Basic Informations

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buildingSMART International (2005 - now)

buildingSMART is integrated project working and value-based life cycle management using Building Information Modelling and IFCs Definition by IAI from 02-Nov-06

The International Alliance for Interoperability (IAI) has spent the last 10 years establishing standards for the use of object technology in construction and facilities management. These standards, known as Industry Foundation Classes or IFCs, are now contained within the most comprehensive model of design, construction and FM information yet created. All the main software developers in this industry segment worldwide are committed to producing IFC-compliant software.

In the last two years IAI has turned its attention to broader issues of achieving beneficial change in industry, using Building Information Modelling (BIM) and IFCs as the trigger to smarter ways of working. This is the origin of the branding of IAI as buildingSMART in 2005.

Smarter ways of working will directly affect the processes and skill sets used in industry and other issues such as contracts, payment systems, insurance, education and training. It will also require information links with business activities.

Under the buildingSMART banner, IAI is seeking alliances with other similarly motivated organisations which provide complementary standards and/or support processes which deliver faster, better, less expensive and more predictable results than can be achieved with traditional methods.

IAI - International Alliance for Interoperability (1994 - 2005)

  • The IAI is a non-profit, global alliance of the construction and facilities management industries with about 550 member organizations in 24 countries and being organized within 11 regional chapters of the IAI.
  • The IAI was formed in 1995 with the primary focus to develop innovative concepts that improve the ways to share information over the life cycle of construction projects.
  • The IAI is committed to interoperability recognising that it enables participants to share common project information, across disciplines and technical applications.
  • A major part of the IAIs Mission is to define, promote and publish a specification for sharing data throughout the project lifecycle, globally, across disciplines and technical applications, known as IFC.
  • On January 11, 2008 the IAI changed its name to buildingSMART to better reflect the nature and goals of the organization.

IFC - Industry Foundation Classes

  • The IFC represents a data model structure for sharing construction and facility management data across various applications used in the building domain.
  • The IFC data model is an object-oriented data model based on class definitions representing the things (elements, processes, shapes, etc.) that are used by software applications during a construction or facility management project.
  • The IFC data model focusses on those classes that are needed to share information (rather then processing it in a particular proprietory software).
  • The IFC data model is a neutral and open specification that is not controlled by a singular vendor or group of vendors.