The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) and the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS) announced an early-2009 release of agcXML, a set of eXtensible Markup Language (XML) schemas designed to automate and streamline the exchange of information during the building design and construction process. This buildingSMART initiative, led and funded by AGC and managed by NIBS, will enable efficient, reliable exchange of electronic project information among all design and construction professionals. The ability to import and export data in agcXML format will involve few application modifications, and no need for software developers to change or share proprietary code and data formats.

“AgcXML will move our industry swiftly into the 21st century by reducing exchange of cumbersome paper documents and establishing a common data format and classification system,” said AGC CEO Stephen E. Sandherr. “The information contained in owner/contractor agreements, schedules of values, requests for information, requests for proposals, submittals, etc., can all be exchanged through agcXML.”

On Dec. 10 in Washington, D.C., AGC members e-Builder and Penta Technologies Inc. will demonstrate the capabilities of agcXML at NIBS’ buildingSMART alliance National Conference, co-located with Ecobuild/AEC-ST Fall at the Washington Convention Center.

“As a non-proprietary system, agcXML will give the entire building community a fast, accurate way of exchanging information among dissimilar and proprietary software applications, with the option of using those applications as they are currently designed,” said NIBS President Henry L. Green.

Support for agcXML will be embedded directly into popular applications; end users need not license or purchase the technology directly. Software companies will license agcXML at no cost and in perpetuity.

For more information, visit www.agcxml.org.