Implementers community summary

The Implementation Support Group - ISG of buildingSMART International has been created to support the various implementation and certification activities for buildingSMART standards. In particular ISG discusses and promotes the use of Industry Foundation Classes IFC for the exchange and sharing of Building Information Models among different software products.

Membership in ISG is open to all software companies internationally that are members of a local or regional chapter/alliance of buildingSMART. ISG organized regular meetings (currently twice a year in Spring and Autumn) and several telephone conferences to discuss the implementation and support strategies and to clarify issues occuring.

In detail the purpose of the Implementation Support Group is:

to support and coordinate Industry Foundation Classes IFC software implementers by providing an appropriate forum and distribute information to serve as a forum to exchange experiences in IFC software implementation and to discusss technical issues and resolve issues with non compliance to promote software implementation by organizing demonstrations, participating in tradeshows and communicating the benefits of IFCs for end users to facilitate, together with the Modeling Support Group MSG, the certification process for IFC software interface implementations to monitor software implementation activities around IFC and to report on its status to other groups of buildingSMART to represent software implementers and their interests within the buildingSMART organization

Subgroups In acknowledgment of the different data exchange and sharing requirements that occur in the construction and facility management domain there are focus groups of ISG that target a particular area of the interoperability challenge. This is also reflected by the different Model View Definitions MVD that govern the subset of IFC required to support those exchange requirements. Currently the active groups are:

subgroup for the structural modeling, analysis and detailing domain subgroup for energy calculation and thermal simulation exchange

The main ISG group is also dealing with the main interoperability issue of coordinating the three major disciplines, architecture, building service and structural modeling during design and detailing.

energy summary

The buildingSMART International Implementation Support Group ISG has initiated a subgroup to concentrate on supporting the following exchange scenarios between the architectural and building service modeling and the thermal / energy analysis:

proper export of the architectural building information model with some level of preprocessing for thermal analysis main focus hereby the correct definition and processing of space boundaries (also called thermal boundaries) other requirements for spaces, zones, and thermal properties of building elements

Guidelines In addition to the definition of proper Model View Definition 's MVD for the exchange to thermal analysis this group discusses and publishes guidelines for implementation.

structural summary

Overview The buildingSMART International Implementation Support Group ISG has initiated a subgroup to concentrate on supporting the following exchange scenarios within the structural engineering domain (inside and with other disciplines):

structural modeling structural detailing handover to manufacturing structural analysis and design connection check/ design

Main topics to be discussed to support the exchange scenarios:

IFC model content to fulfill and support multi-domain workflow IFC model content to fulfill the level of details for structural detailing and the handover to manufacturing Structural analysis view fulfills the need for structural analysis side-track workflow and connection check and design workflow

The big picture of the structural related work flows:

The Big Picture

Purpose The Structural sub-group is part of the Implementer Support Group (ISG) of the international buildingSMART organization. While the IFCs get more wider usage, it is necessary that also the workflow issues in a multi-domain projects are taken into account from all the domain's point of view. Many structural software vendors have already a certified or distributed software version of the IFC support, or have started or will soon start to develop the support. Therefore it is a good moment to start to think how we - the representatives of different structural software vendors - could work together to minimize the effort and maximize the benefits for our end-users. The Building Information Modeling (BIM) has an effect to the whole industry. Interoperability is the key, but also the collaborative process on top of the interoperability layer is necessary.

Many things related to IFCs are simultaneously happening in different parts of the globe. To keep us informed about all of them, it is important to have a forum where this information can be shared. The Structural sub-group could form such a forum for all with particular interest in structural engineering related workflows!

Contact Feel free to send your ideas and feedback to: Chair of the Structural sub-group: lassi.liflander (at) trimble.com

Please see the events calendar for future teleconferences and meetings.

The Big Picture

Definition of the models:

Architectural model The architectural model for design coordination defines the spaces and the visual outlook of the building including the surfaces and used materials. This is the requirement model for the downstream process.

MEP model(s) This type of models define the needed systems for heating and cooling, for ventilation and air conditioning, for cold and warm water supply and pluming, for the sprinkler, for electricity etc. All the systems include all the needed devices and piping for that system.

Structural system model This model defines the engineering level model of the structure. From the different structural system alternatives the final one will be chosen and the overall stability will be checked. Member sizes will be defined and typical conceptual connection will be chosen.

Plant design model(s) Plant design models define the process and it’s physical representation. The 3D -representation contains all equipment, piping, structures, duct work, raceways etc.

Site model(s) These models may include the model of the terrain and the surface of the bedrock or other auxiliary models of the infrastructure on the site and nearby.

Structural analysis model The structural analysis model defines the topology of the structural system and divides it to nodes and members between the nodes. Member boundary conditions, loads and load combinations are needed to calculate the end reactions and the internal forces of the structure.

Structural design model The design model is used to re-size or reinforce the members so that they all will carry the loads with required safety margin according to the used design code.

Detailing model(s) The detailing model includes all the details needed to manufacture and erect the pieces. The structure is design in a way that the constraints of the manufacturing and erection are taken into account.

Manufacturing model(s) The manufacturing model is the portion of the detailing model which will be manufactured in this factory or workshop.

Common BIM Requirements of Finland(2012)

Common BIM Requirement 2012, COBIM, is based on the BIM Requirements published by Senate Properties published in. The update project was funded by Senate Properties in addition to several other real estate owners and developers, construction companies and software vendors. BuildingSMART Finland participated also in the financing of the project. As a result, the updated Series 1-9 and new Series 10-13 were released in Finnish on March 27th 2012.