Industry Foundation Classes

IFC logo

The Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) are an open standard in the construction industry for the digital description of building models ( Building Information Modeling ).

The IFC are defined by buildingSMART eV International (bSI), formerly known as the Industry Alliance for Interoperability (IAI). The IFC are registered under ISO 16739.

content

The logical building structures (e.g. window-opening-wall-storey-building), associated properties (attributes) and optional geometry are mapped. It can be u. a. Transfer complex 3D planning data with the components and descriptive attributes between building software systems.

use

IFC is supported by numerous software for the exchange of building and model data. Areas of application are e.g. B. 2D / 3D CAD , statics and energy calculations, quantity and cost determination as well as in facility management . The exchange takes place via IFC files with the extension * .ifc. IFC files in the XML standard ( * .ifcXML ) and zipped IFC files ( * .ifcZIP ) are also used.

buildingSMART maintains a database with all programs that, according to its own information, support IFC and also offers all software manufacturers a certification program for independent quality testing of their IFC interface.

Versions

IFC version	Period	use
1.0, 1.5, 2.0	2000-2002	Early prototypes
2x, 2x2	2002-2008	For early adopters
2x3	since 2008	In practical application
4th	since 2014	Current version

See also

• Building Information Modeling (BIM)
• Model server
• Standard for the exchange of product model data (STEP)
• Initial Graphics Exchange Specification (IGES)

literature

• IFC exchange format for technical building automation (PDF) . Trade journal IHKS, Industry Association for Heating, Air Conditioning and Sanitary Technology Bavaria, Saxony and Thuringia eV, 2006/2007.

Web links

• CAD addict: List of Existing BIM Standards

buildingSMART

• buildingSMART International
• buildingSMART eV
• IFC specification for developers
• IFC Wiki homepage

Pages from software companies on IFC

• Information page from Allplan ( Nemetschek )
• Info page from BBSoft
• Info Page of Graphisoft
• Info page from Vectorworks

Individual evidence

1. ↑ http://www.iso.org/iso/home/store/catalogue_tc/catalogue_detail.htm?csnumber=51622
2. ↑ IFC software database ( memento of the original dated December 11, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
3. ↑ IFC certification
4. ↑ buildingsmart-tech.org: IFC4_Whatisnew.pdf, page 6