Brief background on IFC

Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) is an international standard for exchange of data in building projects between different computer programs, which is also called Building Information Modelling or BIM. This provides new potential for data exchange and interaction between all types of programs involved in the building process. Examples of areas of utilization are data exchange between different CAD programs, checking building regulations directly from drawing data, calculation of design information and delivery of documentation. 

Although the standard does not focus on early stage and programming, rather on design and drawing, dRofus has the capacity to export a certain amount of key data which can be imported to other programs and for consistency checks with other data used in a building project. Data exported from dRofus may be used by all programs which support IFC; a growing number. 

The most interesting area of utilization for such checks is the control and update of plan data in dRofus in relation to drawings in CAD, during the design period. This may comprise control of a room which has been drawn, updating a designed area in dRofus in relation to drawings, and checking that equipment drawn complies with the plan. dRofus can import data from IFC files (STEP part 21 format) and carry out such controls and updates.

For more information on the standard and standardization work, and for documentation of the standard, go to: http://www.iai.no. 

BuildingSMART

The IFC standard is managed by the BuildingSMART organization and represents today a very mature standard that is supported by a broad selection of software in the industry.

IFC vs IDM

Closely linked to the BuildingSMART standard IFC is the term Information Delivery Manual (IDM). The purpose of IDM is to describe the various work processes and information delivery in a project. Since the IFC standard is very large, IDM is used to agree upon what information should be delivered at different times during the project. At the moment, an IDM for programming is being developed. This work has also resulted in a COBie specification, "Building Programming information exchange" (BPie) that will substantially affect how dRofus interprets and implements the standard. IFC support in dRofus may therefore change as the IDM/BPie work is completed. Currently dRofus is designed to use as much data from major CAD applications as possible.

This version of dRofus supports IFC version 2x3.

For more information on the BuildingSMART Standards IFC and IDM http://www.buildingsmart.org/