OUR MAIN PRODUCT: .IFC files

On our website you will see the abbreviation .IFC a lot. It's our main product. But what is it?

.IFC is a computer-file format, just like .txt, .docx and .jpeg are for instance.

.IFC is used in the buildingdesign & -construction industry to exchange buildinginformation between different computer software. This process of exchanging information is defined in ISO 19650. 

.IFC, or 'Industry Foundation Classification' presupposes a classification of what to call different elements of a building, so software can know how to read the information. These definitions are versioned, 'open-source' and managed by BuildingSmart international. https://www.buildingsmart.org/ Additionally, the latest version (IFC4.3) is approved as ISO 16739-1.

One .IFC then is a computer and human readable notation of the different elements for a particular buildingdesign. An .IFC file is mostly intended for buildingdesign software to open. This would likely present you with a 3D view of the design and the data coupled to the elements. But an .IFC file can also be read and altered simply by opening it in a text editor. Inside then, you will find a new, numbered line of text for every new building-element. The lines of text also may or may not refer to each other. This method of adding a new line for every new element is called the STEP-format, defined in ISO 10303-21.

Combining these aspects, .IFC provides a way for designers, engineers, consultants, managers, construction-workers and computer-coders to collaborate on Computer Aided Design (CAD). 

Building Information Management (BIM)
Building Information Management (BIM) is simply the process of dealing with building information during the design and construction phases. It is defined in ISO 19650. The process often contains the exchange of Building Information Models (also BIM). Because both terms are used and mean slightly different things, discussion and confusion arises around them. Don't let yourself be distracted though, they're both about buildings and the exchange of information about them. 

Level Of Detail (LOD)
The design and construction process of a building often follows a process of increasing detail. In order to have some common definition of these, parties started to identify Levels Of Detail (LOD). 
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has defined these levels early on. The BIMForum then elaborated on these and added practical examples and pictures. At Moondoor we try to keep close to the source at all times, so we follow their definition: https://bimforum.org/resource/lod-level-of-development-lod-specification/

From this document: 

LOD 100
AIA Contract Documents Definition: The Model Element may be graphically represented in the Model with a symbol or other generic representation, but does not satisfy the requirements for LOD 200. Information related to the Model Element (e.g., cost per square foot, tonnage of HVAC, etc.) can be derived from other Model Elements.
BIMForum Expansion: LOD 100 elements are not necessarily geometric representations. Examples are information attached to other model elements: symbols showing the existence of a component but not its shape, size, or precise location; or space reservation volumes. In essence, if information about an element can be derived from the model but the element is not at LOD 200 it is said to be at LOD 100. Any information derived from LOD 100 elements must be considered approximate.

LOD 200
AIA Contract Documents Definition: The Model Element is generically and graphically represented within the Model with approximate quantity, size, shape, location, and orientation.
BIMForum Expansion: LOD 200 elements are generic placeholders but are recognizable as the components they represent (e.g. a pump, a light fixture, a beam, etc.). Any information derived from LOD 200 elements must be considered approximate.

LOD 300
AIA Contract Documents Definition: The Model Element, as designed, is graphically represented within the Model such that its quantity, size, shape, location, and orientation can be measured.
BIMForum Expansion: LOD 300 elements are sufficiently developed to fully convey the design intent for the represented item. Note that while neither the LOD definitions nor this Specification specify who models the element, designers rarely generate model elements higher than 300. See interpretation of LOD 350 below.

LOD 350
AIA Contract Documents Definition: The Model Element, as designed, is graphically represented within the Model such that its quantity, size, shape, location, orientation, and interfaces with adjacent or dependent Model Elements can be measured.
BIMForum Expansion: LOD 350 is intended to define requirements for model elements that are sufficiently developed to support construction-level coordination. This LOD usually requires craft knowledge, thus the caveat in the LOD 300 interpretation above that designers rarely generate elements at LODs higher than 300. It should be remembered, though, that neither the LOD definitions nor this Specification specify who models the element – if a design team has craft knowledge available they might choose to develop elements to LOD 350 or higher.

LOD 400
AIA Contract Documents Definition: The Model Element is graphically represented within the Model with detail sufficient for fabrication, assembly, and installation.
BIMForum Expansion: LOD 400 describes a model element developed to the level of shop drawings – in most cases, if a project’s specifications call for shop drawings of an item, the project team might model the item at LOD 400. Thus most models contain few LOD 400 elements.

LOD 500
AIA Contract Documents Definition: The Model Element is a graphic representation of an existing or as-constructed condition developed through a combination of observation, field verification, or interpolation. The level of accuracy shall be noted or attached to the Model Element.
BIMForum Expansion: LOD 500 does not indicate a higher level than LOD 400, rather it indicates that the element’s geometry is determined through observation of an existing item rather than design of a future item. The LOD 500 definition requires that the model element’s accuracy be specified – BIMForum recommends USIBD’s Level of Accuracy (LOA) Specification for this purpose.