IFC & COBie: Open BIM Data Handover for Irish Projects

BIM model handover is the most frequently disappointing milestone in Irish construction. The design team delivers a Revit model at practical completion that the client's facilities management team cannot open, cannot extract asset data from, and cannot connect to their CAFM or CMMS system. The building that was designed digitally becomes operationally invisible within weeks of handover. IFC and COBie are the two open data formats that solve this problem — and understanding when to specify each of them is increasingly important on Irish NDP projects as HSE, OPW and Irish local authorities progressively require digital asset data handover.

What Is IFC and Why Does Open BIM Matter?

IFC (Industry Foundation Classes) is an open, vendor-neutral BIM data format published by buildingSMART International. It is the universal language of BIM data exchange — allowing a model created in Autodesk Revit to be opened and used in Vectorworks, Graphisoft ArchiCAD, Tekla or any IFC-compatible application without loss of geometry, properties or relationships. Unlike proprietary BIM formats (RVT, DWG, etc.), an IFC file can be opened by free IFC viewers — meaning the building client does not need to purchase design software to access their own building model data.

Open BIM matters for Ireland because: public sector building owners should not be permanently dependent on the design team's software subscription to access their building model; IFC-based digital twin platforms can ingest building model data from multiple design tools into a single operational platform; and interoperability between design, construction and FM platforms reduces the cost and friction of building lifecycle management.

IFC Versions — 2x3, IFC4 and IFC4.3

• IFC 2x3 — The most widely supported IFC version, exported by default from most versions of Revit and ArchiCAD. Sufficient for most Irish building projects where IFC is required. Its weakness is that it predates BIM methodology advances and has limited support for some complex geometry types.
• IFC4 (IFC4 Add2) — The recommended version for Irish NDP project handover in 2025. Better geometry support, more complete property set definitions, and alignment with ISO 19650 information management concepts. IFC4 export is available in Revit 2019 and later.
• IFC4.3 — The latest version, specifically designed for infrastructure (roads, bridges, rail, port). Required for TII and Irish Rail projects but not appropriate for standard building projects.

What Is COBie and What Problem Does It Solve?

COBie (Construction Operations Building Information Exchange) is a data format that organises building asset information in a structured spreadsheet — not a 3D model, but a data table of every maintainable asset in the building: equipment type, manufacturer, model, installation date, warranty expiry, maintenance interval, responsible contact, and associated documentation links. COBie solves the fundamental problem of FM handover: the building owner receives O&M manuals in disorganised folders and has no structured way to import the asset data into their CMMS or CAFM system. COBie provides that structure.

IFC vs COBie — Different Purposes, Complementary Data

IFC and COBie are not competing formats — they serve different purposes and are typically used together:

• IFC — 3D geometry + spatial relationships + technical properties. Use for: FM navigation (where is the fire alarm panel?), visual asset identification, digital twin integration, clash checking of as-built model vs design intent.
• COBie — Structured asset data without geometry. Use for: CMMS/CAFM population (maintenance schedules, warranty data), asset inventory, FM operations management, regulatory compliance records.

On an Irish hospital project, the IFC model allows HSE facilities staff to navigate the building virtually and identify the location of every fire alarm panel and access control reader. The COBie spreadsheet gives them the maintenance interval, warranty period and responsible contractor for every component — data they need in their CMMS, not in the 3D model.

IFC and COBie on Irish NDP Projects

HSE Capital Programme FM Handover Requirements

The HSE Capital Programme is progressively requiring IFC and COBie handover on major capital projects — particularly new hospital builds where the HSE wants to populate its enterprise asset management system from the design BIM model at practical completion. ASDV includes IFC export and COBie data extraction as standard deliverables on HSE Capital Programme ELV scopes where the project EIR specifies digital handover requirements.

OGP and Public Works Asset Data Requirements

The OGP BIM Framework references asset information handover in its BIM maturity roadmap. Public buildings above the BIM mandate threshold are progressively required to deliver structured asset data at handover — initially in COBie format, transitioning toward digital twin-ready IFC4 models for operational integration.

How to Produce IFC from Revit for Irish Projects

IFC export from Revit requires: an IFC export mapping file aligned to the project EIR (mapping Revit categories to IFC entity types); correct property set configuration (confirming that the right data is attached to each element type); and an IFC export test against an IFC validator before the file is issued to the CDE. Common IFC export issues include: incorrect geometry simplification that loses detail; property sets not mapping correctly; and coordinate system misalignment. ASDV validates IFC exports against the buildingSMART IFC checker before issuing to the project CDE.

See our BIM support services Ireland and our digital twin buildings Ireland guide for the FM and digital twin context.