Industry Foundation Classes (IFC):
Integration of IFC Schema into an IFC Object Model

Goal Statement:
To extend Industrial Foundation Classes (IFC) schemata to support the modeling and simulation of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) components and systems in various IFC-compatible building simulation tools (such as EnergyPlus). This will facilitate the seamless importing of information from upstream applications and databases (such as general definitions and performance specifications of HVAC equipment and furnishings). It will also facilitate the seamless exporting of generated information to downstream tools, such as facilities management tools.

Results:

• Additional formal collaborations were established with these national and international organizations and institutions:
  • The University of New South Wales in Australia
  • COnstruction and Real Estate NETwork (CORENET) government project in Singapore
  • Svensk Ventilation in Sweden
  • Data Design Systems ASA in Norway
  • Lonix OY in Finland
• Schema Development: All 10 project tasks have been completed
• Modeling Code Development: The coding of all needed object/attribute/relationship in all defined schemata was completed in the EXPRESS modeling language
• On September 6, 2002, a demonstration of seamless data exchange took place between EnergyPlus and an HVAC design application (MagiCAD, duct design software from the Finnish company Progman OY), based on the IFC HVAC extension schemata. The demonstration was broadcast live on a video link to east coast observers.

Downloads and Links:

• Download site for EXPRESS code of IFC data model integration.
• The International Alliance for Interoperability (AIA)

Contact: Vladimir Bazjanac, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), (510) 486-4092