Today, during my free time, I’d like to share the story of BIM and IFC. In the rapidly growing construction industry, many BIM software solutions have emerged. However, due to format incompatibilities, exchanging data between different BIM models was often problematic. IFC, developed based on the EXPRESS language in STEP, became the standard format for BIM data exchange.
As a standardized format for information exchange, IFC contains a wealth of drawing details and engineering data related to the construction process. These information and management requirements have gradually evolved into AEC management software that incorporates various concepts such as cost, materials, lifecycle, and model data. Unlike AEC management software, which integrates numerous files of different formats and types, IFC uses an information model to manage data. All information is generated within predefined categories at the time of creation, and these standards serve a management function, allowing data to be generated and linked cumulatively.
With the growing popularity of BIM, many AEC and CAD software companies have started developing BIM-based applications, including Autodesk Revit, ArchiCAD, Bentley, and domestic companies like Luban and Hongye. However, many of BIM’s advantages remain underutilized after construction. To address this, there is increasing attention on applying BIM to operation and maintenance management through dedicated software. Examples include FMDeskop, ArchiFM, and other facility management and operations tools, which integrate BIM models created by their respective BIM software to support facility operation and maintenance. This approach helps track construction status and manage maintenance more effectively, enabling practical BIM applications during the operation and maintenance phase. It’s worth noting that BIM’s adoption in operation and maintenance management in China still lags behind that of other countries, largely due to the unique circumstances of China’s construction industry.
In recent years, BIM has further developed the IFC standard format to address data exchange challenges related to interoperability and sharing. This has gained traction in the operation and maintenance phase. For instance, ArchiFM now supports the IFC format, allowing BIM models and files created by various BIM software to be seamlessly imported for facility management. Other facility maintenance software is likely to add IFC support over time, increasing BIM’s practical utility and unlocking its full potential. However, not all BIM software offers dedicated operation and maintenance management tools. Some focus on specific fields and specialties within BIM, such as Tekla for steel structures or MagiCAD for piping. Since different BIM software targets different aspects, the IFC format exchange requirements also vary accordingly.
IFC encompasses a broad spectrum of architectural information, and there may be multiple ways to describe categories within the same field. These varying methods can cause BIM software to interpret or process imported/exported data differently, potentially leading to data omissions or inaccuracies. Beyond data loss during BIM-to-IFC conversion, BIM models can encounter issues after exchange due to evolving IFC standards. With the current IFC 2x ADD1 format, such problems have been largely minimized.
That concludes the story of BIM and IFC. However, it’s important to emphasize that while the 3D building model in BIM relies on combining basic 2D geometry with 3D objects to create its visual representation, the IFC specification defines many geometric building description methods. When converting models to IFC format, BIM software does not offer different geometric description options. Although BIM software is IFC-certified, differences in how IFC geometry is described result in variations when importing or exporting IFC models. This can cause geometric distortion or data loss after conversion. If these distorted or incomplete models are used in operation and maintenance management, it will impact reliability. This presents new challenges for ensuring data accuracy and trustworthiness in BIM workflows.
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