Architectural Drawings - Security of Information
Architectural Drawings - Security of information
The information embeded into any Architectural drawing is sometimes a security problem for all of the construction team, including the client if it was ever released to the wrong people.
In days before CAD, drawing were printed, folded and sent via post to who ever needed them, along with a distribution list, often many drawings were printed, I know this because as a junior in a practice in 1970, I spent hours on a maching printing folding and organising the distribution.
In this article we look at the transition of architectural drawings from paper to digital created an IP and integrity crisis that can only be solved by adopting the Golden Thread of Information. and beyond.
This article is intended to create a thread for your Knowledge base research, I have included a link to my conversation with Google Gemini, my prefered AI. There is a lot going on, and the more I read, the more I realise its going to be an ever changing area of CAD security, as we change CAD providers, add different software to the mix, and bring in specialist programs and people.
Will what ever we use, be able to keep up with this increasingly complex method of drawing and distribution, but also deal with older projects, that may not be supported.
The Paper Legacy
It was low tech, and high risk The distribution list was no more than an information sheet stating who had been issued with the drawings, and how many copies. No control was in place other than perhaps a note within the titlal block saying “Not for Distribution” or a Copy Right clause. So many people had direct access, with no control on who or why they might need the drawing. Almost any one on site might have access to the drawing, and copies could easily be made.but it was slow and almost meaninless other than had copying the information, and perhaps the secure layout of certain buildings,
Staff may well have private copies, often for no other reason than to show at an interview, the work he or she was capable of.
The wild West of Data
Then CAD became available, and the Architectural world was turned on its head, Printing was now a thing of the past, yes drawings were still printed, but CAD files, .dwg, or other similar formats were put onto disks and given to clients to read, if they could, PDF was now becoming the answer to this problem and it took of as the way forward.
Manufacturers took to this new format, reproducing their material details found in their literature, and offered them for download on web sites, or as a freeby in trade magazines, of via disk of reps, or memory sticks.
Practice managers sudenly became aware of a number of virus programs, being easily distributed via this new marketing tool, and tried hard to clamp down on sneeker disks and sticks being used. Office networks and servers became the norm, but storage was a major problem, as staff began to store large numbers of now easy to take site photos, and store them on the limited server storage.
Drawing were stil being sent out, but via email, Gmail was now available and offered huge, by standards of the time, email attachment availability. Often as pdf, but cad files were also sent, this time to limited peiple such as engineers who needed them to assist in designing the structure, on their .Dwg compatible structural design software.
But what was to stop them distributing thier files, often still with the original dwg attached, to fabricators, and erection contrasctors.
The Modern Solution (PDM/PLM & The Golden Thread)
Specific sites began to experiment with CAD distribution, and CAD manufactirers such as Autodesk, and Nemetschek began to see a market, and combined secure storage and distribution, into their products,
But by now, small practices were standing still, the cost of these new services was often out of reach for one / two man practices with limited profits.
A natural way forward for small practices was to use Gmail and google Drive, which was a lot cheaper, and easier to use and control, but still offered security and protection of data, at least in the office and immeriate client relationship.
From File Sharing to Data Governance - Digitsl Twins and Data integraty
The Digital Twin and the Golden Thread require absolute trust because they are the foundation for safety decisions (Golden Thread) and operational control (Digital Twin). The problem is simple: How can multiple, competing, and geographically dispersed organizations—designer, contractor, supplier, facilities manager—all trust the same shared data?
* Traditional Failure: Google Gemini conversation link provide a centralized source of truth, but they are still vulnerable to insider threats, system hacks, and disputes over when or by whom a change was made.
Introduce Blockchain (the technology behind Bitcoin) not as a currency, but as an immutable, distributed ledger—a shared, unchangeable record of truth.
* The Power of Hashing and Immutability: When a critical piece of CAD or BIM data (like an approved As-Builtmodel, or a safety inspection log) is added to the system, a unique cryptographic hash (a digital fingerprint) is generated and stored on the decentralized ledger.
* Effect: The actual, large file stays stored securely (in a PLM system or cloud storage), but the hash acts as a tamper-proof receipt. If anyone, at any time, changes even one byte of the CAD file, the system’s calculated hash will no longer match the hash stored on the blockchain, immediately proving the file has been compromised. This guarantees data integrity.
* Smart Contracts for Governance: Blockchain enables Smart Contracts—self-executing digital agreements.
* Effect: This enforces your Data Governance rules automatically. For example, the contract could automatically unlock the “Installation Drawings” for the fabricator on the day the final design is approved, and automatically revoke their access when the work is complete. This is the ultimate form of Role-Based Access Control and distribution management.
The Final Frontier: Contract Law v The Digital Thread
The architectural and construction industries have successfully migrated to a sophisticated data-centric environment required by the Golden Thread and Digital Twins. However, the full potential of these systems is currently hindered by the legal landscape. As one analysis notes: ‘The technology is ready, but the legal framework that determines liability is stuck in the pre-digital age.’1 This uncertainty mandates that practitioners understand the core contractual conflicts.”
The Challenge of Digital Longevity
Can I add one last thought to this mix, projects as they age are often no longer supported by the software they were created with, or the company no longer exists, paper is a single for ever document, as long as it remains readable to the eye, if PDF or what ever software is also used might help, but original models is a concern. I asked Gemini this question and its answer is interesting:
To combat obsolescence, the architectural and construction industries have mandated the use of open, non-proprietary formats for archiving and handover, particularly for the final As-Built model that feeds the Digital Twin.
* Industry Foundation Classes (IFC): This is the globally recognized ISO standard (ISO 16739) for exchanging and archiving BIM data. IFC files are platform-neutral and contain only the geometric and non-geometric data required for lifecycle management. Crucially, they are text-based and intended for long-term preservation, ensuring readability decades after the original software is gone.
* Standard for the Exchange of Product Model Data (STEP): Another ISO standard (ISO 10303) often used in mechanical engineering, but valuable as a neutral, geometric archival format.
* Best Practice: “Executable Archives”: The ultimate solution for highly complex data, seen in other regulated industries, is creating a Virtual Environment that encapsulates both the original data and the original software installation. This ensures that the model can be opened and verified exactly as it was at the time of handover.
This entire discussion reinforces why the Golden Thread and Data Governance are so much more complex than simple file storage—they demand a strategy for long-term data integrity that must outlive the short lifespan of commercial software.
Bibliography
1: Google. (2025). Conversation with user on CAD data security and contractual gaps related to AI and the Golden Thread. Generative AI Language Model (Gemini), private conversation. 13 October.
Google Conversation link: https://gemini.google.com/share/ded472d4d7a3
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