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BIM CVP

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Standards Profile — Gemeinwert / BIM CVP

Purpose. Fixes which versions of which buildingSMART and ISO standards the pilot uses exactly, with reasoning per choice. Based on the deep research from May 2026 and the CDE market research (docs/cde-research.md).

Purpose. Fixes which versions of which buildingSMART and ISO standards the pilot uses exactly, with reasoning per choice. Based on the deep research from May 2026 and the CDE market research (docs/cde-research.md).

Principle. Not generic "IFC4" or "BCF" — but exact pinned versions. Otherwise the pilot drifts into incompatibilities and the NIP draft has no test vectors.


1. Canonical model format: IFC 4.3.2.0

  • Version: IFC 4.3.2.0 (official schema designation)
  • Released: April 2024
  • Status: official buildingSMART standard, semantically identical to ISO 16739-1:2024 (the published 4.3.2.0 documentation adds examples and typo corrections)
  • Reason: the current official core for buildings and infrastructure. First IFC release that covers bridges, road, rail, tunnels and ports. Still fully compatible with IFC4 workflows for buildings.

Legacy read paths (read-only):

  • IFC 4.0.2.1 (IFC4 ADD2 TC1), October 2017 — widely used in building toolchains, ISO 16739-1:2018
  • IFC 2x3 TC1, July 2007 — required for legacy FM stock
  • IFC 4.1.0.0 (June 2018) and 4.2.0.0 (April 2019) are withdrawn — read path optional

Not for use: IFC 4.4.x dev and IFC 5 dev are not production-ready. Keep watch, but no pilot use.

Tag value normalization at code level: in the schema tag we use toolchain-common labels IFC4X3_ADD2 (for IFC 4.3.2.0), IFC4_ADD2_TC1 (for 4.0.2.1), IFC2X3_TC1 (for 2x3 TC1).


2. Standard exchange profile: Reference View 1.2

  • MVD: Reference View 1.2 for IFC4 ADD2 TC1
  • Status: official, Final
  • Reason: broadest interoperability for reference-based exchange in buildings and most of infrastructure. This is the "safest" default for a CDE.

Special MVDs that need conditional support:

MVDIFC baseWhenStatus
Reference View 1.2IFC4 ADD2 TC1building defaultFinal
Alignment Based View 1.0IFC 4.3road, rail, tunnel — infrastructure projectsin formal review 2025
Design Transfer ViewIFC4 ADD2 TC1one-way authoring-tool-to-tool transfernever cleanly finalized by buildingSMART — not a primary target
IFC4PrecastIFC4 ADD2 TC1precast — explicitly separate from RVFinal
Quantity Takeoff ViewIFC4 ADD2 TC1BOQ / quantities linkage (parking lot)Draft
Energy Analysis ViewIFC4 ADD2 TC1EPBD recast energy reportsDraft
Product Library ViewIFC4 ADD2 TC1manufacturer PDTs (kind:30850 later)Draft
IFC2x3 Coordination ViewIFC 2x3 TC1legacy coordinationFinal
IFC2x3 Basic FM Handover ViewIFC 2x3 TC1CAFM/CMMS handover to legacy toolsFinal

Pilot default: Reference View 1.2. Other MVDs only when the specific use case forces them. For infrastructure projects use Alignment Based View 1.0 once production and tool-validated.

MVD formalization: all MVDs are defined in mvdXML, a buildingSMART-standardised format for formal IFC schema subset description.


3. Information requirements: IDS 1.0

  • Version: IDS 1.0
  • Released: 1 June 2024
  • Status: official buildingSMART standard, Final (pre-1.0 versions were not official)
  • Reason: the first Final standard for machine-readable information requirements with clear IFC binding. Replaces informal EIR PDFs with machine-checkable specs.

What IDS can check: requirements on properties, quantities/attributes, materials, classifications, entity types, and partOf dependencies.

What IDS does not cover: geometry requirements. Those stay with MVD + LOIN.

Practical consequence: IDS today is often the more effective lever than purely textual specifications, because it is machine-checkable and versionable like code. EIR/AIA texts can remain attachments; operational requirements move into IDS.


4. Coordination: BCF API 3.0 + BCF XML 3.0

  • BCF API 3.0: Final, released 17 June 2021
  • BCF XML 3.0: Final, released 18 June 2021
  • Fallback BCF API 2.1: Final, released 16 January 2017
  • Fallback BCF XML 2.1: Final
  • Reason: BCF 3.0 builds on 2.1, extends OpenCDE integration and introduces ServerAssignedId, DocumentReferences, ViewSetupHints, Coloring, Bitmaps. Required for ISO-19650-compliant workflows. Auth/authorization with per-entity authorization and project extensions is much cleaner for CDE operation than 2.1.

Practice note: existing tools often still speak BCF 2.1. Our adapter must read/write both directions (round-trip tests mandatory).

Tool compatibility (vendor-self-reported, as of 2026):

ToolBCF XML 2.0/2.1/3.0BCF API 2.0/2.1/3.0
Archicad2.0 / 2.1 / 3.02.0 / 2.1 / 3.0
Solibri Office2.0 / 2.1 / 3.02.0 / 2.1 / 3.0
ALLPLAN(not declared)2.0 / 2.1
BIMcollab Zoom2.0 / 2.12.0 / 2.1
DESITE BIM2.1 / 3.03.0
usBIM2.0 / 2.1 / 3.03.0
Quadri2.12.1

Conclusion: 2.1 is everywhere, 3.0 is not. Our stack must speak 3.0 natively as server and 2.1 import/export for backwards compatibility.


5. OpenCDE API stack

  • Foundation API: 1.1 (released together with Documents API 1.0)
  • Documents API: 1.0 Final, 21 December 2023
  • Dictionary API: bSDD-compatible (live service)
  • BCF API: 3.0 (see above)

Foundation 1.1 enforces:

  • OAuth2-based authentication
  • TLS minimum 1.2 (HTTPS-only)
  • standardized error objects
  • ETags for cache and change control
  • full PUT updates
  • CORS
  • date/time per RFC3339
  • versioning / service discovery
  • paging / sorting / filtering via OData
  • Client Credentials Grant explicitly not supported (no user identity transferable) — aligns with our npub-first principle.

Documents API 1.0 specifics:

  • selection / download / upload of files including metadata
  • callback URL for upload workflows
  • external storage targets supported (exactly the adapter pattern we need for nodrive://)
  • recommended: short, random, single-use URLs for selection and upload workflows
  • malware scanning, MIME check, controlled binary uploads as mandatory

Linking BCF API ↔ Documents API: BCF topics can reference Documents API files via open-cde-documents://… URIs without carrying the binary itself.


6. Classification: bSDD URIs

  • Service: buildingSMART Data Dictionary, live
  • Use: referenced URIs of the form https://identifier.buildingsmart.org/uri/buildingsmart/ifc/4.3/prop/...
  • Reason: stable, multilingual terms for classes, properties, materials. Referenceable in IFC properties and IDS specifications.

Pilot position: we do not build our own dictionary, we reference bSDD URIs. Own classifications are exclusively project-specific and embedded in property sets.


7. Process model: ISO 19650 + Swiss default profile

Technical layer is DACH-neutral. Process layer follows the Swiss profile as default, with adapters for DE and AT.

7.1 Why Swiss profile as default

SwitzerlandGermanyAustria
Best operational artifacts: KBOB contract annexes "Application of the BIM method", BIM Abwicklungsmodell, LOIN guides per SN EN 17412-1 (2026), AIM basics, BIM2FM data field catalog, openBIM.ch workflow sheets, national glossary by buildingSMART SwitzerlandStrongest governance line: BIM Deutschland + DIN EN ISO 19650 + VDI 2552 Blatt 5 + AIA/BAP/BIM4INFRA templatesStrongest normative consolidation: ÖNORM A 6241-1:2025 (published 15.10.2025) + A 6241-2 (Level-3 iBIM)
Directly usable for product designMore program- and template-driven than operationalStrong in training (BIMcert), strong infrastructure operators (ASFINAG, ÖBB)
SIA 2051 retired end of 2024 — consolidation toward ISO 19650 ongoingKBOB provides explicit orientation guide to SN EN ISO 19650 part 1ASFINAG and ÖBB are strong public BIM drivers

Consequence: the Swiss KBOB profile with BIM Abwicklungsmodell and LOIN guides becomes the default workflow template. DE projects get DIN/VDI adapter, AT projects get ÖNORM A 6241 adapter, IT projects get UNI 11337 adapter (see section 8.2).

KBOB minimum requirements for contract annexes (should be reflected in CDE tenders): openBIM principles, structured data delivery, BIM model plan with IFC class specifications, BEP/BAP as central project steering instrument, data sovereignty + data security + data protection + liability explicitly addressed.

7.2 ISO 19650 lifecycle states

Four canonical states, encoded in document and model events as the iso19650-state tag:

  • WIP (Work In Progress) — author works, no one else sees it
  • Shared — visible to defined team members, not yet final
  • Published — approved by approver, authoritative
  • Archive — completed, archived

Transitions are not free write rights, but explicit transition rights with approver authority.


8. Role model — two axes

We separate discipline (what I do) and project authority (which rights I have).

8.1 Discipline axis (IFC ActorRoleEnum)

From IFC 4.3 ADD2 schema:

ARCHITECT, STRUCTURALENGINEER, MECHANICALENGINEER, ELECTRICALENGINEER, CIVILENGINEER, BUILDINGPHYSICIST, FIRESAFETYENGINEER, CONSTRUCTIONMANAGER, CLIENT, CONTRACTOR, SUBCONTRACTOR, CONSULTANT, OWNER, PROJECTMANAGER, BUILDINGOPERATOR, RESELLER, MANUFACTURER, SUPPLIER, plus UserDefinedRole.

8.2 Project authority axis (ISO 19650 + practice consolidation)

RoleShort formPrimary authority
CDE Administratorcde-admintechnical operation, no functional release
Information Manager / CDE Governanceinfo-managerconventions, container rules, project defaults
Lead Appointed Party (overall coordinator)lead-appointedcontractor-side overall coordination
Task Team Manager (discipline lead)task-team-leaddiscipline team leadership
Model Author / Specialist Plannermodel-authorcreates models and documents
BIM Coordinator / Reviewerbim-coordclash and quality review
Approver / Release Authorityapproverformal release (gate owner)
FM / Asset Representativefm-repoperations / AIM / handover view
External Observer / Auditorobserverread-only audit access

Italian adapter (UNI 11337-7) maps to the ISO 19650 layer:

Italian termISO role
BIM Manager PAInformation Manager
BIM Coordinator PABIM Coordinator
BIM Specialist PAModel Author
CDE ManagerCDE Administrator

8.3 Encoding in the Nostr event

In the kind:30902 BCF Project event, members are listed via p tags:

["p", "<pubkey-hex>", "<relay-hint>", "<discipline>", "<project-authority>"]

Multi-assignment possible (a person can combine multiple disciplines or roles) — then multiple p tags for the same pubkey.


9. Rights and policy model

9.1 Two-layer architecture

  • RBAC base: who is fundamentally allowed to act on which resource type — projects, folders, documents, models, topics, comments, viewpoints.
  • ABAC overlay: under which conditions the access actually applies — phase, stage, status, discipline, responsibility, tenant, confidentiality class, document class, model container, asset type.

9.2 BCF-API-compliant rights vocabulary

We use the BCF API action lists directly:

  • project_actions: update, createTopic, createDocument
  • topic_actions: update, updateBimSnippet, updateRelatedTopics, updateDocumentReferences, updateFiles, createComment, createViewpoint
  • comment_actions: update

These actions are published in the project event as extensions, with local exceptions in the authorization field on topic / comment.

9.3 Status transition rights

Status changes are separate permissions, not implied by write rights. Defined per transition:

  • WIP → Shared: model author themselves
  • Shared → Published: approver role
  • Published → Archive: information manager + approver jointly (Frostr multi-sig optional)
  • * → Closed/Resolved: BCF topic role + approver

10. Audit and event model

10.1 What gets logged (at minimum)

  • login / auth events
  • rights resolutions
  • document upload (with hash)
  • version creation
  • metadata changes
  • status changes (with audit-field, audit-from, audit-to)
  • issue creation
  • comment
  • viewpoint changes
  • linking of documents and topics
  • approvals
  • exports and downloads
  • failed attempts

10.2 Technical anchoring

  • Foundation API ETags provide conditional-request audit at server level
  • BCF Topic Events / Comment Events are the event-stream layer
  • IFC OwnerHistory at model level
  • Our kind:1171 audit events span the Nostr layer over all of it

For tamper resistance: OpenTimestamps anchor on construction-diary and approval events. Optionally on audit events for highly sensitive projects.


11. Privacy and compliance

11.1 Applicable law

  • Switzerland: revised Federal Act on Data Protection (revDSG), in force since 1 September 2023
  • EU / Italy / Austria / Germany: Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (GDPR)

11.2 Personal data in a BIM CDE

The following fields can be personal and must be handled accordingly:

  • usernames / profiles (kind:0)
  • free-text comments (kind:1170)
  • issue histories (kind:1171)
  • snapshots (if persons are recognizable)
  • file attachments (if content is personal)
  • approval logs
  • metadata in models or documents

11.3 Mandatory measures

  • data minimization in comments and forms
  • standardized retention and deletion rules per container / project
  • separation of functional documentation and IAM / security logs
  • encryption in transit (TLS ≥ 1.2) and at rest (LUKS or similar)
  • tenant and project isolation
  • exportable audit trails
  • location and transfer policies for CH/EU projects
  • role-based visibility of sensitive attachments and snapshots

11.4 DPIA

For every public pilot project a separate data protection impact assessment. Template in docs/BACKEND-SETUP.md section 10 (skeleton).


12. Integration with authoring tools

ToolIntegrationNote
Revitbuilt-in IFC exporter; Data Management API + Issues API as adapteradapter onto our canonical BCF / Documents domain, not the other way
Archicadbuilt-in BCF format; Developer API with BCF import/exportvery good candidate for deep integration
AllplanIFC export, BCF supportstandard path
SolibriBCF Live Connector is BCF-API-compliantideal QA / coordination endpoint
ACC / BIM 360Data Management API + Issues APIexternal system with adapter, not semantic anchor
Tekla, Vectorworks, DDS-CADIFC + BCFvia standard paths

12a. CAM Edilizia 2025 (Italy) — sustainability mandate

Since 25.11.2025 mandatory for Italian public construction procurement (D.Lgs. 36/2023 art. 57 par. 2). Three sections are technically relevant:

  • 2.1.3 Progettazione in BIM — BIM model must contain environmental and material data, EPDs per EN ISO 22057:2022
  • 2.3.16 Piano di manutenzione — maintenance documentation archived in BIM, IFC-compliant
  • 2.3.17 Piano di decostruzione — new in 2025, at least 70% of building part weight reusable or selectively recyclable, per UNI PdR 75 + UNI 8290-1

LCA / LCC per EN 15804 (products), EN 15978 (buildings), EN 16627 (LCC). Reporting framework Level(s) (EU). Full analysis in docs/cam-edilizia-2025-analyse.md.

Honesty tags — source labeling

CAM data are often modeled estimates, not measurements. To keep this visible in the audit trail, we label data provenance per value:

Tag valueMeaning
modelindustry dataset / generic factor (Ökobaudat, EPD-Italy, EcoPlatform)
verifiedaccredited EPD per EN 15804 + EN ISO 14025, third-party verified
measuredreal factory telemetry or sensor data, signed by the producer

Usage in PDT / LCA / EPBD events:

["epd-source", "model"]
["lca-source", "verified"]
["co2-source", "measured"]

The audit trail can then distinguish estimate from measurement. Over years, measured gradually replaces model values without changing the doc structure.


KindNameTrigger
30940LCA study referenceEN 15804/15978, CAM 1.3.2
30941LCC study referenceEN 16627, CAM 1.3.2
30942Level(s) indicator setEU framework
30962Maintenance cycle / maintenance eventCAM 2.3.16
30971Deconstruction plan approvalCAM 2.3.17
1190Sustainability indicator snapshotpoint-in-time, immutable

Value ranges and tag conventions in KIND-REGISTRY.md.


13. What is explicitly not chosen (with reason)

  • proprietary formats (Revit .rvt, ArchiCAD .pln) — only as authoring source, never as exchange.
  • Closed CDEs as backend — pilot stays self-hostable.
  • ifcOWL — semantically attractive, but toolchain thin and not NIP-friendly.
  • BimJSON — historically interesting, no longer mindshare.
  • STEP phase profiles outside IFC — out of scope.
  • BIM 5D / 6D / 7D extensions without IFC anchor — proprietary or unstandardized.
  • NIP-04 for DMs — cryptographically broken, replaced by NIP-17 + NIP-44.

14. Future tracking

What we watch closely, but don't include today:

  • IFC 4.4.x dev: minor semantic-layer update of 4.3, active development at buildingSMART/IFC4.4.x-development. No release date.
  • IFC 5 alpha (released May 2026) / IFC X: next generation. Component-based architecture (Entity Component System), JSON serialization at ifcx.dev, USD integration via Alliance-for-OpenUSD liaison. Alpha repo at buildingSMART/IFC5-development. Incremental release strategy — first reduced version, then modules. Not production-ready, no stable date. Our adapter architecture should leave room for IFC 5 JSON as additional schema target once stable. Strategically aligned with our Nostr-event-based thinking (both JSON, both component-based, both designed for programmatic access).
  • EPBD recast Building Logbook requirements: finer content obligations from 2027/28
  • EU DPP / ESPR for construction products from 2027
  • MLS-over-Nostr for end-to-end encrypted groups with forward secrecy
  • NIP-29 v2 group management on standard relays
  • bSI Implementers Assembly semi-annual events — next at ACCA Bagnoli Irpino, Italy. Strategic outreach opportunity for the Bolzano pilot context.

15. References

  • buildingSMART Standards Repository (official database)
  • buildingSMART IFC 4.3 ADD2 Documentation
  • buildingSMART IDS 1.0 Release (2024-06-01)
  • buildingSMART BCF Repositories (XML 2.0, 2.1, 3.0; API 2.1, 3.0)
  • buildingSMART OpenCDE-API Repository (Foundation 1.1, Documents 1.0)
  • buildingSMART Data Dictionary (bSDD) service
  • ISO 16739-1:2024 (IFC 4.3 ADD2 as ISO standard)
  • ISO 19650 series (Information Management)
  • EN 15804 (LCA products) / EN 15978 (LCA buildings) / EN 16627 (LCC)
  • EN ISO 22057:2022 (EPDs in BIM)
  • EN 17412-1 (LOIN)
  • SN EN 17412-1 (Swiss adaptation)
  • ÖNORM A 6241-1:2025, A 6241-2 (Austrian standard)
  • UNI 11337 (Italian standard, 12 parts)
  • UNI PdR 75 (selective deconstruction), UNI 8290-1 (building parts terminology)
  • DM 312/2021, D.Lgs. 36/2023, D.Lgs. 209/2024 Correttivo, CAM Edilizia 25.11.2025
  • Level(s) — EU framework for sustainability indicators
  • Swiss revDSG (in force 2023-09-01)
  • EU GDPR (Regulation 2016/679)

Status: May 2026. Living document — version bumps in the listed standards trigger an update. Before any NIP PR to nostr-protocol/nips, this profile must align with the test vectors used.