Today, I would like to introduce you to BIM standards, focusing specifically on IFC. IFC is a product model information description based on the industrial product data exchange standard STEP ISO-10303-11. It was developed by buildingSMART using the EXPRESS language. Some BIM experts compare IFC to the HTML standard in network communications, emphasizing that it is not tied to any specific BIM software. The number of fields and software platforms certified under the IFC standard continues to grow. Many companies and educational institutions have joined the development of related applications, offering free trial source code to encourage wider participation in IFC research and development.
The IFC standard, which has been evolving for over a decade, is gradually gaining recognition in both academia and the industry. Its ongoing development is expected to become a crucial standard for information exchange in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) sector.
The IFC format developed by buildingSMART captures a wide range of information throughout the construction process. Managing and applying this data aligns with software management concepts used by the AEC industry, such as lifecycle management, data classification, cost analysis, drawing models, and overall project management.
Research into management applications based on IFC is also expanding. For instance, efforts to integrate IFC with network management aim to establish comprehensive information systems based on the building lifecycle. Regarding cost information within IFC, a semi-automatic cost estimation program has been developed in C++ using national standards (GB50500-2008) and cost data embedded in IFC materials. This program has been successfully applied in BIM bidding and construction project teaching cases in China, demonstrating reliable performance and accuracy in cost estimation.
When models are created using BIM software for inspection purposes, IFC converts these models to the ICF format, adding categories such as structural detectors into the files. These IFC files can then be used in structural analysis to explore the feasibility of using IFC for effective structural inspection and information exchange.
In terms of data management, IFC has given rise to BIMServer.org, which offers free access to BIM servers developed in Java. These BIM servers manage models, users, revisions, change notifications, query functions, and even integrate with Google Maps for enhanced IFC data management. They also support browsing models based on the geometric information contained within IFC files.
Besides the browsing capabilities provided by many BIM software packages and additional browsers, there are numerous free and open-source IFC model viewers available to meet various browsing needs.
That wraps up today’s introduction to BIM standards and IFC. For a more comprehensive understanding, you can also check out my previous article Chatting about BIM standards and IFC.
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