IFC (Industry Foundation Classes)

IFC defines 3D building information model data structure and file formats according to international standards of BIM data formulated by buildingSMART.
※IFC4 has received verification for International Standard ISO (ISO 16739:2014) in 2013/3/21.

The main information defined by IFC are as below.

• Project related information
• Space structures (Site, building, floors, rooms, zones)
• Building elements (Walls, doors, windows, roofs, stairs…)
• MEP elements (Air conditioning, electricity, sanitary equipment, conveyance systems…)
• Structural elements (Foundations, structural steel, reinforcements, analysis models…)
• Quantity information (Length, area, volume…)
• Material information (Finishes, layer information…)
• Geometry information (2D, 3D, Solid models…)
• 4D, 5D Information (Tasks, schedules, cost, resources)
• Actors (People, organizations, addresses…)
• Instructions (Design changes, purchasing instructions, movements…)
• Asset ledgers, stock
• Maintenance history, configuration management
• Annotation information (Grids, 2D Symbols…)
• Classification codes (storing codes such as DIN, BS, JIS)
• External libraries, text (URL, URI)

What is IDM (Information Delivery Manual)

It is a document defining processes and information coherently of use cases set in BIM data coordination scenarios.
It is structured from PM (Process Map) and ER (Exchange Requirements). It is defined by expressing aspects such as requirement analysis related to BIM data coordination, process maps of data flow analysis, and ER (Exchange Requirements). PM expresses how information is being communicated from who to who, and ER defines the content of the information. The document is created mainly from the point of view and analysis of the end user.

Structure of IFC data coordination with IDM/MVD

Summary

3D Geometry, attributes, property set model view definitions of MEP objects (diffusers, ducts, piping, electricity cable racks etc.) for use in BIM data coordination.

• IFC space structure definition (Project information, site, building, building floors etc.), geometry information, MEP object IFC object types conform to Coordination View2.0 (CV2.0) subset.
• MEP object property sets conform to MEP IFC usage standard 1.0 (IAI Japan(formerly)MEP subcommittee)

BIM data coordination scenario

MEP object modelled in MEP BIM software can be coordinated with other BIM software of different disciplines.

• Example 1: MEP BIM software to IFC Viewer
• Example 2: MEP BIM software to Architectural Design BIM Software
• Example 3: MEP BIM software to Model Checker

Software certiified by CV2.0 can do the below if IFC data conforms to MVD.

• Space structure definitions (building levels) can be checked
• MEP objects can be checked as CV2.0 IFC object types
• Geometry data can be correctly imported (by displaying or converting to internal object)
• Can check property set of MEP object

By using MEP IFC standardized property set information, parametric geometry information can be communicated between MEP BIM software.

MVD main object types

MVD Diagram

MVD Concept