IFC – a.k.a. interesting format for cold climate college

The HITOS Project Design Team (left to right) in Bodø: Svein Helge Eidissen (Mechanical Engineer), Jan Karl Olsen (Structural Engineer), Ernst Eberg (Design Team Manager), Ole-Martin Hartløfsen (Architect), Turi Heieraas (Architect), Sigmund Eriksen (Electr. Engineer).

It started off as a breakneck stunt when the CAD files of the 4,700 sqm library building recently completed at Bodø University College in Northern Norway, were exported as 3D models and 2D files. The complete BIM from the design team was then sent to the Building and Construction Authority in Singapore, for CORENET eSubmission model checking vs Singaporian building regulations. This was very successful.

Based on this stunt and the upcoming IFC 2x2 release promising model coverage of all the main building disciplines – architectural, structural, mechanical and electrical engineering – Statsbygg progressed by allowing for IFC deliverables in its projects from 2004.

Norway’s Central Government Budget for 2005 included the following statement: “Statsbygg shall, within established budget limits, quality goals and defined project progress [...] initiate and participate in R&D projects, including making accessible its own building projects for piloting, thus contributing to the gradual proliferation of digital BIM models in the AES industry through the lifespan of buildings.”

The upcoming 5,150 sqm educational building project at Tromsø University College (HITOS), far above the Arctic Circle, was selected to test the pilot project R&D activities for planning, designing, building and operating an actual “IFC building” where all building disciplines are involved.

In August 2005 Statsbygg commissioned an R&D contract with a Bodø-based design team for the HITOS IFC project. During the autumn, the Bodø design team successfully modeled a “test house” IFC model, using appropriate IFC-capable CAD tools like Graphisoft ArchiCad®, Autodesk® Architectural Desktop, DDS Electrical Partner and DDS HVAC Partner, and using Jotne EPM Technology’s EDMServer™ IFC Product Model Server for storing and managing the IFC models.

The design team has now modeled the new HITOS building as an IFC model, bringing it to what is known as the sketch design stage, corresponding to the “Outline conceptual design” reference project stage of the Generic Process Protocol.

The next milestone is the full conceptual design, which is scheduled for May 2006. The focus during this stage will be on introducing non-geometrical properties, enriching the model with standardized object classifications. Efforts will be made to use, evaluate, improve and further develop IDMs (Information Delivery Methods) as requirement documents for IFC model deliverables, and as checkin/checkout “access filters” for the EDMServer™ IFC Product Model Server.

A 3D terrain model based on Tromsø municipality maps will be introduced using appropriate GIS tools supporting IFG (IFC for GIS) capabilities, placing the IFC modeled buildings in the terrain, and generating the building pit, preparing for a later eSubmission to Tromsø Municipality, using ByggSøk mechanisms.

Statsbygg will be cooperating with SINTEF Building and Infrastructure and Standards Norway on the BARBi project by entering BARBi GUIDs to some of the objects.

The contractor, Skanska Norge AS, is being commissioned, based on an R&D contract and an adapted target price model. Skanska will be actively involved in the forthcoming IFC modeling processes to improve the modularity and “build-ability” of the IFC model, improve logistics, propose savings, etc.