IFC4
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| IFC4 | |
|---|---|
| Name | IFC4 |
| Developer | buildingSMART International |
| Released | 2013 |
| Latest | IFC4 ADD2 TC1 (2018) |
| Status | International standard |
| Domain | Building information modeling |
IFC4 IFC4 is an international open standard for building information modeling promulgated by buildingSMART International, designed to facilitate interoperability among software from vendors such as Autodesk, Bentley Systems, Trimble, Graphisoft, and Nemetschek. The specification aims to enable data exchange across disciplines represented by organizations like Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, International Organization for Standardization, American Institute of Architects, Construction Industry Council, and European Committee for Standardization. IFC4 connects procurement frameworks utilized by institutions including World Bank, European Investment Bank, United Nations, UK Ministry of Defence, and US General Services Administration.
Overview
IFC4 provides a machine-readable schema used in projects governed by firms such as Skanska, Bechtel Corporation, Turner Construction Company, Kier Group, and Laing O'Rourke. The standard supports workflows common to stakeholders like Arup Group, AECOM, WSP Global, Jacobs Engineering Group, and Stantec, enabling integration with asset managers such as CBRE Group, JLL, Cushman & Wakefield, Sodexo, and ISS A/S. IFC4 underpins collaboration in programs run by Health and Safety Executive (UK), Transport for London, Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Port of Rotterdam, and City of New York.
History and Development
Development of IFC4 involved industry consortia and agencies including National Institute of Standards and Technology, BuildingSMART UK, buildingSMART International, International Code Council, European Commission, and UK Cabinet Office. The evolution drew on research from universities such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, University College London, Delft University of Technology, and ETH Zurich and was informed by projects like Crossrail, High Speed 2, Sydney Opera House redevelopment, Hudson Yards, and Sagrada Família conservation. Key contributors included vendors and consultancies such as Nemetschek Group, Autodesk Research, Bentley Institute, Trimble Buildings, and Graphisoft Research.
Technical Specifications
The specification defines an EXPRESS-based schema aligned with standards from ISO 10303-21, ISO/IEC 19770, ISO 15926, ISO 16739-1, and coordination with Building Regulations (England and Wales), European Performance of Buildings Directive, and procurement rules from World Trade Organization. IFC4 formalizes geometry representations compatible with modeling kernels used by ACIS, Parasolid, Open CASCADE, Revit Geometry Engine, and converters developed by IfcOpenShell, xBIM, BIMserver, Solibri Model Checker, and Tekla Structures. File formats include STEP-Part21, XML serializations used by National BIM Standard - United States, BIM Level 2 mandates from UK Government, and binary exchange patterns used in projects like One World Trade Center.
Data Model and Schema
The data model organizes building objects and processes referenced in projects by Royal Institute of British Architects, American Society of Civil Engineers, Institution of Structural Engineers, Chartered Institute of Building, and Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors. Entities map to domain taxonomies drawn from MasterFormat, Uniclass, Omniclass, COBie, and classifications employed by European Committee for Standardization (CEN), International Electrotechnical Commission, and British Standards Institution. Relationships among objects support life-cycle processes used by operators such as Metropolitan Museum of Art, Smithsonian Institution, British Library, Louvre Museum, and Guggenheim Museum.
Interoperability and Software Support
Interoperability testing and plug-ins are provided by vendors and projects including Autodesk, Bentley Systems, Tekla Structures, Vectorworks, Allplan, Solibri, Trimble Connect, and open-source efforts like IfcOpenShell, xBIM, BIMserver, IfcPlusPlus, and BlenderBIM. Certification and conformance programs reference criteria used by buildingSMART International, ISO, BIMForum, NIBS, and national bodies such as Standards Australia, DIN, AFNOR, and SNV. Large infrastructure programs—High Speed 2, Crossrail, Grand Paris Express, Toronto Transit Commission, and Metro de Madrid—rely on IFC4-enabled toolchains.
Applications and Use Cases
IFC4 is applied in design coordination for projects like The Shard, Burj Khalifa, Shanghai Tower, One World Trade Center, and Gardens by the Bay; in construction management for contractors such as Bechtel, Fluor Corporation, VINCI, Hochtief, and Skanska; in facilities management for operators like Siemens Building Technologies, Honeywell, Johnson Controls, Schneider Electric, and ABB Group; and in heritage conservation for sites including Palace of Versailles, Colosseum, Tower of London, Acropolis of Athens, and Notre-Dame de Paris.
Standards and Compliance
IFC4 aligns with international and national standards developed by ISO, CEN, ANSI, BSI, DIN, and JISC and integrates with data protocols employed by Building Research Establishment, National Institute of Building Sciences, European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization, and International Electrotechnical Commission. Compliance is assessed in certification schemes administered by buildingSMART International, industry groups such as BIMForum, and governmental mandates from entities including UK Government, Singapore Building and Construction Authority, Hong Kong Housing Authority, and U.S. General Services Administration.