Our Observations, Your Feedbacks

Collaboration & Coordination with Catenda Hub

Observations by Tashayani Ratnakumar, AcePLP Code Checker Squad

Tool Overview

Catenda Hub (formerly Bimsync) is a cloud-based Common Data Environment (CDE) and collaboration platform designed to centralize models, documents, and communication. Built on a “pure” openBIM philosophy, it serves as the central “single source of truth” where project stakeholders can view federated models and manage project data without requiring proprietary software.

Unlike authoring tools, Catenda Hub focuses on information management and coordination. It provides a high-performance 3D viewer and robust issue-tracking capabilities to ensure that the entire project team, from BIM Managers to on-site subcontractors, is working with the same data.

Where This Tool Fits in an openBIM Workflow

Catenda Hub acts as the connective tissue across the entire project lifecycle, primarily serving the coordination and management phases.

Typical placement:

• Central Repository: Hosting IFC models and project documentation.
• Coordination Hub: Managing multi-disciplinary design reviews via BCF.
• Site Bridge: Bringing model data to the field through the Catenda Site mobile app.

In an openBIM workflow, Catenda Hub is the destination for IFC models exported from various authoring tools (Revit, Archicad, Tekla) and serves as the communication layer that links model-checking results (from Solibri or Navisworks) back to the design teams.

IFC & Interoperability Observations

Based on our review:

• Native IFC Support: Catenda Hub renders IFC files directly in the browser with high fidelity, maintaining the integrity of all parameters and property sets.
• Federated Visualization: It allows for the seamless overlay of multiple discipline models (e.g., Structural, MEP, Architectural) to identify spatial conflicts visually.
• BCF-Centric Communication: Issue management is handled entirely via the BIM Collaboration Format (BCF). This allows issues raised in Catenda Hub to be opened directly in authoring tools like Revit at the exact 3D coordinates.
• Model Versioning: The platform treats every new IFC upload as a revision, creating a clear audit trail of model development without overwriting historical data.

Key Strengths Observed in Practice

From our technical demo and discussions with the Catenda team:

• “Unlimited User” Model: By removing per-seat licensing, Catenda Hub encourages project-wide adoption, ensuring that even small subcontractors can participate in the digital workflow.
• High-Performance Web Viewer: The 3D viewer is exceptionally fast and intuitive, allowing non-technical stakeholders to navigate complex models and access object data easily.
• Bidirectional Revit Integration: The free Revit plugin allows designers to view coordination “Topics” and sync their models directly to the Hub without leaving their design environment.
• User Experience: The interface is clean and requires minimal training, which is critical for ensuring that field teams and owners actually use the platform.

Limitations & Considerations

• No Direct Geometry Editing: Catenda is a coordination tool, not a modelling tool. You cannot move a wall or change a pipe diameter within the platform.
• Dependency on IFC Quality: Because the platform relies on IFC, the “intelligence” of the Hub is only as good as the IFC export settings used in the authoring software.
• Internet Dependency: Being a cloud-first platform, a stable internet connection is required for the 3D viewer, though the Catenda Site mobile app offers some caching capabilities for field use.

Best-Fit Use Cases

Catenda Hub is highly effective for:

• Multidisciplinary Coordination: Centralizing communication for teams using a variety of different software tools.
• Large-Scale Infrastructure & Building Projects: Where involving a high volume of stakeholders (owners, consultants, subcontractors) is necessary.
• Field-to-Office Communication: Using the mobile app to report site issues directly against the 3D model.
• Owner-Driven Reviews: When the project owner wants direct visibility into the coordination process without paying for expensive authoring licenses.

Relationship to Compliance & Checking Workflows

Like other openBIM coordination tools, Catenda Hub does not perform automated regulatory checking. Instead, it acts as the communication bridge that makes compliance data manageable for the project team.

• Supporting Issue Resolution: Catenda Hub serves as the “Issue Manager” for specialized checking engines. While automated validation is conducted in tools like Solibri, the resulting issues are pushed to Catenda Hub as BCF topics. This allows designers to resolve non-compliances within a collaborative environment without needing to access the checking software directly.
• Improving Model Readiness: By centralizing multidisciplinary models, the Hub helps teams identify and fix coordination gaps before formal submission. This internal “pre-check” process improves model consistency.
• Data Hosting for Submissions: The platform provides a neutral environment to host and audit the high-fidelity IFC models required for Singapore’s digital submission standards.
• Providing a Single Source of Truth: Every revision and coordination decision is logged with a timestamp, ensuring that the team has a clear audit trail of all design changes made in response to regulatory requirements.

How This Review Was Developed

This review is based on:

• Demonstration and technical briefing provided by the Catenda team on core features and Singapore market alignment.
• Hands-on testing of the Catenda Hub web environment and Revit plugin integration.
• Observations focused on openBIM interoperability, specifically the handling of IFC and BCF-based coordination loops.

Community Feedback & Engagement

If you have used Catenda Hub for CORENET X pilot projects or integrated it with Solibri for local compliance checks, we welcome your perspectives on its performance in the Singapore context.

Neutrality Statement

This review is intended to support industry understanding of openBIM workflows. It does not constitute endorsement, certification, or compliance assurance.

Reader Rating Framework

We’d like to hear from you. If you’ve used this software, please share your overall rating and feedback below.

This same framework will be used across all our BIM software reviews (e.g., Qonic, Plannerly, OpenAEC, BIM Collab, etc.), helping us build a fair, community-driven comparison of how different tools perform in real-world workflows.

How to Provide Your Feedback

1. Give one overall rating (1–5 stars) based on your overall experience with the tool – considering factors like usability, collaboration, data management, interoperability, and value for money.
2. Share your role (e.g., BIM Manager, Coordinator, Modeller, etc.).
3. Add your insights or experiences – what worked well, what could be improved, and how the tool fits into your workflows.

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