Every new building project in Singapore with a Gross Floor Area of 5,000 square meters or more must submit BIM models through CORENET X, using the IFC+SG format. Before anything else, project teams should confirm four items: IFC+SG mapping and SGPsets are populated, coordinates follow SVY21, each part model stays under 800 MB, and the model has passed a Lightweight BIM Viewer check. Validate against the Excel Mapping File and rehearse in the CORENET X training environment well ahead of the submission date.
TL;DR:
- Projects with a GFA of 30,000 square meters or more entered the first tranche on October 1, 2025; full mandatory onboarding begins October 1, 2026.
- Treat the Excel Mapping File as a versioned project asset, import its configuration early, and reimport it whenever the CORENET X portal publishes an update.
- Use SVY21 coordinates and Singapore Height Datum, with one IfcSite per linked IFC file and consistent level names across disciplines to keep federated models aligned.
- The portal rejects zipped archives, so submit individual IFC files; keep previews unencrypted for viewer checks and encrypt only the final submission set.
- Federate models weekly in an independent viewer, run IFC+SG validation before upload, and resolve preview errors before encrypting final files.
Table of Contents
- CORENET X timeline and who must submit now
- IFC+SG format and the Excel Mapping File
- What each discipline must model for IFC+SG submission
- Getting coordinates right: SVY21 and height datum
- Export and packaging rules for CORENET X uploads
- A repeatable model QA and validation workflow
- Submitting through the portal: training, roles, and written directions
- How we support BIM e-submissions for Singapore project teams
- Where Singapore project teams go wrong on BIM submissions
- Book a BIM submission audit before you hit the portal
- FAQ
- Sources
CORENET X timeline and who must submit now
CORENET X rolled out in phases rather than all at once. Larger developments were onboarded first, and the wider market follows on a fixed schedule set by the Building and Construction Authority (BCA).
- Projects with a GFA of 30,000 square meters or more were brought into the first tranche starting October 1, 2025.
- Full mandatory onboarding for new projects takes effect October 1, 2026.
- The baseline BIM submission threshold is a GFA of 5,000 square meters or greater; smaller developments are encouraged but not required to submit.
Teams unsure where their project falls should test their workflow in the CORENET X training environment and request a pre-submission consultation rather than guess at the gateway requirements.
IFC+SG format and the Excel Mapping File
The required openBIM format for Singapore submissions is IFC+SG, an IFC4-based schema that carries Singapore property sets, known as SGPsets, alongside mandatory regulatory properties. A native export from Revit, ArchiCAD or similar software does not automatically meet this standard: the model must also carry the controlled values that the IFC+SG Excel Mapping File defines, and that file is hosted on the CORENET X portal together with the wider resource toolkit.
- Download the current IFC+SG Excel Mapping File and resource toolkit from the CORENET X portal before starting any export.
- Check every SGPset field for misspellings or blank values, which are among the most common causes of a failed automated check.
- Import the IFC+SG configuration file into your authoring tool early so parameter names match the schema rather than being reconciled at the last minute.
Pro Tip: Treat the mapping file as a living configuration item, version it with your project files, and re-import it whenever the CORENET X portal publishes an update.
What each discipline must model for IFC+SG submission
The CORENET X Code of Practice (COP) sets out what each discipline must deliver at a given submission gateway, and it distinguishes between elements that must be modeled and details that may stay in supplementary 2D documents.
- Structural: model piling, foundations, beams, columns, slabs, and stairs; the Code of Practice allows select connection details to remain as 2D drawings where modeling them adds no regulatory value.
- Architectural: model spaces, cadastral boundaries, and gross floor area by storey, with the attributes needed for automated plan checks populated against the mapping file.
- Mechanical and electrical: provide space provisions and coordination geometry for major services; equipment-level detail for agency-specific systems can often follow at a later gateway where the COP permits it.
Bake these deliverable lists directly into your BIM Execution Plan at kickoff. Teams that leave discipline scope to be worked out mid-project are the ones who discover gaps during the automated check, not before it.
Getting coordinates right: SVY21 and height datum
Geo-referencing errors are one of the most persistent causes of federation failures and portal rejections, and they are also among the easiest to prevent. Set the project survey point correctly before anyone starts modeling, not after.
- Use SVY21 (EPSG:3414) for Easting and Northing, and Singapore Height Datum for vertical coordinates.
- Confirm the survey point and project base point are set in the authoring tool before the first export, then re-check after any major model revision.
- Keep one IfcSite per IFC file when models are linked, and keep level names and datums consistent across disciplines so federated models align rather than float apart.
A quick export test early in the project, checked against known survey coordinates, catches misalignment while it is still cheap to fix.
Export and packaging rules for CORENET X uploads
CORENET X has specific packaging rules, and ignoring them is a fast way to get a written direction back instead of an approval.
- Split large models by block or discipline so each part model stays within the 800 MB limit per file.
- Never submit a zipped archive; the portal expects individual IFC files.
- Export base quantities with the model, keep GUIDs unique across every linked file, and check for unreferenced objects before packaging.
- Use unencrypted files for Lightweight BIM Viewer previews during QA, then encrypt only the final set before the official submission.
Pro Tip: For phased or very large developments, request a pre-submission consultation well before your target date rather than discovering a packaging problem at the deadline.
A repeatable model QA and validation workflow
A short, consistent QA pass before submission catches most of the issues that otherwise come back as written directions. Run it at fixed milestones rather than only once at the end.
- Federate the model early in an independent viewer, such as Solibri, BIMCollab, or the CORENET X Lightweight BIM Viewer, to catch geometry clashes and alignment drift.
- Run the IFC+SG validator and any local automated checks before touching the official upload.
- Work through a fixed checklist: no unreferenced objects, correct IFC entities and subtypes, fully populated SGPsets, consistent GUIDs, and exported base quantities.
- Tie each QA gate to a BIM Execution Plan milestone so sign-off happens on a predictable schedule rather than under deadline pressure.
Automated compliance checking is only as reliable as the input model, which is why BCA frames CORENET X as a shift toward quality-driven, model-based review rather than a document-stamping exercise. Teams that federate weekly instead of once at the end consistently reach the portal with fewer surprises.
Submitting through the portal: training, roles, and written directions
The portal side of CORENET X has its own sequence, and skipping steps tends to cost more time than it saves.
- Practice in the CORENET X training environment using the official training user guide before working on a live submission.
- Preview and federate the model in the Lightweight BIM Viewer, and resolve any rendering errors before encrypting files for submission.
- Set up Corppass roles, such as Developer, Builder, and Qualified Person, early; missing portal authorizations are a common source of avoidable delay.
- If a written direction comes back, read the automated checker output carefully, trace it to a mapping or export error, correct it, and verify in the viewer before resubmitting.
How we support BIM e-submissions for Singapore project teams
We provide BIM modeling, IFC+SG mapping support, and submission assistance for project teams working toward a CORENET X gateway. For teams tackling a larger development, our guide to passing CORENET X on the first attempt walks through the process in more depth, and our independent model check service gives a second set of eyes on the model before it reaches the portal.
Where Singapore project teams go wrong on BIM submissions
The conventional advice on this topic treats IFC+SG compliance as a software setting, something you tick once in an export dialog and move on from. That is not how it works in practice. A clean IFC export is not the same thing as an IFC+SG-compliant model, and the gap between the two is exactly where most written directions come from: unmapped SGPsets, duplicate GUIDs across linked files, or a survey point that got reset during a late design change.
What gets underrated is federation frequency. Teams that run their first federation check the week before submission are working blind for most of the project. Teams that federate every week, even informally, catch misalignment and missing properties while fixing them is still cheap. The priority, in order, is: lock the survey point first, treat the mapping file as a project asset you maintain rather than a one-time download, and only then worry about packaging and file size, because packaging problems are trivial compared to a model that was never geo-referenced correctly in the first place.
— Aman
Book a BIM submission audit before you hit the portal
We run a pre-submission audit that checks IFC+SG mapping and SGPsets, verifies SVY21 geo-referencing, reviews file packaging against the 800 MB rule, and performs a mock upload in the CORENET X training environment. Catching these issues before the official submission is a lot cheaper than correcting them after a written direction arrives.
- A mapping and SGPsets review against the current Excel Mapping File.
- A geo-reference and federation check in an independent viewer.
- A mock submission run through the training environment before your real upload.
Get in touch through our services page to schedule an audit for your project.
FAQ
Is BIM Level 2 mandatory for Singapore projects?
“BIM Level 2” is a UK-originated term and is not the framework Singapore regulators use. Singapore’s requirement is CORENET X submission in the IFC+SG format for new projects with a GFA of 5,000 square meters or more.
What do 4D, 5D, 6D, and 7D mean in BIM?
These terms generally describe added layers on top of the 3D model: 4D adds scheduling, 5D adds cost, 6D often refers to sustainability or energy data, and 7D adds facilities management information. CORENET X submissions focus on the 3D model built to the IFC+SG schema with its required property sets, not on these extended dimensions.
What happens if my model fails the automated CORENET X check?
A failed check typically results in a written direction identifying the specific issue, often an unmapped property, a duplicate GUID, or a geo-referencing mismatch. You correct the model, re-verify it in the Lightweight BIM Viewer, and resubmit.
Does every building project in Singapore need to submit BIM models?
No. The requirement applies to new projects with a GFA of 5,000 square meters or greater; smaller projects are encouraged to adopt BIM workflows but are not required to submit through CORENET X.
Can we get help fixing IFC+SG mapping issues before submitting?
Yes, we offer BIM modeling and mapping support as part of our engineering consultancy services, including a model audit and federation check ahead of your portal upload. Pricing is available on request through our services page.