Consultation on new guide "IFC for Beginners". 

buildingSMART Norway is now issuing the guide "IFC for Beginners" for consultation. The aim is to make it easier to understand what IFC is, how it is structured and how it is used in practice.

IFC is an open standard for exchanging building information. In theory, IFC should make it possible to exchange models between different software applications without any problems. In practice, the world is more complicated. Different implementations and setups within the software mean that the export and import of IFC often work slightly differently. Therefore, a need arises for a better understanding of how IFC is actually structured and how it functions.

The guide is designed for everyone who requires, creates or uses information in IFC. It is intended to serve as a reference work for both new users and more experienced users who want a deeper understanding of IFC. It is not meant to be read from cover to cover, but to be used whenever explanations of specific topics are needed.

The consultation draft explains, among other things:

• what IFC is and why the standard exists

• how the IFC model is built up

• how IFC is used in practice in model exchange

• key concepts such as spatial structure, relationships, materials and properties

• common challenges and pitfalls when using IFC

• how buildingSMART's official IFC documentation can be understood and used

The guide has been developed by a working group consisting of Frode Lund Tharaldsen (Oslo VAV), Jan Erik Hoel (Trimble) and Steen Sunesen (buildingSMART Norway).

We now invite all interested parties to submit feedback on the consultation draft. We particularly welcome comments on:

• descriptions that are incorrect or can be misunderstood
• topics you believe are missing• where the text is too difficult or overly simplified

We would love to hear from both experienced IFC users and those who still find IFC difficult to understand. The aim of this guide is precisely to make the standard more accessible.

Link to the consultation document

Feedback should be submitted via the consultation form that accompanies the document.

The deadline for feedback is 30 April 2026. 

If you possess IFC expertise and would like to contribute more actively to the work on this guide, you are also very welcome to get in touch. Steen Sunesen, steen@buildingsmart.no