With the launch of our new platform, NBS Source, we at NBS have enhanced the data structure for manufacturer products and systems within our listings. We’re calling this ‘enhanced data’.
These improvements are the result of feedback that we’ve received from construction professionals over recent years, which includes feedback from our focus groups, surveys and general conversations.
The structure of ‘enhanced data’ includes:
- Full alignment to the data structures within the NBS specification platform
- Clear identification of third-party certifications
- Additional standard fields for sustainability data credentials
- An additional data field for application guidance to describe the context in which the product should be used
- More imagery
- Timestamps on listings, so that manufacturers can give assurances to specifiers that the data is correct and up-to-date
- Full alignment between product specification and the digital object.
From launch, NBS Source includes all existing manufacturer product data from Product Selector, the NBS National BIM Library and NBS Plus. Our Technical Team will be working with our manufacturers to enhance their data. Users will be able to see on the product listing whether enhanced data is included.
Figure 1 below shows an example of the overall structure of a product with enhanced data. Examples of the enhanced data include the LPCB certificate, the guidance note on the application and the technical content, structured against NBS and the relevant standards.
Figure 2 below shows the alignment between the enhanced data in NBS Source and the generic specification clause in our specification platform, NBS Chorus.
The NBS Chorus project specification is the window to the left-hand side. The specifier also has the NBS Source window open and is viewing the technical specification from the manufacturer. It should be noted that the structure of the content is the same. This will be the case for all manufacturers, with enhanced data allowing improved filtering of multiple products and product comparison.
