ABSTRACT
Design Framework (DFW) has been developed which supports collaborative design of large, element-based building models. The DFW is both an abstract architecture of a design environment and a concrete, implemented framework which connects design stations. The DFW links computer aided design (CAD) systems into one design environment. The DFW provides the means for linking engineering workplaces into one building design environment. It suits best for CAD systems which address the same model domain, but supports different domains as well. The participants of the DFW must agree on communicating at the semantic level of a certain product model. Building industry uses two approaches in supporting cooperation. On one hand, commercial providers run Internet platforms which host project documents. On the other hand, product modeling technology provides a means of forwarding real models between different design systems which use native data models internally.
