Functional Parts (FPs)

The purpose of a functional part is to describe the actions that are carried out within a business process to provide the output information.

A functional part is concerned with a particular unit information within an exchange requirement. For instance, to exchange a building model, it is first necessary to model the walls, windows, doors, slab, roof etc. The action of modelling each of these elements is described within a functional part.

The information described in a functional part may be of a general nature. In this case, a functional part may be used by a number of exchange requirements.That is, functional parts are reusable. Examples of reusable functional parts are those dealing with relationships (such as applying a classification to an element) or those dealing with geometric shape representation.

Where a functional part is reusable, specific detail that customizes its use within an exchange requirement is given within that exchange requirement. For example:

• geometric shape representations are identified by type (bounding box, boundary representation etc.)
• a reusable functional part specifying shape representation generally cannot be specific about the type of shape representation that may be used
• an exchange requirement may require an element to have a shape representation of a particular type
• the exhange requirement defines the value that should be assigned to the geometric shape representation identifier

Functional parts describe an action in close detail. Whereas an exchange requirement describes information in non technical detail, functional parts describe the use of every entity, every attribute, every property set and every property. concerned. Because of the detail included, functional parts can also be broken down into other functional parts. That is, a functional part may call on the services of other functional parts in the same way as exchange requirements.

Overview of identified Functional Parts (FPs)

The list below provides shows all identified FPs. This list is by all means not complete and is exptected to continue to grow.

• Address (FP) — Provides the communications address or addresses for an element or actor. A communications address is either a postal address for written communications or one of several telecommunications addresses for electronic communications.
• Aggregates (FP) — Describes a whole/part relationship in which the parent object (the whole) is aggregated from a set of child objects (the parts) by aggregation.
• Annotate Geometry (FP) — Annotation can provide for geometry that can have globally unique identification and that can also have attached property sets. This can be useful in a number of cases where geometric representation items are used to describe particular ideas within a model that require such identification and that may have additional properties but for which it may not be appropriate at this time to include fully semantically defined entities.
• Application Developer (FP) — The developer of the application. The application developer should always be an organization.
• Apply Owner History (FP) — The owner history is used to capture history and identification related information about the object to which it is attached.
• Assign Construction Resource To Task (FP) — This functional part describes how construction resources are defined and how they are then assigned to tasks.
• Assigns To Actor (FP) — Describes a relationship in which a set of objects are assigned to an actor. This may be for the purposes of ownership or for a particular actor fulfilling a designated role (specified through the functional part fp_model_actor) for a set of objects.
• Assigns to Control (FP) — Describes a relationship in which a set of objects are assigned to a control.
• Assigns To Group (FP) — Describes a grouping relationship in which the parent object (the group) is made from the assignment of a set of other objects.
• Assigns to Product (FP) — Describes a relationship in which a set of objects are assigned to a product. This could be for any purpose of qualifying a product such as identifying processes that operate on a product, condition that define a degraded state of a product, actors that fulfil roles in connection with the product and so on.
• Associate Classification (FP) — Provides for the association of a classification with one or more objects (occurrences) or property definitions (product types).
• Associate Constraint (FP) — This functional part provides a detailed description of the approaches that may be used in the association of a constraint to one or more objects where a constraint is defined as a limiting value or boundary condition that may be applied to an object or to the value of a property.
• Associate Cost (FP) — Provides for the association of a cost value with one or more object types or product (object) occurrences.
• Associate Document (FP) — This functional part provides a detailed description of the approaches that may be used in the association of a document to one or more objects or the referencing a stored document by name and location by one or more objects.
• Associate Environmental Impact Value (FP) — Provides for the association of an environmental impact value with one or more object types or product occurrences.
• Associate Material (FP) — Provides for the association of a single material with one or more product types or product occurrences.
• Associate Material Layer Set (FP) — Provides for the association of a materials specification with one or more product types or product occurrences that are constructed or manufactured as a set of layers where each layer is identifiable and is of a single material.
• Associate Material List (FP) — Provides for the association of a list of materials with one or more product types or product occurrences.
• Configure Load Bearing System (FP)
• Connect Face Set (FP) — Identifies the information requirements for provision of a connected face set.
• Connect Logical (FP) — Defines a logical connection made between two elements.
• Connect Ports (FP) — Defines the connection made between two ports. In the context of a distribution system, the ports are instances of IfcDistributionPort.
• Connect Space Boundary (FP) — Describes the connection between an element that forms a boundary of a space and the space for which it forms a boundary.
• Contains in Spatial Structure (FP) — Describes a containing relationship a product is contained within a spatial structure element such as a site, building, building storey or space.
• Control Maintenance Plan (FP) — A maintenance plan is a type of work plan in which the work tasks that are planned are specifically related the assets that are to be maintained. That is, the maintenance plan will provide a listing of all the maintenance tasks that must be undertaken and the period that can elapse between successive performances of the same task. A maintenance plan does not identify the actual dates on which work should be undertaken. This is the function of a maintenance schedule which is described in fp_control_maintenance_schedule.
• Control Maintenance Schedule (FP) — A maintenance schedule is a type of work schedule in which the work tasks that are scheduled are specifically related the assets that are to be maintained. That is, the maintenance schedule will describe all the maintenance tasks that must be undertaken and the actual dates on which work is scheduled to be done.
• Control Maintenance Work Order (FP) — A maintenance work order is a particular type of project order that describes a set of tasks that need to be undertaken to maintain an item of plant, equipment, structure or building fabric at a satisfactory operational state. Other types of project order include change orders, move orders, purchase orders and project work orders. These are all dealt with in separate functional parts.
• Control Service Life (FP) — The service life of an element is an appropriately reliable estimate of its durability in service. It describes the length of time that an element may be expected to perform its required function including the provision of any material, component, assembly or system maintenance or replacement that may be required.
• Define By Properties (FP) — Used to define the properties that can be assigned to an occurrence of an entity as a property set.
• Define By Type (FP) — Used to define the type object that sets the type for an occurrence.
• Define Electrical Base Properties (FP) — Provides information about the basic electrical properties of an electrical component, flow segment or circuit. Whilst electrical base properties are created as a property set definition in IFC and can therefore be formally be applied to any subtype of IfcObject, there is a practical informal proposition that identifies that electrical base properties can only be applied to an electrical distribution element, an electrical distribution element type or an electrical circuit.
• Define Fluid Flow Properties (FP) — Provides information about the flow properties of a fluid. Whilst fluid flow properties are created as a property set definition in IFC and can therefore be formally be applied to any subtype of IfcObject, there is a practical informal proposition that identifies that fluid flow properties can only be applied to a distribution element, a distribution element type or a system distributing a fluid.
• Define Quantity (FP) — Provides the means by which a quantity that is defined by a method of measurement may be defined for an object.
• Define Space Thermal Load (FP) — This functional part is concerned with capturing the thermal load (demand) including contributions from incidental sources for a spatial structure element (space, building storey, building part or entire building).
• Door (FP) — Model of door occurrence(s) including shape representation and other basic information
• Fills (FP) — Describes a relationship in which an element fills an opening that has been left by a prior voiding relationship.
• HVAC Equipment Classification (FP) — An HVAC Equipment shall be assigned to a type classification. This identifies what type of equipment the exchange refers to - for example Air Handling Unit, External Louvre, Fan, Duct System, Silencer etc...
• HVAC Equipment Colour (FP) — HVAC Equipment colour and finish. The colour and finish of equipment which has a visual impact on the project can be defined in the Design Brief, where such detail is available at this stage. However, in order to allow the building designer to review the colour and finish of the HVAC Equipment items, this optional exchange can be used.
• HVAC Equipment Controls (FP) — HVAC Equipment Controls provision, which defines the control system components associated with a piece of HVAC equipment that needs to be satisfied by the control system. Information required includes the identification of each control system component on the equipment, for example sensor, actuator, flow controller, alarm, location of each control component, details of the control system component functionality, details of the control system component type, for example electric, pneumatic, hand operated etc.. are defined here. During the early stages of the design this information may only be used for establishing the estimated requirements of the control system for the project.
• HVAC Equipment Dimensions (FP) — HVAC Equipment physical shape and size. The model should include details of the actual or proposed physical dimensions of the equipment, dependent on the stage of the project. During the early stages of the design this information may only be used for establishing the requirements of the service spaces and maintenance access for the project.
• HVAC Equipment Electrical Connections (FP) — HVAC Equipment Electrical Connections provision - which defines the details and physical location of electrical connections on a piece of HVAC equipment that needs to be satisfied by the electrical system. Information on the type of connection are defined here, for example junction box or earthing lug. During the early stages of the design this information may only be used for establishing the estimated requirements of the electrical system for the project.
• HVAC Equipment Electrical Load (FP) — HVAC Equipment Electrical Load provision - which defines the imposed electrical load of a piece of HVAC equipment that needs to be satisfied by the electrical system. Information on the imposed load, load type (number of phases and voltage), starting characteristics, diversity etc.. are defined here. During the early stages of the design this information may only be used for establishing the estimated requirements of the electrical system for the project.
• HVAC Equipment Electrical Motor (FP) — HVAC Equipment Electrical Motor provision - which defines the characteristics of an electric motor associated with a piece of HVAC equipment that needs to be satisfied by the electrical system. Information on the motor type, enclosure type and protection, power output, electrical load type (number of phases and voltage), starting characteristics etc.. are defined here. During the early stages of the design this information may only be used for establishing the estimated requirements of the electrical system for the project.
• HVAC Equipment Identifier (FP) — An HVAC Equipment item shall be assigned a locally unique identifier. it is identified as recommended throughout all project stages within this exchange requirement.
• HVAC Equipment Location (FP) — HVAC Equipment location. The model should include details of the actual or proposed physical location of the equipment, dependent on the stage of the project.
• HVAC Equipment Maintenance Access (FP) — HVAC Equipment maintenance access provision - for example withdrawal space for fan assembly or filters. The model should include details of the actual or proposed physical dimensions of the equipment, dependent on the stage of the project. During the early stages of the design this information may only be used for establishing the requirements of the service spaces and maintenance access for the project.
• HVAC Equipment Piping Interface (FP) — HVAC Equipment Piping Interface provision, which defines the details of a piping connection interface associated with a piece of HVAC equipment that needs to be satisfied by the piping system. Information required includes the location, size and type of connection (e,g, flange, union, screwed etc...), material and specification of the required connection (e.g. stainless steel PN16 flange) are defined here. During the early stages of the design this information may only be used for establishing the estimated requirements of the piping system for the project.
• HVAC Equipment Piping Load (FP) — HVAC Equipment Piping Load provision, which defines the characteristics of a piping connection load associated with a piece of HVAC equipment that needs to be satisfied by the piping system. Information required includes the piping medium (e.g. low temperature hot water, chilled water, steam, drain), and the required flow rate and energy load of the service, pressure drop etc.. are defined here. During the early stages of the design this information may only be used for establishing the estimated requirements of the piping system for the project.
• HVAC Systems (FP) — Model of HVAC System occurrence(s) including configuration, size, location, connection and technical data of HVAC systems including both the components and the distribution elements.
• HVAC Technical Spaces (FP) — HVAC Technical Space information is added to the building model according to the agreed format
• Internal Design Criteria (FP) — Provides internal design conditions/criteria for heat loss/gain and cooling calculation or analysis.
• Map Representation (FP) — This functional part deals with the definition of a representation map (equivalent of a symbol or block) and the placement of copies of that representation map at multiple placement locations. Each representation map has an origin (normally 0.,0.,0.) and a representation (defined as for general forms of representation), which has a representation identifier and representation type, identifying its use within different representation views
• Maximum Internal Heat Gain (FP) — Specifies the quantities that enable the calculation of internal heat gains for a space. The total value of internal heat gains should be the gain occurring at the time of maximum heat gain to the space taking into account solar, infiltration and internal gains. It is not necessarily the maximum actual internal heat gain into a space which may occur at a time when solar and infiltration components of the total gain are lower.
• Model Actor (FP) — Actors are the people and organizations who are associated with a project. They can be identified individually, and by name. They can also be identified by the roles that they play on the project (since an actor may be given more than one role).
• Model Asset (FP) — Provides the information concerning assets where an asset is a grouping of elements that are identified together for financial or operational or maintenance purposes. Any type of physical element or product may be grouped into an asset.
• Model Building (FP) — Provides the information concerning buildings within a basic building model.
• Model Building Storey (FP) — Provides the information concerning building storeys within a basic building model.
• Model Condition (FP) — Provides the information concerning the condition of an element or a group of elements
• Model Cost Item (FP) — A cost item describes a cost or financial value together with descriptive information that describes its context in a form that enables it to be used within a cost schedule. It represents an element within a cost model. Using general capabilities of the IFC schema, elements (cost items) can be nested to provide a hierarchical breakdown within the model. This can be used to enable the development of complex groups of costs as may be found in cost schedules through to pages, sections and complete cost schedules.
• Model Cost Schedule (FP) — A cost model is considered to be a collection of costs grouped together to provide a particular indication of a total cost (particular in the sense that the cost model fulfils an indicated purpose). The advantage of a cost model is that it can react to changes in cost assigned to particular elements of the model and provide alternative and/or comparative total costs.
• Model Distribution Chamber (FP) — This functional part describes the information required to describe a distribution chamber included in a main drainage or sewerage sewerage system. Distribution chambers are also used to represent ducts constructed in the ground and for housing meters of various types. Distribution chambers are types of flow element (IfcDistributionFlowElement) within the IFC model.
• Model Distribution Port (FP) — Provides information concerning distribution ports.
• Model Door (FP) — Provides the information concerning doors required for a basic building model.
• Model Electrical Circuit (FP) — Provides the information concerning electrical circuits.
• Model Electrical Distribution Board (FP) — This functional part describes the information required to describe an electrical distribution board type and occurrence. An electrical distribution board provides a housing for an aggregation of different types of instances of electrical distribution elements so that they can be viewed, operated or acted upon from a single place. Each item in the aggregation may have its own geometric representation and location by virtue of being a subtype of IfcProduct.
• Model Electrical Distribution Point (FP) — This functional part describes the information required to describe an electrical distribution point. An electrical distribution point provides a housing for an aggregation of different types of instances of electrical distribution elements so that they can be viewed, operated or acted upon from a single place. Each item in the aggregation may have its own geometric representation and location by virtue of being a subtype of IfcProduct.
• Model Electrical Equipment (FP) — This functional part describes the information required to describe an item of equipment used in an electrical system. All such items are types of flow element (IfcDistributionFlowElement) within the IFC model.
• Model Element (FP) — Provides information generally about elements that are not the subject of more detailed development in other functional parts.
• Model Fire Equipment (FP) — This functional part describes the information required to describe an item of fire suppression equipment and other equipment items used in a fire main system All such items are types of flow element (IfcDistributionFlowElement) within the IFC model.
• Model Flow Fitting (FP) — Provides the information concerning flow fittings. A flow fitting is an element of a distribution system at which there is a change in the flow characteristics of the medium being distributed. A flow fitting may have one or more entry ports and one or more exit ports.
• Model Flow Segment (FP) — Provides the information concerning flow segments. A flow segment is an element of a distribution system in which there is a single port at which the medium being distributed enters the segment and a single port at which the medium leaves the segment.
• Model Furniture (FP) — Provides the information concerning furniture. This information includes:
• Model Geographic Element (FP) — Provides the information concerning geographic elements represented within a map or geographic space (external to a building).
• Model Inventory (FP) — This functional part enables an inventory of various types of element to be compiled as explicit objects. These are the typical inventories that would be expected within a facilities management requirement and enable lists of equipment to be maintained together with financial information concerning the items in the inventory.
• Model Opening (FP) — Provides the information concerning openings made in elements where an opening is considered to include a complete opening through a solid element, a recess or a chase (linear recess cut for cables, pipes etc.)
• Model Piping Equipment (FP) — This functional part describes the information required to describe an item of equipment used in a piping system such as low pressure hot water heating, hot water service, cold water service, chilled water, compressed air etc. All such items are types of flow element (IfcDistributionFlowElement) within the IFC model.
• Model Plumbing Equipment (FP) — This functional part describes the information required to describe an item of equipment used in a plumbing system for waste removal or drainage from a building. All such items are types of flow element (IfcDistributionFlowElement) within the IFC model.
• Model Roof (FP) — Provides the information concerning roofs.
• Model Site (FP) — Provides the information concerning a site or sites within a basic building model.
• Model Slab (FP) — Provides the information concerning slabs. Slabs are used to describe horizontal and near horizontal constructions such as floors, ceilings, individual parts of a roof construction and the like.
• Model Space (FP) — Provides the information concerning a space within a building model.
• Model System (FP) — Provides the information concerning systems where a system is a grouping of elements. In the context of a distribution system, all of the elements that are grouped to form the system should be subtypes of IfcDistributionElement.
• Model Ventilation Equipment (FP) — This functional part describes the information required to describe an item of equipment used in a ventilation system.
• Model Window (FP)
• Nests (FP) — Describes a whole/part relationship in which the parent object (the whole) is aggregated from a set of child objects (the parts) by nesting. Nesting is a particular form of aggregation in which the parent object is formed by aggregating a set of child objects of the same type (class)
• Owner History (FP) — The owner history is used to capture history and identification related information about the object to which it is attached.
• Place (FP) — Contains the information required on general placement within the IFC model.
• Place Object (FP) — Provides guidance on how objects are placed using local placement.
• Project Context (FP) — The project context establishes a series of defaults for a model all based around the single definition of a project. An IFC model requires that there is one and only one specification of project. This may be a construction project but it does not have to be; it's intention is simply to provide the reference framework for all other information within the model and for the exchange and sharing of information within the model.
• Relate Currency (FP) — The IFC schema contains the ability to capture relationships between different currencies to support the ability of an application to change reliably from one currency representation to another. This is achieved using a currency relationship.
• Represent 2D Space Footprint (FP) — Provides the 2D plan shape of a spatial structure for any circumstance where a 2D boundary shape or footprint is required.
• Represent Bounded Curve (FP) — Identifies the information requirements for the provision of a bounded curve.
• Represent Bounding Box (FP) — Identifies the information requirements for provision of a bounding box representation.
• Represent B Spline Curve (FP) — NOT YET DEFINED
• Represent Cartesian Point (FP) — Identifies the information requirements for provision of a Cartesian point.
• Represent Composite Curve (FP) — Identifies the information requirements for the provision of a composite curve.
• Represent Connection Geometry (FP) — Identifies the information requirements for the specification of the geometry of the connection at a point curve or surface.
• Represent Face Based Surface Model (FP) — Identifies the information requirements for provision of a 3D face based planar surface model shape.
• Represent Faceted Brep Solid Model (FP) — Identifies the information requirements for provision of a 3D faceted boundary representation solid model shape.
• Represent Line (FP) — Identifies the information requirements for the provision of a line.
• Represent Point Based Surface Model (FP) — Identifies the information requirements for a surface representation through the provision of points and, optionally, breaklines.
• Represent Polyline (FP) — Identifies the information requirements for the provision of a polyline.
• Represent Product (FP) — Within the same object placement, a product may be represented by a single or multiple shape representations. Each of the individual shape representations may refer to a different representation context and have a different representation name and type. However all geometric representation contexts are required to refer to the same global (or world) coordinate system.
• Represent Profile Circle (FP) — Identifies the information requirements for the provision of a circle profile.
• Represent Profile Elipse (FP) — Identifies the information requirements for the provision of an ellipse profile.
• Represent Profile Rectangle (FP) — Identifies the information requirements for the provision of a rectangle profile.
• Represent Sectioned Spine (FP) — Identifies the information requirements for provision of a sectioned spine representation.
• Represent Shell Based Surface Model (FP) — Identifies the information requirements for provision of a 3D shell based planar surface model shape.
• Represent Trimmed Curve (FP) — Identifies the information requirements for the provision of a trimmed curve.
• Schedule Time Series (FP) — Provides a set of information that is sampled at time intervals over a measured period of time. The time series may be either regular (consistent time intervals between samples) or irregular (varying time intervals between samples).
• Select Date Time (FP) — Provides the means for specifying date/time values to attributes.
• Services Building (FP)
• Set Energy Consumption (FP) — Describes the setting (capture) of values of energy consumption for a spatial structure or space grouping (zone) entity. A spatial structure may be a building, building storey or space and may be of any element composition including complex, element or partial. Typically, energy consumption will be captured for at least the top level spatial structure of the project
• Set Geometric Representation Context (FP) — The specification of a project within IFC and every occurrence of a representation of a product (and specifically, its shape representation since this is currently the only type of representation defined with IFC) must have a context.
• Set Organisation (FP) — This functional part defines a named and structured grouping that has a corporate identity. It may be used to describe a whole organization such as a company. Alternatively, it may be used to describe a particular grouping within an organization such as a division, a department, a working group etc.
• Set Outside Thermal Design (FP) — Describes the setting of values of outside design conditions required for the analysis of energy demand and consumption.
• Set Project Context (FP) — The project context establishes a series of defaults for a model all based around the single definition of a project. An IFC model requires that there is one and only one specification of project. This may be a construction project but it does not have to be; the intention is simply to provide the reference framework for all other information within the model and for the exchange and sharing of information within the model.
• Set Risk (FP) — Describes the setting (capture) of information about the assessment of risk. Such information may be applied to any physical object and to any process that engages in the construction, erection or installation of physical objects.
• Set Shading (FP) — Describes the setting (capture) of information about shading applied to building elements including the type pof shading, azimuth and inclination, tilt, solar transmittance and other related factors.
• Set Space Thermal Design (FP)
• Set Space Ventilation (FP) — Describes the setting of values required for the ventilation of a space. It includes the setting of both natural infiltration and mechanical ventilation rates.
• Set Thermal Properties (FP) — Describes the setting of values required for the thermal properties of a building element to be used in energy analysis calculations. Thermal properties may be provided as part of the specification of building elements by the building designer or from catalogue sources of building element types.
• Set Warranty (FP) — Describes the setting (capture) of information about the warranty provided for a product or service. Such information may be applied to any physical object or to an identifiable grouping of objects such as a system.
• Void Fill Elements By Space (FP) — Determines building elements that are located within holes (voids) left in other building elements. Typically, these are windows, skylights and doors
• Voids (FP) — Describes a relationship in which a feature element (either an opening element or an edge feature) subtracts material from another element (which may be a building element or other subtype of element).