Hello,
Is there any tool that BuildingSmart promotes/recommends for migration/upgrade of IFC files from an older version to a newer one (same MVD)?
There isn’t the “same” MVD. They are specific to an IFC scheme version.
Ok, agree but, let me clarify. I am concerned about the use of BIM models for the Facility Management. The FM owner would likelly need to have his/her model maintained for many years (minumum typical service life for Buildings is 50 years and 100 years is very common for reinforced concrete structures, depending on the codes). So, it, let’s say, in 40 years, part of my building needs to be remodelled, I would need to modify the model. Working with native file formats sounds crazy, due to the perennity of the file formats and the likely to be loss of information between model upgrades, so solution is IFC. But, even with IFC it is probable that the current versions will become outdated (in the sense that the modelling tools may not incorporate the ability to import/export ancient versions of IFC files), so some upgrade will need to be performed that should preserve as much as possible the original metadata (structure and values). That is why I mentioned “same MVD”.
I’m not aware of a tool which currently does this. However, it would be very useful to have.
I suspect, though, that it is quite a boring task 
Someone would need to read the changelogs and make quite a few assumptions.
Yeah, A “defensive” approach, in absence of the tool, would be, maybe, to have all the relevant metadata in custom property sets which should be easier to upgrade to newer IFC MVDs.The objects could even be defined as just buildling proxy elements. It kills the purpose of the IFC but…
@JuanAntonioRodriguez and don’t forget building proxy elements are now obsolete in the latest IFC version …
Ouch, true!. Even a sacred element, such as the buildingproxyelement is prone to extinction (my poor infrastructure models…) 
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Revit’s generic model of my DWG unclassified solids will become… what?
Hey @Moult! Isn’t IfcBuiltElement sort of a replacement for IfcBuildingElementProxy in IFC 4x3? My understanding was that the base class (IfcBuildingElement) became non-abstract for that purpose 
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The IfcBuiltElement can be instantiated in the case when arbitrary built elements cannot be expressed by a subtype of IfcBuiltElement.
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@claimred yes, I believe you are right. I was just pointing out that to build such a tool requires quite a bit of work … note that there is another problem that the IFC SPF files currently denote IFC4 - is that IFC4.2? IFC4.3? It makes a difference But the files won’t specify!