COBie 2.4 · Supporting guide
Coordinate
Provides supplemental coordinate values for referenced COBie records when the exchange requires them.
Is extra location information needed beyond a room or level assignment?
Simple location data, not a geometry exchange
The Coordinate worksheet provides X, Y, and Z values plus optional rotations for a referenced COBie row. Annex A points Coordinate.SheetName to a CoordinateSheet PickList but does not enumerate that list in its PickLists schema table. Its IFC mapping identifies building storeys, spaces, and products as coordinate sources, corresponding to Floor, Space, and Component-oriented records. This does not support excluding Components or asserting a broader target list without the issued template.
COBie cannot reproduce detailed building geometry through this worksheet. Coordinate values can supplement a defined record, but they do not replace a Revit model, IFC model, drawing, or spatial viewer. Projects should use the contract-issued template and validator to determine permitted SheetName values, coordinate categories, and required coverage.
Coordinate categories, units, and reference frames
Category is required and must resolve to the CoordinateType PickList, but Annex A does not enumerate that list in its PickLists schema table. The X, Y, and Z fields carry the coordinate values, while ClockwiseRotation, ElevationalRotation, and YawRotation are optional as-specified fields.
The project must document the datum, axis direction, and units used for every value. Facility linear units provide part of that context, but a number is still ambiguous if one team uses shared coordinates and another uses an internal model origin. False precision should be avoided when the source and receiving use do not justify it.
Deriving coordinates from Revit responsibly
Revit can calculate origins, transforms, element extents, and linked-model positions, but federated coordinates require careful transformation into one agreed frame. Model bounding boxes may also include geometry that is invisible, rotated, or irrelevant to the operational location the owner expects.
BIMRelay retains source model and element context for generated records and provides an embedded viewer for precise visual inspection. When Coordinate rows are required, the workbook can keep them linked to active records and validate references while the richer model remains available for geometry that a spreadsheet cannot express.
Key relationships
References another row through SheetName and RowName
Complements non-graphical COBie data
Practical quality checks
- Use one coordinate convention
- Confirm units and axis orientation
- Avoid false precision
Coordinate worksheet FAQ
- What is the COBie Coordinate worksheet?
- Coordinate stores X, Y, and Z values and optional rotations associated with another COBie record through SheetName and RowName. The issued template and validator determine the permitted targets and category values.
- Can COBie Coordinate replace a Revit or IFC model?
- No. It represents coordinate values and optional rotations, not detailed asset or building geometry.
- What must be agreed before exporting coordinates?
- The contract should define the included record types, coordinate origin, datum, axis orientation, units, relative reference frame, and required precision.
- How does BIMRelay help review Coordinate data?
- BIMRelay keeps workbook records tied to their source model context and provides a viewer for spatial review while validating any supplemental Coordinate references included in the export.
This is an independent practical summary, not a reproduction of the COBie specification. Refer to the official standard for normative definitions and field requirements.
Reviewed against the official NIBS COBie 2.4 publication and Annex A worksheet schemas.
Where the official documents, contract-issued workbook, and project validator differ, follow the contract requirements and accepted validation process.
Open the official COBie 2.4 publicationOpen the official COBie 2.4 Annex A worksheet schemas