CORENET (Construction and Real Estate Network) is the Singapore government's online system for building plan submissions to its regulatory agencies. It is the longest-running public example of model-based submissions and automated code checking: an early rule-checking module from 2000, BIM submissions accepted from around 2011, and a newer platform, CORENET X, with an automated model checker that consultants can run before submitting.
At a glance
| Owner | Building and Construction Authority (BCA), with other Singapore agencies |
| Started | CORENET established in 2001; e-PlanCheck rule-checking work from 2000 |
| BIM submissions | Accepted for architecture, structure and MEP from around 2011 (sources give dates from 2008) |
| Current platform | CORENET X: one submission portal for the agencies, with an automated model checker and a model viewer |
| Format | IFC, with agency modelling guides for the main authoring tools |
What was done
- e-PlanCheck: an early system that read building models from IFC, added the meaning the rules needed, and checked selected regulations automatically.
- BIM e-submission: agencies accepted models for regulatory submissions, with modelling guides saying how models must be prepared.
- Checkers for consultants: tools such as the PUB BIM e-Checker let designers check models before submission and attach the report.
- CORENET X: a single portal for submissions across agencies, with automated checking and a viewer.
What it shows
Automated checking works only with published modelling rules and measurable regulations: the model must be prepared to a guide, and only rules that can be expressed clearly are checked automatically. The rest is still reviewed by people. The case also shows how long such a programme takes: two decades of steady change rather than one switch.
Often misquoted
- "Singapore approves buildings automatically." Checks cover selected rules; officers still review submissions.
- "Any IFC model can be submitted." Models must follow the agencies' modelling guides.
Where to read more
The BCA's CORENET X pages; agency circulars on the BIM e-Checker; the AECbytes feature on CORENET e-PlanCheck (2005); research reviews of automated code checking that include Singapore.