IFC Certification 2.0 procedure

The official specification of the IFC Certification 2.0 procedure established by buildingSMART in 2010 to be used by all upcoming certification programs:

Quick links:

buildingSMART IFC Certification 2.0 specification IFC2x3 Coordination View V2.0 certification IFC certification server open

open IFC Certification programs

All official buildingSMART model view definitions are applicable for certification. Currently the following model view definitions are available for the buildingSMART IFC Certification 2.0,

IFC Release Certifi-cation base MVD add-on MVD export / import available since remarks IFC2x3 CV V2.0 Coordination View Version 2.0 - export and import Jan 2011 export - first awards have been handed out 12-03-2013

import - first awards expected Autumn 2013

Details of the IFC Certification 2.0 procedure

The “IFC Certification 2.0” is an improved implementation of the former “IFC2x Certification” procedure. The most important achievement of the “IFC Certification 2.0” procedure is a detailed quality control approach for the IFC interfaces on top of the self check performed by the software developer.

NOTE The terms "2.0" and "IFC2x" in conjunction with the term "Certification" do not determine the applicability of an IFC Release to a Certification Process. The "IFC2x Certification" procedure has been the first official certification specification established in 2002 that is now superseded by the "IFC Certification 2.0" procedure in 2010.

Principles of the IFC Certification 2.0 procedure

The new IFC Certification 2.0 procedure based on the following principles: the software certification is bound to a particular IFC Model View Definition supporting one or several Exchange Requirements occurring in the construction and facility management industries, the software certification is provided with a conformance test suite containing: model creation guideline sets to create comparable export test files with test instructions for export checking automated export file testing based on validation rules that formalize the constraints imposed by the model view definition calibration test files for import checking based on test instructions, i.e. check-lists and templates with testing criteria the software certification is managed by a web-based database providing the certification center offering: central storage and distribution of test guidelines, files and instructions, central capturing and reporting of test results (at different levels of granularity and access rights) running the automatic export testing and providing workflow support for manual evaluation processes

The workflow of the IFC certification 2.0 procedure is supported by an online database and test center, GTDS, General Testing and Documentation Server. For all registered participants of an IFC Certification 2.0 process access details are provided that enable them to use the "certification center", a password protected area dedicated to support the certification process. Within the "certification center" all export test instructions, import calibration test files, automatic validation of uploaded files, check lists for manual test results, and other workflow support are provided.

How to participate

get background information from IFC Certification 2.0 specification to find the basics about the official buildingSMART International certification process, check the model view definitions (subsets of IFC supporting important work flows) open for certification, see who else already participates in this certification, understand the detailed work flow and requirements for this certification process see the current cost table for participating in this certification get in contact with the organizers of this certification for any open question (see contact details) fill out the registration form.

Participates

Participants of the official buildingSMART IFC2x3 Coordination View V2.0 certification process Software Developer Software Application Exchange Requirement Export/Import Status 4Projects Ltd. 4Projects - () Import in progress ACCA Software S.p.A Edificius Architecture Import & Export Export: certified Import: in progress Aconex BIM Cloud Aconex - () Import in progress Archimen Active3D - (*) Import in progress Autodesk Advanced Steel Structural Export in progress Autodesk AutoCAD Architecture Architecture Import & Export Export: certified Import: in progress Autodesk AutoCAD MEP BuildingServices Export in progress Autodesk Revit Architecture Architecture Import & Export Export: certified Import: certified Autodesk Revit MEP BuildingService Import & Export Export: certified Import: certified Autodesk Revit Structure Structural Import & Export Export: certified Import: certified Autodesk

Revit LT Architecture Import & Export Export certified Import: in progress Bentley Systems AECOsim Building Designer Architecture, BuildingService, Structural Import & Export Export: certified Import: certified Bricsys BricsCAD Architecture Import & Export in progress CadLine Ltd ARCHLine.XP Architecture Import & Export Export: certified Import: in progress DICAD Systeme GmbH STRAKON - () Import in progress Data Design System DDS-CAD MEP BuildingService Export Export: certified Design Data SDS/2 Structural Import & Export Export: certified Import: in progress Dlubal Software GmbH RFEM/RSTAB - () Import Import: certified ETU Software GmbH HottCAD 4 - (*) Import in progress FirstInVision CasCADos / P3cad Architecture Import & Export in progress Glodon Software Glodon Takeoff for Architecture and Structure Architecture, Structural Import & Export Import: certified Export: in progress

Graphisoft ArchiCAD Architecture Import & Export Export: certified Import: certified Kymdata Oy CADS Planner BuildingService Export Export: certified NEMETSCHEK Allplan Allplan Architecture Import & Export Export: certified Import: certified NEMETSCHEK BIM+ BIM+ - (*) Import in progress

NEMETSCHEK Vectorworks, Inc. Vectorworks Architecture Import & Export Export: certified Import: certified NEMETSCHEK Scia Scia Engineer Structural Import & Export Export: certified Import: certified Progman MagiCad BuildingService Export Export: certified RIB iTWO - () Import Import: certified Seokyoung Systems NaviTouch - () Import Import: certified Solibri Solibri Model Checker - () Import Import: certified Solideo Systems ArchiBIM Server - () Import Import: certified Tekla Tekla Structures Structural Import & Export Export: certified Import: certified think project! think project! Collaboration cloud - () Import in progress Trimble Germany Plancal nova BuildingService Import & Export Export: certified Import: in progress VIZELIA Facility on line - () Import in progress

See also the official page for all granted certifications, that also includes a downloadable certification report for each applications.

(*) Exchange Requirement applicable only to export, for import all three exchange requirements have to be supported. See also Questions & Answers

New IFC Certification Process Started - Already very Positive Feedback and Participation by Software Developers

01.05.2010: buildingSMART International has launched a new certification program aiming at improving the quality and robustness of IFC implementations. The new certification process, called "IFC Certification 2.0" is the result of intensive discussions within buildingSMART and with users of the openBIM IFC interfaces. It responds to the strong demand to improve the quality of software interfaces and to strengthen the rigidness of certification. The call for participation in an "early-bird" program of first-comers had been successfully launched. 10 software companies world-wide signed-in to participate in the first round of the new "IFC Certification 2.0" process for the improved IFC2x3 Coordination View Version 2.0.

The "IFC Certification 2.0" is an improved implementation of the former "IFC2x Certification" process. The most important achievement of the "IFC Certification 2.0" process is its nature of a detailed quality control of the IFC interfaces of participating software developers on top of the self check of the software developers themselves. The major parts of the new certification process are:

based on a clear and improved model view definition - IFC2x3 Coordination View Version 2.0 based on new test instructions to build comprehensive export test models based on validated and comprehensive import calibration test models based on automatic export verification with rules automatically derived from the model view definition based on manual additional export and import verification as check item lists derived from the concepts of the model view definition based on an web-based certification server, the Global Testing and Documentation Server, providing workflow support for (1) provision of export test instructions, (2) upload and automatic verification of export test files, (3) provision and download of import calibration files, (4) provision of applicable manual check lists for export and import files, (5) overall management of the certification process and final reporting of results The specification of the IFC Certification 2.0 process is available >>>here (final draft dated 24-Apr-2010)<<<

It is anticipated that the first certification logos could be awarded by autumn of 2011. A certification logo is awarded together with a certificate stating the scope and time of validity for this certification. At the same time (end 2011) the previous certification logos will loose their validity.