BIM submission standards in Singapore are set through the CORENET X regulatory process. Models are prepared as openBIM IFC files that follow the IFC+SG schema, georeferenced to SVY21 and the Singapore Height Datum, and submitted through the CORENET X portal. Mandatory CORENET X submission for all new projects began on 1 October 2026, and ongoing projects are to be onboarded from 1 October 2027. This guide sets out the governing documents, the content of a submission package, georeferencing requirements, the submission workflow and the errors that most often delay clearance.
TL;DR
- The CORENET X Code of Practice guides the preparation of multi-agency BIM submissions, and IFC+SG expresses Singapore’s regulatory requirements within the IFC openBIM standard.
- Mandatory CORENET X submission for new projects began on 1 October 2026; mandatory IFC+SG BIM submission applies to new projects with a gross floor area of 5,000 sqm and above.
- Models must use SVY21 (EPSG: 3414) for Easting and Northing, the Singapore Height Datum for elevation, and a True North orientation.
- Submissions pass through the Design, Construction and Completion gateways, with an optional Piling gateway, and agencies respond within a Service Level Agreement of up to 20 working days.
- Most corrections arise from poor georeferencing, uncoordinated models, and 3D models that conflict with 2D plans submitted for approval.
Table of Contents
- The documents that govern BIM submissions
- Which projects must submit, and from when
- What a complete submission package contains
- Georeferencing and model orientation
- How models are submitted and checked
- Validation issues that cause resubmission
- A preparation sequence for project teams
- Perspective
- How Aman supports BIM-based authority submissions
- FAQ
- Sources
The documents that govern BIM submissions
Singapore does not rely on a single BIM standard. A submission is governed by a small set of official documents that operate together, and a project team is expected to work from the current version of each.
| Document or standard | Function in a submission |
|---|---|
| CORENET X Code of Practice | Guides procedural requirements, BIM coordination and multi-agency submission compliance, and recommends good practices for common BIM issues |
| IFC+SG | Provides representations for Singapore’s regulatory requirements within the IFC openBIM standard |
| CORENET X submission workflows | Define the gateways, agency responses and Service Level Agreement |
| Typical submission package guidance | Defines what a complete submission contains |
| Discipline requirements, for example structural | Specify the elements that must appear in the IFC+SG model for that discipline |
The CORENET X Code of Practice is the primary reference. It sets out how qualified persons (QPs) and project teams should prepare coordinated submissions for several agencies at once. The Building and Construction Authority describes the same code as guidance on procedural requirements, BIM coordination and multi-agency compliance, and presents structured, standardised information management as the basis for consistent data quality and efficient data exchange across the project lifecycle.
The choice of IFC is deliberate. The Urban Redevelopment Authority stated in its CORENET X circular that coordinated BIM models submitted through CORENET X are required to use openBIM IFC, with an IFC-SG extension developed for local regulatory needs. Native files from a proprietary authoring tool are therefore not the submission format. The model must be exported to IFC and validated against the Singapore requirements. Teams selecting authoring software should compare export quality as well as modelling features, as discussed in our overview of BIM tools for Singapore projects.
Which projects must submit, and from when
The applicable thresholds and dates are stated in the BCA circular on CORENET X implementation. Its main provisions are as follows:
- Mandatory IFC+SG BIM submission applies to new projects with a gross floor area (GFA) of 5,000 sqm and above.
- Mandatory CORENET X submission for all new projects begins on 1 October 2026.
- All ongoing projects are to be onboarded from 1 October 2027.
The first date has now passed, so a new project that has not yet obtained plan approval is processed through CORENET X. The circular also advises project teams to secure plan approvals before the transition to minimise disruption, which is the reason projects already in the approval pipeline should confirm which process applies to them. Developers and owners with a large portfolio should map every live project against these dates. Our CORENET X migration readiness checklist and the checklist for projects of 5,000 sqm and above set out the preparatory steps in more detail.
What a complete submission package contains
The CORENET X website describes a typical submission package as a combination of components, not a single model file. A package may include:
- coordinated 3D BIM models for the relevant disciplines;
- 2D detailed drawings for complex elements that are not suitable for 3D modelling;
- design calculation reports;
- additional supporting documents, such as site investigation reports.
One rule has direct consequences for how the package is assembled. Where both 3D models and 2D plans are submitted, the QP must state explicitly whether the 2D plans are for approval. Absent that statement, the 3D BIM models take precedence as the primary submission. A QP who intends a 2D sheet to be assessed, for instance a detail that the model does not capture, must say so on submission. Otherwise the agency will treat the model as the governing record.
Architectural, structural and MEP content
Each discipline contributes elements to the federated model. The published structural requirements illustrate the level of specificity. According to the CORENET X structural submission and IFC-SG requirements, piling and foundation works are required within the IFC+SG model, supplemented by 2D drawings for special details such as steel connections or complex joints.
For architectural and MEP submissions, the discipline-specific requirements published on the CORENET X website should be consulted directly, because the required elements, properties and classifications are revised from time to time. The practical approach is to treat the 3D model as the principal deliverable and to reserve 2D drawings for information that a model cannot carry efficiently. Our guide to BCA structural submissions covers the structural side in greater depth.
Georeferencing and model orientation
Georeferencing is a mandatory element of every submission. Under the CORENET X Code of Practice, all models submitted through CORENET X must be georeferenced as follows:
| Parameter | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Horizontal coordinates (x, y) | Singapore SVY21 coordinate system, EPSG: 3414, for Easting and Northing |
| Vertical coordinate (z) | Singapore Height Datum (SHD) |
| Orientation | True North or real-world orientation |
The purpose of the requirement is federation. Models from separate disciplines, and from separate consultants, must align in real-world space without manual adjustment. CORENET X guidance on checking levels (z coordinates) states that models should be presented in True North or real-world orientation and correctly georeferenced so that they align in a federated model.
The typical failure is a model built in a local project coordinate system, with a rotated plan to suit the drawing sheet, and georeferencing added only at export. Setting the SVY21 origin, the datum and the True North orientation at the start of modelling is considerably less costly than correcting them after the architectural, structural and MEP models have diverged.
How models are submitted and checked
The CORENET X submission workflows define a sequence of gateways through which a project passes:
- Design gateway: the design is submitted for regulatory review.
- Construction gateway: the construction-stage submission follows approval of the design.
- Piling gateway (optional): available where piling is to commence ahead of the main construction submission.
- Completion gateway: the completed works are submitted for the closing regulatory clearance.
Agencies review the submission together. The Urban Redevelopment Authority notes that collective review is intended to address delays caused by reconciling the separate requirements of each agency. Agencies respond with Written Directions (WDs) or approvals within a Service Level Agreement of up to a maximum of 20 working days. Joint approvals consist of the individual approval or clearance letter of each agency.
Where revisions are needed, an agency may issue a BIM Collaboration Format (BCF) file. A BCF file attaches the comment to a location or element in the model, so the design team can identify the issue without interpreting a text-only letter. The design team should therefore keep the model environment able to import BCF issues, and should record the response to each.
The time allowed by the Service Level Agreement is a ceiling for each agency response, not a forecast for the whole project. The total duration depends on the number of rounds of Written Directions and the speed of the response. Our realistic timeline for BCA building plan clearance sets out how to plan for those rounds.
Validation issues that cause resubmission
The CORENET X workflow guidance identifies the checks that a team should carry out before submission: models must be georeferenced and coordinated accurately, and the information in the models and in any 2D plans submitted for approval must tally without conflict. These requirements translate into a short pre-submission routine.
- Coordinate verification. Confirm SVY21, SHD and True North in the exported IFC, not only in the authoring file.
- Cross-discipline coordination. Federate the architectural, structural and MEP models and resolve clashes before submission.
- Consistency between 3D and 2D. Where 2D plans are submitted for approval, areas, levels, dimensions and counts must match the model. A difference between a 2D plan and the model gives an agency grounds to issue a Written Direction.
- Level checking. Confirm storey levels against the Singapore Height Datum.
- Declaration of intent. State which 2D sheets are for approval, since the 3D model is otherwise the primary submission.
- Discipline content. Confirm that required elements, such as piling and foundation works in structural models, are present in the IFC+SG model.
A formal quality assurance process allows these checks to be repeated and recorded. Our seven-phase BIM model QA checklist is organised for that purpose, and the BIM execution plan guide explains how to assign responsibilities for each check at the start of a project.
A preparation sequence for project teams
The following sequence reflects the requirements above, and applies to a new project of any size entering CORENET X.
- Confirm the applicable regime. Establish whether the project is new or ongoing, and whether its GFA reaches the 5,000 sqm threshold for mandatory IFC+SG submission.
- Appoint the responsible parties. Identify the QPs for each discipline and the person who coordinates the federated model.
- Fix the coordinate framework. Define SVY21, SHD and True North in a shared template before modelling starts.
- Agree the modelling scope. Record in the BIM execution plan which elements are modelled in 3D and which are supplied as 2D detail.
- Export and validate. Export to IFC with the IFC+SG schema and check the result against the discipline requirements.
- Assemble the package. Combine the 3D models, 2D details, calculation reports and supporting documents, and declare which 2D plans are for approval.
- Submit at the correct gateway and track responses. Record every Written Direction and BCF issue, with the revision that answers it.
The CORENET X submission guide for electronic building plans describes the portal procedure, and the digital engineering BIM guide for Singapore builders explains how the model is used after approval.
Perspective
Our experience of statutory submissions is that BIM compliance fails at the interface between disciplines, seldom within a single model. A structural model that is correct in isolation, an architectural model that is correct in isolation and an MEP model that is correct in isolation can still produce a submission that an agency cannot review as one coordinated whole.
For that reason we treat the submission as a coordination task from the first week of design. A single point of statutory coordination, a multidisciplinary team of Professional Engineers and a modelling capability under the same management allow the coordinate framework, the 3D and 2D declarations and the discipline content to be settled once. We recommend that owners and developers appoint that coordinating party before design begins and not at the point of submission.
Our authority clearance rate of 99% is our own measure of this approach, and it rests on stating the requirements to the client clearly at the outset and tracking every agency direction to closure.
Aman
How Aman supports BIM-based authority submissions
Aman Engineering Consultancy provides authority approvals, PE endorsements, 3D BIM and shop drawing production, and project management for developers, construction firms and building owners in Singapore. For a project entering CORENET X, our team coordinates the statutory submission with the engineering disciplines and the BIM model so that one party is responsible for the complete package. Our published services are listed under authority approvals and PE endorsements and 3D BIM and shop drawing production.
Owners who need to model an existing or planned building for submission can review our BIM modeling services for construction projects. To discuss the requirements of a specific project, contact us through the Aman Engineering Consultancy website.
FAQ
Is BIM submission compulsory in Singapore?
Mandatory CORENET X submission for all new projects began on 1 October 2026, and mandatory IFC+SG BIM submission applies to new projects with a GFA of 5,000 sqm and above, according to the BCA circular. Ongoing projects are to be onboarded from 1 October 2027. Project teams should confirm their status with the relevant agency.
Which file format must a BIM model be submitted in?
The format is openBIM IFC, with the IFC+SG extension for Singapore’s regulatory requirements, as stated in the URA circular on CORENET X and the Code of Practice. A native authoring file is not the submission format. The model is exported to IFC and checked against the discipline requirements.
Which coordinate system must be used?
Models use SVY21 (EPSG: 3414) for Easting and Northing and the Singapore Height Datum for elevation, set in True North or real-world orientation, according to the CORENET X Code of Practice. This allows the models of all disciplines to align when federated.
How long does an agency take to respond?
Agencies issue Written Directions or approvals within a Service Level Agreement of up to a maximum of 20 working days, as set out in the submission workflows. Each round of revision restarts the exchange, so the overall duration depends on how many Written Directions are issued.
Are 2D drawings still required?
A package may include 2D detailed drawings for complex elements that are unsuitable for 3D modelling, such as steel connections. If both 2D and 3D are submitted, the QP must state which 2D plans are for approval, or the 3D models take precedence, per the typical submission package guidance.
Sources
- CORENET X Code of Practice, CORENET X
- Ensuring quality BIM models, Building and Construction Authority
- CORENET X circular, Urban Redevelopment Authority
- CORENET X: mandatory submissions starting from 1 October, BCA circular
- Typical submission package, CORENET X
- CORENET X structural submission and IFC-SG requirements
- Checking levels (z coordinates), CORENET X
- Submission workflows, CORENET X