In Building Information Modeling (BIM), Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) refers to an open, non-proprietary data format and international standard (ISO 16739-1:2018) that enables interoperability across different BIM software platforms.
An IFC file contains a digital model representation of a building or facility, including its physical components like walls, beams, equipment as well as non-geometric data like materials, specifications and relationships between objects.
The IFC data schema defines a standardized set of rules and specifications that govern how model data is structured and organized within the IFC file format. This ensures consistency in data exchange so that IFC files can be seamlessly shared and interpreted accurately across different BIM applications from various vendors.
The key benefit of using IFC is software interoperability - it allows project teams using tools like Revit, ArchiCAD, Tekla etc. to collaborate effectively by transferring complete building information models between different BIM platforms without data loss or translation errors.
Instead of proprietary file formats that lock data into a single software, the open IFC standard provides a common language for integrating multidisciplinary BIM data from architecture, engineering, construction and facility management domains.
By enabling reliable model data exchange throughout the project lifecycle, IFC maximizes the potential of BIM processes by facilitating coordination, simulation, analysis and digital handover among all stakeholders involved, regardless of the software tools used.
