International Framework for Dictionaries (IFD) Library
A unified library of terms and properties

Interoperability Workshop Brought Together Technologists from Europe and North America CSI recently teamed up with buildingSMARTAlliance™, buildingSMARTNorway and the International Code Council (ICC) to present the first-ever IFD Library/IDM/IFC Workshop in the United States, which took place April 6-8, 2008, just outside Washington, D.C. The workshop provided a comprehensive overview of buildingSMART core technologies:  Industry Foundation Class (IFC)  International Framework for Dictionaries Library (IFD Library) Information Delivery Manual/Model View Definition (IDM/MVD). The conference drew nearly 50 participants, including representatives of government agencies and codes and standards organizations, as well as application developers, standards developers, information technologists and information publishers. Read the press release.  See an agenda from the meeting (PDF).

The IFD Library for buildingSMART will be an open, shared, international terminology library for structuring object-oriented information exchange. It is being developed under the International Alliance for Interoperability (IAI) buildingSMART banner. CSI is developing a comprehensive Terminology Library and Dictionary for North America as part of this initiative, thanks to a grant from the National Center for Energy Management and Building Technology.

The IFD Library consists of an object-oriented database written in the Express data modeling language and running on the EPM Technology model server platform—a system widely used in the manufacturing industry around the world. The system provides for structured identification of commonly used terms and concepts, along with their defining properties. It assigns any defined terms a Global Unique Identifier (GUID) to enable reuse in a wide variety of structured documents and applications.

CSI is developing the IFD Library in partnership with Construction Specifications Canada, buildingSMART Norway and STABU Foundation. The long-term goal is to expand the use of the IFD Library and open up the partnership to other countries.

IFD Library provides much needed flexibility for an IFC-based Building Information Model (BIM) allowing for the link between the model and various databases with project and product specific data. IFD Library opens up for a model enrichment that will allow for advanced analysis, simulation and design checks at a very early phase. It also provides:

• A real opportunity to generate an IFC-BIM for operational and maintenance purposes with storage of product specific data
• A feasible method of linking existing knowledge systems to an IFC-BIM
• Multilingual and translation capabilities to the information in an IFC-BIM

Visit the IFD Library at www.ifd-library.org.

Shake on it! The organizations currently responsible for the development of the IFD Library – CSI, Construction Specifications Canada, buildingSMART Norway and STABU Foundation – signed an IFD Library partnership agreement. The agreement formalized their commitment to the development of the IFD Library and their commitment to support its role in buildingSMART International.

Documents • IFD Library White Paper July 2008 (PDF) • IFD Library Workshop -- Building a global dictionary for construction (From the Construction Specifier June 2007) (PDF) • Agenda IFD Library/IDM/IFC Workshop (PDF) April 2008