Industry Foundation Classes [IFC] are the buildingSMART data model standard. IFC is the only truly open standard for BIM - it makes the difference between BIM and openBIM.

Quick links for developers

• current stable release IFC2x3 - online doc
• new IFC4 release - online doc - (hot!)

The other buildingSMART standards are:

• the Information Delivery Manual [IDM]
• the International Framework for Dictionaries [IFD]

buildingSMART also harvests externally developed specifications in the realm of building information modeling. The following specifications are currently acknowledged:

• BIM Collaboration Format [BCF]
• Model View Definition markup language [mvdXML]

Actual implementations of IFC always focus on a purpose - the support of one or many exchange requirements. The subset of IFC corresponding to it is called Model View Definition [MVD]. Implementer agreements ease the implementation.

Quick links for developers

• IFC2x3 Coordination View V2.0 (most common MVD)
• certification program for IFC2x3 Coordination View 2.0