Enhanced Functionality with IfcAsset and IfcInventory Mapping

[davdelven]

My request is for the implementation of IfcAsset and IfcInventory as mappable subtypes within the IfcGroup structure in ARCHICAD's IFC Project Manager. This inclusion would significantly improve the software's capacity to handle complex data structures related to asset management and facility management within the framework of openBIM.

• Currently, ARCHICAD's IFC management tools do not allow for the direct mapping of elements to IfcAsset or IfcInventory entities.
• This limitation restricts the ability to leverage these entities' full potential for data enrichment and integration with external systems.

Understanding IFC Grouping Entities

IfcGroup and Its Hierarchy

IfcGroup acts as a generalisation for grouping objects based on non-geometrical or non-topological aspects. IfcAsset and IfcInventory are subtypes of IfcGroup.

Key Concepts

• An example of an IfcGroup is a system. An IfcDistributionSystem is an example of a group representing a system.

• IfcAsset is a group of elements that represents a single entity of financial value. Maintenance operations are usually undertaken at the asset level.

• IfcInventory is a list of items within an enterprise. The IfcInventoryTypeEnum identifies the type of inventory, including:

  • Space
  • Asset
  • Furniture

Related Entities

IfcSystem is another subtype of IfcGroup, grouping elements based on their roles. For example:

• IfcBuildingSystem
• IfcDistributionSystem

These are subtypes of IfcSystem that group building and distribution components, respectively.

Special Case: IfcZone

IfcZone is not a subtype of IfcGroup or IfcSystem but a spatial element that can be referenced by an IfcGroup using the IfcRelReferencedInSpatialStructure relationship.

Example: A mechanical distribution system (an IfcGroup) can refer to a building (which may contain IfcZone elements).

Benefits of the Feature Request

Implementing this feature request would offer several advantages to ARCHICAD users, particularly those involved in asset and facility management workflows.

• Improved Data Organisation: The IfcAsset entity enables the grouping of building elements into manageable units based on their function or financial value. This logical grouping facilitates better organisation and tracking of assets throughout their lifecycle.
• Enhanced Data Enrichment: IfcAsset allows association with various objectified relationships such as IfcAssignToActor, IfcAssignToControl, IfcAssignToProcess, and IfcAssignToResources. This functionality enables the linking of assets with actors, controls, processes, and resources, providing a more comprehensive understanding of asset performance and management.
• Streamlined Data Exchange: By mapping elements to IfcAsset and IfcInventory, ARCHICAD would align with the IFC 4.3 schema's capabilities for asset management. This alignment ensures smoother data exchange between ARCHICAD and other software platforms that support this schema, including asset management systems.
• Support for Existing Buildings: The IfcSharedFacilitiesElements schema can be utilised to manage both geometric and semantic data of existing and new IFC objects, aiding in the integration of real-time data. This is crucial for asset management in existing buildings, which often lack comprehensive as-built BIM data.

Integration with IFC Project Manager and Assignments

Integrating IfcAsset and IfcInventory mapping within the IFC Project Manager and Assignments function would primarily focus on:

1. Adding IfcAsset and IfcInventory as Selectable Subtypes: The IFC Project Manager interface should be updated to include IfcAsset and IfcInventory as options when assigning IFC types to elements or groups.
2. Mapping Elements to Assets and Inventories: Users should be able to easily select elements or groups within the ARCHICAD model and assign them to specific IfcAsset or IfcInventory entities created within the IFC Project Manager.

Note: Since ARCHICAD already supports the implementation of official IFC Property Sets once the IFC classes are properly implemented, no additional property definition interface would be required. The existing Property Sets functionality would automatically handle the standard IFC properties for these entities.

Implementing these changes would significantly enhance ARCHICAD's capabilities for managing and exchanging asset information, promoting interoperability and streamlining asset management workflows while leveraging the software's existing robust Property Sets implementation.