The IFC to Linked Building Data Converter - Current Status
Mathias Bonduel, Jyrki Oraskari, Pieter Pauwels, Maarten Vergauwen, Ralf Klein · Ghent University Academic Bibliography (Ghent University) · 2018
Several methods for creating building-related Linked Data graphs exist. This paper focuses on the conversion of IFC Building Information Models (BIM) to RDF Abox graphs using the emerging W3C Linked Building Data (LBD) modular ontologies: BOT (building topology), PRODUCT (classification of building elements) and PROPS (building-related properties). The existing IFC-to-RDF converter tool, converts IFC into ifcOWL-based Abox graphs which are rather complex and difficult to implement in software applications. The IFC-to-LBD converter presented, is necessary to transform IFC building models into RDF Abox graphs structured according the new LBD ontologies. An output graph contains the relevant information of the IFC building model related to building topology, building elements classification and building-related properties. Additionally, the graph structure becomes more concise (minimum 83 % less triples) and significantly easier to query compared to the output of the ifcOWL-based IFC-to-RDF converter.