Simple window

Definition

The concept of 'Simple window' is used to define a very simple window. Most of the actual properties of the window are not defined in the IFC model - the important identifier is the type of the window that is defined by each building project. Looking at the window type different applications know what data to attach to the window instances in their own applications.

The IFC model has provisions to model windows in great detail using IfcWindowPanel and IfcWindowLining. There has not been any real need to use this much detail in the implementations so far but this possibility exists if it is needed. There is a separate paper about modeling simple doors and windows that describes these things in more detail and explains why they are currently done this way.

Geometry

Geometry type	Extrusion	Profile	Segments	Clipped	Slanted
Brep

• The bounding box geometry of the window is defined by the opening element that contains the window, the window instance itself has no bounding box geometry.
• The exact window geometry may be optionally included using Brep geometry.
• In addition to the geometry the following parameters for a window can be specified. These parameters can be used to recreate some of the window geometry in the receiving system.
  • Type of the window
  • Lining depth
  • Lining thickness
  • Frame width
  • Frame depth

View considerations

• Arch. design >> Quantities take off / cost estimating
  • Window type
  • Window dimensions
  • Relationship to space(s)
  • Relationship to wall (with wall type). Can be used to assign resources for installing the window into a certain type of wall.
• Arch. design >> Thermal load calculations / HVAC system design
  • Window type
  • Window dimensions
  • Relationships to space(s)
  • Relationship to wall / space boundaries (calculate voids)
  • Internal / external window.
  • Orientation

Documents

• IFCR2_IfcWindow_991026_jh.pdf
• IFCR2_AssigningDoorsAndWindowsToSpaces_991217_jh.pdf
• IFCR2_Label_000331_jh.pdf

Used by views

• Arch. design >> Quantities take off
• Arch. design >> Thermal load calculations / HVAC system design
• CAD / visualization

Data structure

IfcWindow
GlobalId
OwnerHistory
Owner history [all]
Label
UserDefinedType
PartOfGroups
Grouping [1,2]
IsContainedBy
Containment [all]
RelatingObject
Building storey [all]
Containment : Referencing [1,2,3]
RelatingObject
Space [all]
IsDefinedBy
Dynamic property assignment [all]
RelatingPropertyDefinition
PropertySet system [all]
HasProperties
Hardware group [1]
Common window properties [1,3,5]
Manufacture information [none]
LocalPlacement
Relative placement [all]
PlacementRelTo
Opening element [1,3,5]
Representations
Geometric representation [all]
Items
Brep geometry [3,5]
Classification
Classification assignment [none]
Classifications
Classification [none]
FillsVoids
Fills element [1,3,5]
RelatingOpeningElement
Opening element [1,3,5]

Uses concepts

Brep geometry [3,5]
Building storey [all]
Classification [none]
Classification assignment [none]
Common window properties [1,3,5]
Containment [all]
Containment : Referencing [1,2,3]
Dynamic property assignment [all]
Fills element [1,3,5]
Geometric representation [all]
Grouping [1,2]
Hardware group [1]
Manufacture information [none]
Opening element [1,3,5]
Owner history [all]
PropertySet system [all]
Relative placement [all]
Space [all]

Used by concepts

Building storey
Opening element
Space

Copyright © 2000-2002 BLIS-Project [BLIS, Registered Organization]
Author: Jiri Hietanen (jiri@blis-project.org)
All rights reserved.