Common Building Information Model Files and Tools
by E. William East, PhD, PE - Engineer Research and Development Center, U.S Army, Corps of Engineers
HOW TO USE THIS PAGE
The information on this page can assist you to:
-
Download "information exchange" example files in different file formats
-
See how model data from different disciplines is organized
-
Compare files to see model content for different domains
-
See how exchanges, such as COBie, change over time
-
Use these common files to evaluate your software's import or export functions
-
Use these common files to teach building information modeling
-
Extend these common files for new information exchanges and research
-
Find and use free tools to help you work with these files
PROJECT 1. DUPLEX APARTMENT
The duplex apartment model was originally created by a student who developed this building as part of a design competition. This model was first used at the Dec 2009 COBie Challenge event.
COBie
2012-03-23-Duplex-01-Programming
2012-03-23-Duplex-02-Design
2012-03-23-Duplex-03-ProductSelect
2012-03-23-Duplex-04-ProductInstall
2012-03-23-Duplex-05-Handover
Coordination Model View
2011-09-14-Duplex IFC 2x3 Coordination MVD
2011-09-14-Duplex-IFCAnalyzer
2011-09-14-Duplex-PDF
2011-09-14-Duplex-RVT (as documented in this report and shared parameter information)
Electrical System information exchange (Sparkie) at Design
2012-12-07 IFC 2x3 Sparkie
2012-01-02 Native Model (report in editorial review)
HVAC information exchange (HVACie) at Design
2011-11-24 IFC 2x3
2011-11-24 Native Model (report in editorial review)
2011-11-24 Native Model supplement
Water System information exchange (WSie) at Design
2012-11-13 IFC 2x3
2013-02-01 Native Model (report in editorial review)
PROJECT 2. OFFICE BUILDING
The two story office building model was developed based on the published sample floor plans for a specific type of mid-size office building built in the United States.
COBie Spreadsheet
2012-03-23-Office-COBie
Coordination Model View
2011-09-14-Office IFC 2x3 Coordination MVD
2011-09-14-Office-IFCAnalyzer
2011-09-14-Office-PDF
2011-09-14-Office-RVT (as documented in this report and shared parameter information)
Electrical System information exchange (Sparkie) at Design
2012-12-07 IFC 2x3 Sparkie
2013-02-01 Native Model (report in editorial review)
Water System information exchange (WSie) at Design
2012-12-05 IFC 2x3 WSie
2013-02-01 Native Model (report in editorial review)
PROJECT 3. MEDICAL CLINIC
The Clinic Model project is based on a medical and dental clinic building at a location in the South-West United States. The model also comes with a set of redacted design drawings. A representative set of redacted operations and maintenance manuals are also provided in COBie Spreadsheet Format. Please note that vendors' implementations of these files may be found on the bSa Means and Methods Page.
COBie Spreadsheet
2013-03-28-Clinic-Programming-v13
2013-03-28-Clinic-Design-v13
2013-03-28-Clinic-Handover-v13 (ZIP)
COBieLite
COBieLiteRC2 Clinic Handover Example (ZIP)
Construction Drawings
2012-03-27-Clinic-RedactedDrawings
Construction Handover Documents
2013-03-28-Redacted-Handover-Documents
Coordination Model View
2011-09-14-Clinic IFC 2x3 Coordination MVD
2011-09-14-Clinic-IFCAnalyzer
2011-09-14-Clinic-PDF
2011-09-14-Clinic-RVT (as documented in this report and shared parameter information)
Electrical System information exchange (Sparkie) at Design
2012-12-07 IFC 2x3 Sparkie
2013-02-01 Native Model (report in editorial review)
HVAC information exchange (HVACie) at Design
2012-03-30 IFC 2x3 HVACie
2012-03-30 Native Model (report in editorial review)
2012-03-30 Supplemental Native Files
Water System information exchange (WSie) at Design
2012-12-06 IFC 2x3 WSie
2013-02-01 Native Model (report in editorial review)
Building Automation Management information exchange (BAMie) at Handover
2013-05-03 BAMie COBie File
FREE SOFTWARE
The following is a list of free software that you may find helpful when working with the Common BIM Files. These products are listed without endorsement of any kind. If interested in Commercial software that can be used with these models please see the information exchanges: Means and Methods page
| Product (listed alphabetically) |
Type |
Description |
Applicability |
| Acrobat Reader |
Free |
A free, commercial product that maybe used to view 3D PDF files produced from IFC models using paid products |
Any "ie" |
| bimServer.org |
Open Source |
An IFC-based model server for life-cycle BIM application |
Any "ie" |
(bimserver-baesd)
bimSurfer |
Open Source |
An IFC-based model viewer plug-in that works with bimserver.org |
Any "ie" |
(bimserver-based)
COBie Tool Kit |
Open Source |
A free, model transformation, checking, and reporting a custom build of the bimserver.org product used in COBie Challenge events. |
COBie, … |
| bimServices |
Commercial |
Free, prototype for model transformation, checking, and reporting. (Last updated 2010) |
COBie |
| DDS-CAD Viewer |
Free |
A free, commercial IFC modeling tool |
Any "ie" |
| EcoDomus PM |
Commercial |
Free, commercial product to help validate design information and deliver construction handover information |
COBie |
| Google Docs |
Commercial |
An example of how to use free Google tools to create web-based spreadsheet for updating COBie data |
COBie |
| IFC File Analyzer |
Free |
A free, research prototype product that may be used to summarize and report on the content of IFC model files. |
Any "ie" |
| ifcStoreyView |
Free |
A free, research prototype that may be used to view IFC model files (Last update 2009) |
Any "ie" |
| Onuma System |
Commercial |
Free, commercial product to check COBie files |
COBie |
| Solibri File Optimizer |
Free |
A free, commercial product that may be used to reduce the number of repeated IFC objects in a model. The reduction in file size is often substantial |
Any "ie" |
