How to Create an EIR Document for BIM Projects | Step-by-Step Guide

 

Introduction: What Are Employer’s Information Requirements (EIR)?

Employer’s Information Requirements (EIR) are an essential component of Building Information Modelling (BIM) implementation. They define the information a client, building owner, or employer expects from the project team, including what information must be delivered, why it is needed, who is responsible for producing it, when it must be delivered, and how it will be checked.

Under the ISO 19650 framework, EIR stands for Exchange Information Requirements. The terminology changed from Employer’s Information Requirements, used in the earlier PAS 1192 framework, to Exchange Information Requirements to reflect information exchanges between appointed parties throughout a project.

An EIR helps building owners, developers, project management consultants (PMCs), architects, engineering consultants, contractors, and facilities management teams establish clear information expectations before project delivery begins.

For example, a building owner planning a hospital may require coordinated architectural, structural, and MEP models, equipment schedules, maintenance information, COBie data where specified, and verified as-built information before handover.

Without clearly defined requirements, project teams may produce BIM models that look detailed but fail to provide the information needed for construction, asset management, or facility operations.

This guide explains how to create an EIR document step by step, with practical examples, a recommended document structure, and a quality-control checklist.

1. Understand the Purpose of an EIR Document

Before preparing an EIR, the appointing party must understand why project information is required.

The purpose of an EIR is to translate business and project objectives into measurable information deliverables.

Typical objectives include:

• Improving design coordination and reducing construction clashes.
• Supporting accurate quantity take-offs and cost estimation.
• Improving construction planning and project monitoring.
• Establishing reliable asset information for facilities management.
• Supporting regulatory approvals and project compliance.
• Improving collaboration between project stakeholders.
• Enabling digital handover and future digital-twin applications.

For example, if a developer wants to reduce MEP rework, the EIR should specify coordinated discipline models, clash-detection requirements, issue-resolution responsibilities, and the timing of coordination reviews.

Best practice: Define information requirements according to their intended purpose rather than requesting unnecessary modelling detail.

2. Identify the Relevant BIM Standards

An EIR should be developed using an appropriate information-management framework and the standards specified in the project contract.

The ISO 19650 series is widely used for managing information using BIM across the built asset lifecycle.

Relevant references include:

• ISO 19650-1: Concepts and principles of information management.
• ISO 19650-2: Information management during the delivery phase of assets.
• ISO 19650-3: Information management during the operational phase of assets.
• ISO 19650-5: A security-minded approach to information management.
• ISO 16739-1: Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) for open information exchange.

Not every project requires every standard. Select the applicable references based on the project type, contractual requirements, jurisdiction, and intended use of information.

The EIR should also identify applicable national regulations, client standards, project information standards, classification systems, and data-exchange requirements.

For Indian projects, consider relevant National Building Code requirements, applicable Indian Standards, authority requirements, and client-specific technical specifications.

Use the published editions applicable to the project and verify the standards' status before incorporating them into contractual documents.

3. Define the Project Information Objectives

The first practical step is to establish the information outcomes the client expects.

Conduct workshops with the owner, project manager, design consultants, contractor, cost consultant, and facilities management representative.

Ask the following questions:

1. What decisions must the project team make using BIM information?
2. What information is required during design and construction?
3. What information must be transferred to the owner at handover?
4. Which project risks should information management help reduce?
5. Which existing asset-management systems must receive the information?

For example, a commercial building developer may define these objectives:

Objective	Required information outcome
Design coordination	Coordinated architectural, structural, and MEP models
Cost management	Quantities and structured cost information
Construction planning	Model-based sequencing information where required
Quality assurance	Inspection records and approved deliverables
Asset management	Equipment data, warranties, and maintenance information
Handover	Verified as-built information and agreed asset registers

Each objective should have a clear acceptance method. This allows the project team to determine whether the required information has actually been delivered.

4. Identify the Project Information Requirements

Next, connect the project objectives to the wider information requirements.

The ISO 19650 framework distinguishes between several related requirements:

• Organizational Information Requirements (OIR): Information needed to support organizational objectives.
• Asset Information Requirements (AIR): Information needed to operate and maintain an asset.
• Project Information Requirements (PIR): Information needed to support project-related decisions.
• Exchange Information Requirements (EIR): Information required for a particular appointment and information exchange.

These requirements are connected. The EIR should specify the relevant information required from the appointed party rather than repeat every organizational or asset-management requirement.

For example, an owner may require reliable equipment-maintenance data for its facilities management system. The AIR establishes the operational information need, while the relevant EIR specifies what the contractor or equipment supplier must provide, when it must be delivered, and how it will be validated.

This approach helps prevent duplicated, contradictory, or unnecessary information requests.

5. Establish the EIR Document Structure

A practical EIR document should be easy to understand, measurable, and suitable for incorporation into procurement and appointment documents.

The following structure is a useful starting point.

Section 1: Introduction and project overview

Include the project name, location, client details, project scope, objectives, and intended use of BIM.

Section 2: Information management objectives

Explain the decisions, project activities, and operational purposes that the required information must support.

Section 3: Roles and responsibilities

Identify the appointing party, lead appointed party, appointed parties, information manager, discipline leads, and relevant asset-management stakeholders.

Section 4: Information standards

Specify naming conventions, classification, coordinate systems, file structures, model standards, and applicable information-management procedures.

Section 5: Information deliverables

List required models, drawings, schedules, reports, data files, and handover information.

Section 6: Level of information need

Define the required geometric information, alphanumeric data, and documentation for each deliverable and project stage.

Section 7: Information exchange schedule

Specify deliverables, responsible parties, milestone dates, review periods, and approval requirements.

Section 8: Common Data Environment (CDE)

Define the required platform, access permissions, status codes, revision controls, workflows, and information-sharing procedures.

Section 9: Coordination and quality assurance

Define model checking, clash detection, issue management, information validation, and acceptance procedures.

Section 10: Asset information and handover

Specify the asset register, equipment data, commissioning information, warranties, maintenance requirements, and agreed handover formats.

Section 11: Security and compliance

Define information access, confidentiality, security measures, and applicable contractual or statutory obligations.

Section 12: EIR acceptance criteria

State the measurable requirements that must be met before an information exchange is accepted.

6. Define the Required BIM Deliverables

The EIR must clearly identify what the project team is expected to produce.

Typical BIM deliverables include:

• Architectural BIM models.
• Structural BIM models.
• Mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire-protection models.
• Coordinated federated models.
• General arrangement and construction drawings.
• Shop drawings, where included in the appointment.
• Clash-detection reports and issue registers.
• Quantity schedules and bills of quantities, where required.
• Construction sequencing models, where required.
• As-built models and drawings.
• Asset information and handover documentation.

Do not simply write “LOD 400 BIM model required” without further explanation.

Specify the expected geometry, associated information, intended use, exclusions, and acceptance criteria. The level of information need should be appropriate to the purpose and project stage.

For example, an equipment object required for maintenance planning may need an asset identifier, manufacturer, model number, serial number where available, warranty details, and maintenance information. Not all of these fields will be available at every stage, so define when each field becomes mandatory.

7. Prepare an Information Delivery Schedule

An information delivery schedule defines what must be delivered, by whom, and when.

This schedule should align with the project programme, decision-making milestones, and contractual appointments. It should subsequently inform the detailed responsibility and delivery planning undertaken by the project team.

Example:

Project stage	Deliverable	Responsible party	Acceptance requirement
Concept design	Concept model	Architect	Approved against agreed scope
Developed design	Discipline models	Design consultants	Model and data checks completed
Detailed design	Coordinated models	Design team	Coordination requirements satisfied
Construction	Construction information	Contractor and relevant consultants	Contractual review completed
Handover	As-built and asset data	Contractor and suppliers	Asset information validated

These stages are illustrative. Replace them with the actual project milestones and appointment responsibilities.

The delivery schedule should identify information exchange dates, file formats, review periods, revision requirements, and acceptance status.

It should also distinguish between information required for review and information formally accepted for a particular purpose.

8. Specify the Common Data Environment (CDE)

A Common Data Environment is the agreed source for collecting, managing, reviewing, and distributing project information.

The EIR should define the required CDE arrangements, including:

• The nominated platform and hosting responsibilities.
• User access and permission management.
• Information-container naming conventions.
• Revision and status-code requirements.
• Review, approval, and publication workflows.
• Issue tracking and audit trails.
• Information security and retention requirements.
• File exchange and interoperability procedures.

Platforms such as Autodesk Construction Cloud, Bentley ProjectWise, or other suitable systems may be specified depending on the project.

The EIR should focus on required processes and outcomes, not merely the name of the software.

Where open formats such as IFC are required, specify the applicable version, exchange purpose, and validation process. A native authoring file and an open-format exchange file may both be necessary.

9. Define BIM Coordination and Quality-Control Procedures

An effective EIR must explain how the client will assess information quality.

Specify the requirements for:

• Model health checks.
• Coordinate and origin verification.
• Model federation and discipline coordination.
• Clash detection and issue resolution.
• Parameter and attribute validation.
• Naming and classification checks.
• Drawing and schedule consistency.
• Revision and status verification.
• Final information acceptance.

For example, a project may require MEP coordination reports at agreed design milestones, with each issue assigned a unique identifier, responsible party, due date, and resolution status.

Avoid defining success solely by the number of clashes detected. Establish rules for classifying relevant clashes, reviewing tolerances, assigning responsibility, and confirming closure.

Acceptance criteria should be measurable. Examples include complete mandatory asset identifiers, correct file naming, successful validation of required data fields, and documented resolution of critical coordination issues.

10. Establish Asset Information and Handover Requirements

For owners and operators, handover information is one of the most important parts of an EIR.

The owner should identify the data needed to operate, maintain, inspect, replace, and manage the completed asset.

Depending on the project, requirements may include:

• Asset tag and unique identifier.
• Equipment name and classification.
• Manufacturer and model.
• Technical specifications.
• Installation and commissioning records.
• Warranty information.
• Maintenance instructions and planned service intervals.
• Spare-parts information.
• Location and system relationships.
• Approved manuals and certificates.

Define the required fields, responsible data provider, source of information, and validation method.

Where COBie or another structured asset-data format is required, specify the agreed schema, version, mandatory fields, and delivery milestones.

Do not assume that a visually complete BIM model automatically contains usable asset information. Geometry, alphanumeric data, and supporting documents must be coordinated and validated separately.

11. Link the EIR to the BIM Execution Plan (BEP)

The EIR and BIM Execution Plan serve different purposes.

The EIR defines the appointing party’s information requirements. The BIM Execution Plan explains how the delivery team intends to meet those requirements.

During procurement, prospective suppliers may submit a pre-appointment BEP explaining their proposed approach, capability, and capacity. Following appointment, the agreed delivery approach is developed and maintained in accordance with the applicable project and contractual requirements.

The BEP should address:

• The proposed information-management team.
• Roles and responsibilities.
• Information-production methods.
• Model coordination and quality assurance.
• Software and exchange procedures.
• Information delivery planning.
• Risk management and communication.
• Compliance with the EIR.

The EIR should remain the clear statement of the client's requirements. Avoid placing essential requirements only in an unapproved supplier proposal.

12. Review, Approve, and Issue the EIR

Before issuing the EIR for tender or appointment, conduct a structured review.

Confirm that:

1. Every requirement has a defined purpose.
2. Required deliverables and responsible parties are identified.
3. Exchange dates align with the project programme.
4. Model and data requirements are proportionate to the intended use.
5. File formats and CDE procedures are clearly specified.
6. Quality checks and acceptance criteria are measurable.
7. Asset information requirements support the intended handover.
8. Contractual responsibilities and exclusions are unambiguous.
9. Requirements are consistent with related project documents.
10. Relevant stakeholders have reviewed and approved the document.

Assign a document number, revision, issue date, approval status, and change-control procedure.

Issue the approved EIR with the relevant procurement or appointment documents. Manage subsequent revisions through the agreed contractual process.

Practical EIR Checklist for BIM Projects

Use this checklist before issuing your EIR:

• Project objectives and information purposes defined.
• Relevant OIR, AIR, and PIR considered.
• Applicable standards and project information requirements identified.
• Information-management roles and responsibilities assigned.
• Required BIM models, drawings, schedules, and reports listed.
• Level of information need specified for each relevant deliverable.
• Information exchange milestones established.
• CDE requirements and workflows defined.
• Naming conventions and exchange formats documented.
• Model coordination and data-validation procedures established.
• Asset information and handover requirements specified.
• Information security requirements addressed.
• Acceptance criteria and review responsibilities agreed.
• EIR reviewed, approved, and included in the appropriate appointment documents.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is an EIR document in BIM?

An EIR document defines the information required for a particular appointment or exchange, including its purpose, content, format, delivery timing, responsible parties, and acceptance requirements.

2. What is the difference between Employer’s Information Requirements and Exchange Information Requirements?

Employer’s Information Requirements is the historical terminology used in earlier BIM frameworks. Under the ISO 19650 framework, EIR means Exchange Information Requirements. The emphasis is on specifying information exchanges between appointed parties.

3. Who prepares the EIR document?

The appointing party, usually the client or owner, is responsible for establishing its information requirements. An experienced BIM consultant or information-management consultant may prepare the document on the client's behalf.

4. What is the difference between EIR and BEP?

The EIR defines what information the client requires. The BEP explains how the delivery team proposes to manage and produce that information.

5. Is an EIR mandatory for every BIM project?

The need for specific information requirements depends on the applicable standards, procurement arrangements, and contract. For projects using ISO 19650 processes, clearly defined appointment-level information requirements are an important part of the information-management process.

6. How long does it take to prepare an EIR?

The time depends on project size, complexity, stakeholder availability, asset-management needs, and the maturity of existing information standards. A straightforward project may require a relatively simple document, while a complex hospital, airport, or infrastructure project may require detailed workshops and structured information schedules.

7. Can a BIM consultant prepare an EIR for a building owner?

Yes. A BIM consultant can help translate the owner's objectives into practical information requirements, deliverable schedules, information standards, coordination procedures, and handover criteria. The owner or authorized appointing party should review and approve the requirements.

Conclusion

Creating an effective Employer’s Information Requirements document is a fundamental step toward successful BIM implementation. A well-prepared EIR connects the owner's objectives with measurable project information deliverables, defined responsibilities, scheduled exchanges, and clear acceptance criteria.

The key is to focus on the information the project genuinely needs rather than simply demanding detailed models or particular software.

By following this step-by-step process, building owners, developers, PMCs, consultants, and contractors can establish a consistent approach to BIM information management from procurement through construction and handover.

Lupiter Technologies LLP supports organizations with BIM consulting, BIM implementation, information-management planning, BIM execution planning, model coordination, and structured asset-information delivery.

If your organization is preparing a BIM project or needs support developing an EIR document aligned with ISO 19650 principles, contact Lupiter Technologies LLP to discuss your project requirements.

Website: https://www.lupitertech.com

Email: vignesh.balu@lupitertech.com

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