinating the various building classification systems.

At present in most of the countries for information work in building the ABC is used which contains the various building-oriented notations scattered in UDC. Recently, besides ABC, the SfB classification system, elaborated in Sweden, is used in more and more countries. The English CI/SfB, structured on the base of SfB but differently to a certain extent, is also in use together with the Danish CBC,

The SfB is adopted mainly for systematization and logically simplified classification of nonconventional documents i.e. prospectuses, trade catalogues and other specialized documents of the building industry. A more developed version of SfB was prepared by the British Royal Institute for Architecture for the classification of all types of conventional and nonconventional documents on building. The CBC elaborated in Denmark vas also compiled on the base of SfB but for the purpose of computer made compilation of measurement reports in building and of co-ordinated cost-analyses of various products used in building industry.

In Hungary the ABC tables are generally used by building information centres. The Building Information centre has been investigating the adaptibility of other classification systems already for years. Active participation in efficient international information exchange demands also the dissemination of classification systems other than the ABC. Among the systems reported the adaptation of SfB is planned in the next years. Therefore in the near future the main tables of SfB and a guide for their use will be published in Hungarian by the Building Information Centre.