IFC Industry Foundation Classes

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IFC (Industry Foundation Classes)

• What is it? What it does? How it works?
• Christopher Groome
• Business Manager
• IAI International

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Agenda

• What is IFC?
• IFC Chronology
• IFC2x3 Architecture
• What encloses IFC2x3
• IFC and ISO
• What IFC does?
• IFC and Interoperability
• IFC and Building Information Model
• IFC and AEC-FM lifecycle
• IFC and ICT technologies
• How IFC works and who uses IFC?
• Application domains to IFC
• Practical collaboration scenario using IFC
• eGovernment best-practice using IFC
• Concluding remarks
• IFC Statements
• Future of IFC

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What is IFC (Industry Foundation Classes)?

• IFC represents a data model structure for sharing
  construction and facility management data across
  various applications used in the AEC-FM sector.
• IFC data model is an object-oriented data model
  based on class definitions representing the
  things (elements, processes, shapes, etc.) that
  are used by software applications during a
  construction or facility management project.
• IFC data model focuses on those classes that are
  needed to share information (rather then
  processing it in a particular proprietary
  software application).
• IFC data model is a neutral and open
  specification that is not controlled by a
  singular vendor or group of vendors.
• IFC data model is defined, promoted and published
  by the IAI (International Alliance for
  Interoperability) a non-profit, global alliance
  of construction and facilities management
  industries with about 500 member organizations in
  35 countries and being organized within 13
  regional chapters.
• IFC data model is available as ISO PAS (Publicly
  Available Specification) 16739.

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Chronology of IFC development
Prototype for linking BIM to geographical
geospatial information
New meeting ground for all application - basis
for next years
Scope
IFC 2x3G
New implementation, e.g. code checking
IFC 2x3
IFC 2x2

• Introduction of platform concept
• First stable applications

2nd round of early implementations
Early prototypes
first products released
IFC 2.0
IFC 2x
IFC2x 1st Add.
IFC 1.5
IFC 1.5.1
IFC 1.0
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
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IFC2x3 Architecture
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What does IFC2x3 encloses
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IFC progressing to full ISO standard

• IFC not (yet) a full ISO standard available
  under PAS specification (until 2011)
• Agreement with NWI-AP241 team
• NWI241 to focus on life cycle support and high
  level aspects of AEC facilities
• Results in view of IFC/IAI
• No impact on IFC development, direction or
  schedule.
• IFC continues to focus on bringing neutral BIM
  into use.
• The realisation of NWI-AP241 scope and NWI-AP241
  team now support the goal of IFC progressing
  towards becoming an ISO standard.
• New NWI-AP241 scope facilitates collaboration
  between both teams.

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What IFC does?
1. IFC and Interoperability
2. IFC and Building Information Modelling
3. IFC and AEC-FM life-cycle
4. IFC and ICT technologies
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1. IFC and Interoperability

• What is (Software) Interoperability?
• Interoperability could define as the ability of
  two or more systems or elements to exchange
  information and to use the information that has
  been exchanged IEEE 2006
• Software interoperability might be defined as
  seamless exchange of data among multiple
  software tools
• IFC and (Software) Interoperability
• Direct exchange of data eliminates the need for
  duplicate data generation, repetitive entry of
  the same data, and human errors
• A general data model of buildings is the basis
  for seamless multi-directional data exchange
  (i.e. Software Interoperability)
• An open data model permits independence from
  software and software houses
• IFC neutral specification enables
  Interoperability of systems in BC

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Why Interoperability matters?
Source

• Interoperability is expensive
• 30-40 of companies IT budget spent on
  integration (Gartner AMR)
• 29billion by 2006 for application integration by
  IT professional services (Gartner Group, 2003)
• Interoperability is time-critical
• Integration of single interface takes 2
  person-months on average
• Interoperability is complex
• Proliferation of standards and with frequent
  changes
• Fragmented solutions Islands of interoperability
  providing Industry or application specific
  solutions
• Wide variety of business network types with
  different requirements from more stable
  alliances (e.g. Supply Chains) to more transitory
  alliances (e.g. Virtual Organisations)
• Interoperability is an enabling technology
• Interoperability is not a product or a service
• Interoperability matters in AEC-FM industries
• NIST 2004 Report on Cost Analysis of
  InadequateInteroperability in the U.S. Capital
  Facilities Industry in 2002
• Architects/Engineers 1,170 Million
• General Contractors 1,802 Million
• Specialty Trades 2,204 Million
• Owner/Operators 10,658 Million
• TOTAL 15,824 Million
• 4.25 of total value of 2002 construction Wasted!

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Interoperability in EU high level political agenda

• i2010 Initiative A European Information Society
  for growth and employment
• Single European Information Space pillar
  Interoperability enhancing devices and
  platforms that talk to one another and services
  that are portable from platform to platform
  Develop modern and interoperable ICT-enabled
  public services
• Innovation and Investment in Research pillar
  Deployment and adoption of ICT Businesses are
  getting productivity gains from ICT but still
  face a lack of interoperability ... A new era of
  e-business solutions is coming, based on
  integrated ICT solutions, secure web-services and
  collaboration tools to raise worker
  productivity.
• e-Europe Action Plan
• EIC (Enterprise Interoperability Centre) is an
  open, neutral, and independent organization,
  serving as a common and inclusive platform that
  adds value to its members, to the
  interoperability stakeholders, and to the
  established and ongoing work of existing
  standards development organizations
• EIC is chaired by the IAI, namely by Executive
  Committee Vice Chair Mr. Nick Terry (IAI-UK).

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2. IFC and Building Information Model (BIM)

• What is BIM?
• As a noun Building Information Model
• An instance of a populated data model of
  buildings that contains multi-disciplinary data
  specific to a particular building which they
  describe unambiguously
• As a verb Building Information Modelling
• The act of creating a Building Information Model
  (BIM a noun)
• Building Information Modelling is a process
• IFC and BIM
• IFC scope detailed BIM specification
• IFC focuses in (BIM-based) process change in BC
• IAIs buildingSMART programme is about promoting
  BIM using IFC

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BIM improves the processes

• A project/building BIM is the digital repository
  for all computer generated data for that
  project/building
• Reuse of same data model makes professional
  services more efficient and better
• No errors, omissions and misrepresentation from
  recreating same data
• More effort/time devoted to design and design
  analysis
• Issues in design coordination, conflicts and code
  compliance can be addressed much earlier (in
  design phase)
• Design errors and omissions can be detected and
  corrected before construction
• Unprecedented opportunity to provide enhanced
  scope of services
• Building design and performance analyses
  integrated among different disciplines (resulting
  in more sustainable, energy efficient buildings)
• Professional services and BIM coordination
  throughout a buildings life
• New project delivery system that will change the
  stereotype business model
• Project delivery based on BIM, not on volumes of
  drawings and text
• Business model that capitalizes on continuous
  reuse of the BIM

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BIM in practice
Conversion 2D -gt BIM
Model CAD 3D Facilities Management
Electrical domain
Collision detection
Thermal domain
HVAC domain
Source German IAI for building Services
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3. IFC and AEC-FM life-cycle
IFC full AEC-FM life-cycle
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ICT and the Construction Industry
e-Watch e-Business Index 2005 by sector

• e-Business activity is less developed in
  construction industry than in other (analysed)
  manufacturing sectors.
• Most companies in tend to organise work around
  individual construction projects which led to a
  fragmentation in ICT use and e-business activity,
  characterised by a lack of commonly accepted
  standards, technical specifications and labels.
• Many companies prefer to be re-active rather than
  pro-active in ICT use. Slow ICT uptake in a
  sector dominated by SMEs. Large enterprises in
  industry and new sector entrants have adopted ICT
  based production methods.
• There are a multitude of standards, technical
  specifications, labels, and certification marks.
• Construction industry yet to show the same level
  of ICT driven improvement of productivity as in
  other industries.
• Great potential for ICT uptake, e.g. production
  planning systems, ERP-systems with financial
  components, inventory management systems, SCM,
  mobile solutions.
• Business process integration (may be) a key
  driver for ICT adoption in the future.

• Based on 16 ICT indicators (weighted by
  employment), aggregated into two sub-indices.
• Population firms using computers from 7 EU
  countries
• CZ, DE, ES, FR, IT, PL, UK
• Size of the bubble persons employed in a sector
  (in relation to other sectors)
• Green Manufacturing / Blue Services / Red
  Construction

(1) The European e-Business Report 2005 edition,
4th Synthesis Report of the e-Business W_at_tch,
November 2005, http//www.ebusiness-watch.org/reso
urces/synthesis.htm
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4. IFC and ICT technologies

• Support innovation in construction via integrated
  innovative model-based design processes
• Support multi-disciplinary approaches toward
  sustainability,
• Support design and delivery of lifecycle values
  of the facility.
• Enable better visualisation and simulation
  capabilities to serve the client
• Enable clients and designers to review and
  evaluate alternative design options using digital
  building simulation models before commencing
  construction.
• Support efficient management of project data and
  workflow within and between companies
• Enable software infrastructure that supports
  collaboration.
• Enable automatic and seamless data transfer
  between applications and over the web.
• Extend existing knowledge into new areas and
  applications
• Integrate client briefing into digital model
  based design build planning processes,
• Integrate digital model based supply-chain
  manufacturing data in design build planning
  processes,
• Integrate digital model based building code
  checking process into the design build processes,
• Integrate digital model based urban
  infrastructural data (terrain, road, bridges) in
  design build processes,
• Integrate digital model based information into
  operational and facility management practice.

IFC is the backbone for the ICT visions of today
and tomorrow in AEC-FM industries
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How IFC works? Who uses IFC?
Application domains to IFC
Business to Business (B2B)
Other companies
Project
Education to Business (E2B)
Business to Administration (B2A)
(Public) Administration
Education Research
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Practical Design (Cooperative) using IFC (for
today)
DMS Document Management System Project Managemen
t System
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Improved Design (Collaborative) scenario using IFC
IFC Model Server
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eGovernment best-practice using IFC
? Fully Automated Code/Regulation Checking

• Implemented in Singapore
• In development at Norway
• Under consideration in Scotland

Designer
PublicAdministration
Estimate Costing (in small projects) - Printing
costs of drawings 48-165 per submission
(excluding resubmissions) - Costs in each
submission 7-41 per request
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Who uses IFC?

• Architects (seamlessly) use IFC
• Building Services Engineers (seamlessly) use IFC
• Civil Engineers (seamlessly) use IFC
• Contractors personnel (seamlessly) use IFC
• Facility personnel (seamlessly) use IFC
• Owners (seamlessly) use IFC
• All involved in life-cycle uses IFC... but none
  should be aware that they are using IFC.

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IFC Statements

• IFC is a truly global effort in AEC-FM industries
• IFC has become the most recognized standard for
  BIM
• IFC is supported by most global CAD software
  vendors
• IFC is supported by many downstream applications
• IFC is currently being used on many real and
  pilot projects with international coverage.

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IFC future in view of Interoperability evolution
buildingSMART evolution
International
Legal
Inter-community
Inter-connectivity
Political / Human
Organisational
EnterpriseModelling
Data Integration
Operational
Semantic
Semantic
Semantic
Access
Constructive
Technical
Content Management
Technical
Technical
Architectures Platforms
Programmatic
UKOLN
European Interoperability Framework
UKeGIF
EU/IST Interoperability Technologies
1990s prior
US DoD
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Future Bridging IFC with other relevant domains
Building Information - IFC -
OGC / TC 211 ? IFC for GIS
landXML? ? IFC for Civil Engineering
STEP ? IFC for STEP
Civil Engineering (E.g. Roads, Bridges, etc)
Products
Geographical Geospatial Information
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IFC Summary Sheet
IFC Business case
IFC Scope

• Process change in Building Construction
• Establish a neutral BIM
• Industry led effort

• Planning, Design, Construction, FM
• Building w/ elements, structure, systems, ...
• From high-level to very semantic detail
• Properties, Classification, Materials, Shape 2D/3D

Outside Scope
Supporting Applications

• GIS, and other supporting processes
• Drafting

• Major CAD in Building Construction
• HVAC, Structural, Analysis, Checking
• CAFM, cost planning, programming
• Libraries

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