The VA group is a professional network under buildingSMART Norway that gathers stakeholders from the water and wastewater industry to explore and describe recommended practices for model-based project execution with open standards (openBIM). The group arises from an initial workshop where participants mapped needs, use cases, and possible approaches for common, open solutions in the water and wastewater field. The work is anchored in buildingSMART Norway's role as a non-profit, independent arena for collaboration, competence enhancement, and use of open standards in the industry, and supports the association's priority to develop arenas for cooperation and common solutions.

buildingSMART Norway's VA group has created the industry standard "Guidelines for Water and Wastewater Detail Models 1.0". The document provides common guidelines, minimum requirements, and recommended practices for modeling detailed water and wastewater objects, with a focus on manholes, pipes, and pipe fittings for outdoor water and wastewater installations.

The guidelines are based on open BIM standards and are grounded in IFC 4.3, which is developed for infrastructure. The purpose is to ensure that digital information is developed in a uniform and structured way so that it can be used effectively throughout the lifecycle of a water and wastewater facility, from planning and design to construction, handover, and operation.