Coordination that keeps BIM projects moving

Report Inappropriate Content · ‎2026-03-18

Coordination works best when problems are found early, responsibilities are clear, and every discipline sees the same issue context. With Graphisoft MEP Designer, you can detect clashes before construction, manage issues directly in the model, and exchange them through BCF to keep architects, engineers, and contractors aligned.

Coordination in MEP Designer is not a set of disconnected features, it is one continuous workflow.

Step 1: Find clashes

Collision Detection checks collisions between any two user-defined groups of 3D elements, including construction elements and MEP elements that were modeled in MEP Designer or brought in from hotlinked or merged IFC files. Use Collision Detection to check whether MEP systems intersect with architectural or structural elements, or with other MEP systems.

Make sure the elements you want to check are on visible layers, because only elements on visible layers are considered
If you want to limit the check, pre-select elements first; when elements are selected, Collision Detection checks only the selected elements.
Open Collision Detection
Define the criteria for Group 1 and Group 2 based on the two sets of elements you want to compare.
Set Surface and/or Volume Tolerance values if you want to ignore very small overlaps.
Click Check to run the test.
Review the results in the Model Check Report, where collisions are listed and you can view the related elements in the model.

Step 2: Turn clashes into Issues

When a clash is found, the Model Check Report lets you review the related elements in the model and create Issues directly from the result, so the problem moves straight into a trackable coordination workflow. The issue can be assigned (in case of a Teamwork file), commented on, and followed through to resolution. The Issues is attached to the model element.

In the Model Check Report, select the relevant collision result.
Create an Issue from the report; the help identifies this as part of the Issue Handling workflow.
In the issue details, fill in the fields you need, such as Status, Priority, Type, Labels, and Description.
Manage and sort the full list in Issue Organizer.
Add Comments and, if needed, include markup or element-based suggestions such as highlight, new, modify, or delete.

In case of a Teamwork file hosted on a BIMcloud:

Assign the issue to a Teamwork user.

Step 3: Share and sync through BCF

MEP Designer supports BCF-based issue exchange, which lets you move issues between BIM tools while keeping viewpoints, comments, and statuses connected to the issue.

Import BCF issues

Go to Issue Organizer.
From the Additional Settings pop-up button, choose Import or Import from BIMcloud.
If needed, log in to BIMcloud.
Browse to a BCF file in version 3.0, 2.1, or 2.0.
Click Open.
In the Locate IFC Files dialog, optionally locate the IFC files referenced by the BCF entry, or click Continue to skip that step.
Click Continue to finish the import.
Review the imported issues in Issue Organizer; newly imported issues appear in bold until you open them.

Export BCF issues

Use Issue Organizer to export the issue set in BCF format when you need to send coordination issues to project partners working in other BIM tools. Because BCF is part of the same Issue Handling workflow, you can use it to keep model-based coordination moving without rebuilding the issue list in a separate system.

Put it together

Run a clash check after a routing change.
Create issues for the most important collisions from the Model Check Report.
Add status, priority, comments, and ownership in Issue Organizer.
Import or export BCF files to coordinate the same issues with external partners.