Does IFC support granular assets?

Developers IFC4.2
1

I’d like to know your opinion about the classification methodology I’ve started to develop and also the potential of IFC to support these kinds of granular assets.

The main aim of this granular hierarchy is developing a new method to classify buildings in a more granular way which current classifications do not provide

This new classification divides a building into 10 layers:

  1. Elements: The biggest built objects which have some systems and sub-systems

  2. Systems: Set of things working together as parts of elements; a complex whole which has some components and subcomponents

  3. SubSystems: Self-contained systems within a larger system

  4. Components: Independent units, subsystems or subassemblies which have some products

  5. SubComponents: Self-contained components within a larger Component

  6. Products: Products are processed, finished items that are offered for sale which have some parts and subparts

  7. Parts: Physical substances that things can be made from

  8. SubParts: Physical substances that parts can be made from

  9. Materials: The matter from which a part or subpart is or can be made

  10. Chemical Substances: A form of matter having constant chemical composition and characteristic properties

The result would be like a tree diagram and will help sustainability and circularity matters like LCA and WLCC

Thank you in advance
Ehsan

2

I think you may bump into limitations on the larger scale. Unless “elements” is only reserved for the largest scale. Where would you stop?

E.g. Going from the world to a country to a region to a city to a district to a Campus to a parcel to a building complex to a building to a storey to a wall to its composition in layers to an individual layer to the product which makes that layer to the materials and even the substances from which the product is made?

E.g. interior wall made up as an assembly of steel framing and gypsum plasterboard plates?

3

I think it needs some improvements, and is just an idea to think about a well-structured structure, than “Element + Type” method on IFC

4

From what I can see, all the listed “layers” have a counterpart concept in the IFC schema. Plus IFC allows you to assign any external classification to definitions.

I think you are well set just relying on IFC.

5

@sergej Yes, this is why I’ve focused on IFC

I have a R&D project called "INSIDE THE CIRCULAR PRODUCT FOR LIVING" - BRINGING A NEW VISION TO THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT BY THINKING OF “BUILDING AS A CIRCULAR PRODUCT”

So I started with a question: Do you know any classification format for expanding BIM with PLM?

And checked many classifications like OmniClass, Masterformat, Uniformat, UniClass and CoClass and finally realized that: If I want a classification which covers BIM+PLM (BLM) and Circular Economy I have to develop a new classification

Then came with this idea: Building Classification - More Granular

But finally have focused on ODClass [ReaserchGate][GitHub] which is the first step to not only rebuild IFD and IFC structure, but also develop a classification which solves big issues in the Built Environment Industry

Just I want to have “Sets” too