Archive for category IFC

Open Source IFC Authoring Tool

Can this really happen?  The Intellicad Consortium did it with Autocad and .dwg, so much so that Autodesk countered with RealDWG.  How about a generic IFC model that can be digested by all BIM packages, or imported directly for Energy Analysis. And before anyone states that all BIM packages can import IFC, you ever try to round trip an IFC model, that is export it to IFC, from say Revit, and then import that same IFC model, does it look the same, behave the same?

How about a system evaluated solely on its feature set, in fact, what it can do to the model becomes more important than the modeling itself.  Now that would be a nice arms race, who could offer better compatibility between programs, offer programs and add-ons, come up with a real server centric model that wraps in all the subs in a coherent and logical way.  No more design model, model for constructability, model for FM.  One where any updates are integrated to the model and available.

Where is the Linux of the AEC world?

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BIM Standards

While on of the benefits discussed ad nauseum about BIM is the ability to find and fix problems digitally the other is the hope of interoperability, that data will seamlessly port from one program to the next, energy analysis, to collision detection, etc. with that in mind we have the NIBS (National Institute of Building Sciences) and NBIMS (National Building Information Modeling Standard). NIBS NBIMS, kind or rolls of the tongue, like three month old jelly but it is available HERE. The reason for pushing the standard is for “the acceptance of an open data model of facilities.”  The UK, has also published their own, available HERE which begs the question where is the International BIM Standard (IBIMS) because if we want to best put a lasso around this thing best to be under one big tent.  Okay that’s a tremendous overuse of metaphors, and granted I have not gone over each on in detail to see where they may diverge but it would seem the manufacturers who sell globally would have a big interest in a single standard and the ability to produce an ‘object’ to one standard rather than many and that alone should push the agenda.

As for the data transportation between object we have IFCXML schema that is meant to be the open standard that will allow this, and if you want to get technical read the article from Dr. Mhamed Nour in the Journal of Information Technology in Construction (www.itcon.org), the title of the article Performance of Different of BIM/IFC Exchange Formats suggests that there is flavors within IFC itself, from a lay perspective this seems well too open.

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IFC Open Engine: BIM

Following up from last post with the open question, Open Engine and IFC.  I found this but need to dig to see what is in development, who’s using it, succesful implmentations.  I know this blog is one in kajillion but would love to hear what the programming community is doing around this.

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BIM Required on Alteration and Adaptation over $2.5M: Wisconsin

So the GSA took the lead and states are starting to follow. Wisconsin announced that on all addition and alteration projects that require $2.5M or greater that a BIM is required. With this announcement they also released there own set of guidelines. Interesting note is that both the GSA and Wisconsin are platform agnostic and refer to software as BIM authoring software or discipline specialty software, and that it must be IFC compliant.

So when does the movement around IFC begin like Linux?

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GSA leading the pack with BIM and Revit for the Built Environment

I put on a presentation in NYC for the GSA about capturing the built environment in BIM.  Accurate as-builts and models are becoming more and more part of their workflow and the interest generated from their solicitations is fantastic.  A couple of things became very apparent and our endemic to the industry as a whole.

  1. An accurate BIM is becoming the common language of the industry.
  2. There are a wide range of stakeholders involved and that some get it and some are new to the band wagon and wonder how this effects their everyday.
  3. They are looking for new tools and ways to get this information.
  4. Since they are platform agnostic the need for a true transportable format, a la IFC. (Industry Foundation Classes).

My feeling was that we are at the early adopter phase and we have evangelists and then everyone else so the more we are able to educate everyone and the more cases and success stories we can include, the better.  If you’re reading this I encourage you to post, link back, etc. so I can use them in my presentations and disseminate the information.

What this says for the industry is akin to McDonalds requsting free range chicken which intially might be met from their suppliers with ; “That will be to expensive.”  “We are not set up to do that.” etc. but eventually will turn into “I guess we better start providing free range chicken.”  The GSA has taken the lead here now it’s our turn to say, “I guess we better start.”  I think this will be a great opportunity.

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