Supporting Documentation for Implementation

Several documents accompany this use case to provide clear guidance for implementation. These documents aim to eliminate ambiguity in the interpretation of requirements and ensure consistency in IFC file creation across different platforms.

The documentation provided serves two main purposes. First, it establishes clear standards for IFC file compatibility, ensuring that files created by different systems can work together effectively. Second, it offers practical support for development teams working on both sending and receiving software applications.

For software developers, these documents explain the expected content and structure of IFC files in detail. They include specific examples that demonstrate a proper implementation. The documentation also provides validation criteria, allowing development teams to verify their implementations against use case specific requirements.

These supporting materials help streamline the development process by providing clear references and reducing the need for interpretation. They ensure that all parties involved in the implementation process work toward the same standardized outcome, ultimately leading to more reliable and compatible software solutions.

Accompanying Documents

Document Description: LOIN List (Level of Information Need)

Content: Specification of Exchange Requirement Items

Description:

This document catalogs both mandatory and optional exchange attributes/properties. For each attribute/property, the document provides detailed specifications including:

•    Associated asset 
•    Corresponding IFC class assignment
•    Precise attribute/property naming
•    Property set allocation
•    Data type specification
•    Physical unit definition
•    Valid list entries (where applicable for enumerated values)

Purpose:

1.    To provide unambiguous specifications for exchange attributes/properties
2.    To ensure proper implementation in IFC syntax according to use case requirements
3.    To enable testing and validation of exchange attributes/properties

Application:

The exchange attribute specifications detailed in the LOIN list must be correctly implemented for each respective asset during use case implementation.

This ensures standardized information exchange and maintains data integrity across different platforms and applications.

This document serves as a crucial reference for developers and implementers, providing clear guidelines for attribute implementation and validation within the IFC framework.

Document Description: LOG Specification (Level of Geometry)

Content: Specification of Geometrical Representation Requirements

Description:

This document defines the geometric modeling requirements for assets and their associated features. For each visual element, the document provides detailed guidelines including:

•    Mandatory and optional geometric representations
•    Specific representation requirements 
•    Required level of geometric precision
•    Purpose and justification for each representation 
•    Minimum requirements for visual elements

Purpose:

1.    To establish clear expectation for geometric representation quality
2.    To ensure consistent visual modeling across different platforms
3.    To define appropriate levels of geometric detail for each asset type

Application:

The geometric specifications detailed in the LOG document must be correctly implemented for each asset during use case implementation.

This ensures similar visual representation and maintains geometric consistency across different software platforms and applications.

This document serves as a definitive reference for developers and implementers, providing clear guidelines for creating and validating geometric representations within the specified use case requirements.

Document Description: ICD (Instantiable Class Diagram)

Content: Extended Express-G diagram showing IFC object classes and IFC relationship classes for required assets 

Description:

This document provides a comprehensive visualization of the IFC class structure, including:

•    Required IFC classes for asset instantiation
•    Required IFC classes for asset relationships
•    Relevant attributes, properties and property sets
•    Hierarchical class structures
•    Required and optional class connections

Purpose:

1.    To provide clear visualization of class relationships and dependencies
2.    To restrict interpretation variations in implementation
3.    To ensure consistent implementation across different platforms
4.    To define standardized class structures for the use case

Application:

The ICD serves as a technical specification for development teams implementing the use case. It defines the required class structure and relationships, ensuring standardized implementation across different software solutions.

This standardization helps maintain compatibility between different systems using the same use case.

This document serves as a crucial implementation guide for developers, providing clear visualization of class structures and reducing potential variations in interpretation of the IFC schema.

Document Description: Implementation Manual 

Content: Standardized approach for use case implementation with structured modeling guidelines

Description:

This document outlines the fundamental framework for implementing use cases, including:

•    Standardized implementation structures
•    Normative foundations: Related standards and documents
•    Terminology: Definitions and abbreviations
•    Tool-independent and vendor-independent specifications
•    Standardized methods for different use case scenarios
•    Core modeling guidelines of the "Electrical Domain"
•    General modeling principles
•    IFC classes for electrical assets
•    IFC relationship classes for electrical structures
•    Annexes providing supplementary information and visual examples

Purpose:

1.    To establish a standardized bridge between use case requirements and actual implementation
2.    To provide product-independent implementation specifications
3.    To reduce complexity in multi-use case scenarios
4.    To create a unified approach for different implementation tools
5.    To optimize the implementation process across various use cases
6.    To provide structured documentation following international standards

Application:

The implementation manual serves as a mediator between use case descriptions and actual implementation. It follows the sequence:

Description of use case > Requirement for tool > Implementation by/with tool > Target achievement

This framework standardizes implementation approaches while remaining tool independent. It provides structured guidance for both software vendors, developers and users, ensuring consistent implementation methods regardless of the specific use case or implementation tool used.

This document serves as a comprehensive guide for creating specific use case implementations, establishing a standardized approach that balances efficiency with flexibility while maintaining practical applicability across different use cases and tools.

Document Description: Example IFC File

Content: Validated IFC file demonstrating correct use case implementation

Description:

This document provides a complete and validated IFC file example, including:

•    Fully implemented use case requirements
•    Correct IFC class implementations
•    Property set examples
•    Relationship structures
•    Geometric representations
•    Attribute assignments
•    Correct naming conventions

Purpose:

1.    To demonstrate correct implementation of use case requirements
2.    To provide developers with a working reference model
3.    To illustrate proper IFC structure and syntax
4.    To serve as a testing benchmark
5.    To exemplify best practices in implementation
6.    To provide a validation reference

Application:

Development teams can use this example IFC file throughout their implementation process as a practical reference. It helps developers understand the expected structure and content of their own implementations. By comparing their output against this validated example, teams can ensure their implementation meets all requirements.

The file serves as a debugging tool when issues arise during development.

It demonstrates how different elements should interact within the IFC structure and shows correct parameter usage.

Teams can also use this example to verify their software's ability to read and process IFC data correctly. 

This reference implementation provides clarity about expected results and helps maintain consistency across different development teams and platforms.

Document Description: IDS (Information Delivery Specification) 

Content: Machine-readable requirements specification for IFC model validation

Description:

This document provides a formal specification for model validation, including:

•    Required IFC entities and attributes
•    Mandatory property sets and properties
•    Valid value ranges and data types
•    Classification requirements
•    Relationship requirements
•    Property set specifications
•    Naming conventions
•    Unit specifications

Purpose:

1.    To enable automated validation of IFC models
2.    To ensure compliance with use case requirements
3.    To provide machine-readable verification criteria
4.    To standardize quality control processes
5.    To support consistent implementation validation
6.    To facilitate automated testing procedures

Application:

The IDS file serves as an automated validation tool for IFC model checking. Software applications can use this specification to verify if an IFC file meets all use case requirements. It provides clear pass/fail criteria for each specified requirement, enabling systematic quality control. 

Development teams can use the IDS file during implementation to ensure their output conforms to all specifications. This automated validation approach helps identify missing or incorrect information early in the development process, reducing the need for manual checking and ensuring consistent quality across different implementations.

Document Validation Statement

The provided example IFC file and IDS specification have undergone rigorous validation testing using industry-standard IDS checking tools. Full compliance has been confirmed through successful validation with multiple established checking applications, including ACCA, BonsaiBIM, and BIMVision.

All tests were completed with zero errors, demonstrating the robust quality and reliability of these reference documents. Users can implement these specifications with complete confidence in their technical accuracy and compliance with industry standards.