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IFD Clarification
What is IFD?
IFD - International Framework for Dictionaries – is an alliance of organisations for harmonisation of
dictionaries for the Construction industry based on: ISO 12006 - Part 3: Framework for object-oriented
information exchange.
Aaron Titus:
"The International Framework Dictionary (IFD) is a partnership of conceptually interoperable dictionaries,
thesauri, ontologies, taxonomies and lexicons (Libraries), which integrate to produce comparability and
other synergies."
IFD Goals
Aaron Titus:
The IFD must:
1. Be an open standard
2. Serve the business interests of each party
3. Serve the interests of the construction industry
4. Be available through an online interface
5. Be integrated using a common conceptual framework
6. Interact to produce comparability and other synergies.
In order to accomplish these goals, the IFD must first adopt, and then place each library in a common
ontological framework.
David Watson:
The ultimate goal of IFD is to provide a means for lexical library developers to:

develop a standard electronic access tool (API) to allow a common user-interface between our
libraries,

provide a means to harmonize our lexical terms, to identify synonyms in our various libraries,

by the means described above, to create an international harmonized lexicon made up of compatible
national construction dictionaries.
This could be accomplished by central database of terms, or central database of synonyms between
dictionaries (a relational table), or other means.

The API concept could be further expanded to include three distinct purposes:
users to access (interface with) any of our libraries in a common way (user-interface), and

information exchange (query) any (or all) of the IFD member libraries (hopefully using a common
API),

show synonyms between terms in different libraries There may be a variety of users as well (end-users
querying for terms, lexicon authors who populate or approve terms, software applications that wish to
acquire GUIDs, special lexicon "harmonization" authors, etc.).
Unification of BARi and STABU LexiCon
The goals as described above show how much a good foundation is needed to be successful in developing
a worldwide platform or standard for objectlibraries.
The Norwegian buildingSMART project BARBi and the STABU LexiCon project are the two objectlibraries
which are developed furthest at this time. These two projects are now in a process of unification in which
the two systems are brought together and form a foundation for an international objectlibrary.
Aim:

To make one common database for LexiCon and BARBi

To make easy to use Web Service API for accessing the database from any application
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


To make an offline version of the Web Service API, including synchronization features with online
database
To harmonize the content in the two projects
To open the door for other projects and countries with same aim
Status:

Specification for API and Objects completed

Some of the methods in the API implemented

Test use of new API from both LexiCon and BARBi completed successfully

The Web Service API should be released to the general public in September 2006.

Homepage for project: http://buildingsmart.byggforsk.no/index.php/Ifd:BARBi_-_LexiCon_unification
Opportunities IFD
The developers of the two objectlibraries are working on taking the best of both systems and
put them together in one new system. This development means there will be a solid foundation
for the further development of objectlibraries throughout the world.
The new integrated system will be linked to the BuildingSMART program and connect to the
IFC’s (Industry Foundation Classes) of the IAI (International Alliance for Interoperability).
By putting down a foundation for objectlibraries the opportunity presents itself to make an
international standard which will be accepted by the IAI and makes communication in the
construction industry better.
BARBi and STABU offer international partners to use the foundation which has been developed
over the last years and help populate the new system. This way a lot of the developing work
has already been done and bigger steps can be taken by our partners to give real meaning to a
worldwide and locally applicable objectlibrary.
During this workshop demonstrations will be given about the system and pilot-projects which
have already been executed. These demonstrations will show how a global objectlibrary
standard can help the construction industry in better communication.
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One object exist in multiple contexts, one central Library to connect them all …
In a briefing document
Properties
In product catalogues
Properties
In classification systems
Properties
In building specifications
Properties
In a CAD system
IFD Library
Properties
Properties
In a calculation system
Properties
In a Facility management system
Properties
For demolition and reconstruction
Properties
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… and still be able to communicate in the language of local markets.
In a briefing document
One concept carries the same unique
identificatior in every language
78AF4E98C8D4406B873DBB85E1FE7DB
Properties
In product catalogues
Properties
In classification systems
Properties
In building specifications
Properties
BARBi - Norway
LexiCon - Nederland
EDIBATECProperties
- France
??? - ChinaProperties
Properties
Properties
In a CAD system
Properties
In a calculation system
Properties
In a Facility management system
Properties
For demolition and reconstruction
Properties
`
Connection with IFC’s: From ad-hock, fragmented information to shared standardised data
Laws and regulations
-Building regulations
-Building specifications
CAD software
-Drawings, calculations
-Architect, engineer,…
VRML
-Visualisation, 3D models
Knowledge databases
-Best practise knowledge
-Own practice
Briefing
-Functional req.
-Estimates
-Conditions
-Requirements
Demolition, refurbishment
-Rebuild
-Demolition
-Restoration
IFC + IFD
product
model
Facility management
-Letting, sale, operations
-Maintenance
-Guaranties
Construction management
-Scheduling
-Logistics, 4D
Illustrations: Norwegian Building
Research Institute, Olof Granlund,
NBLN University of California,
Stanford University
Simulations
-Comfort
-Ventilation, heating
-Life cycle cost
-Light, sound
-Insulation
-Fire, usage
-Environment
-Life time predictions
Specifications
-Specification sheets
-Classification standards
-Estimates, accounting
Procurement
-Product databases
-Price databases