The Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) file format was developed by the International Alliance of Interoperability (IAI). IFC provides an interoperability solution between different software applications. The format establishes international standards to import and export building objects and their properties.
IFC improves communication, productivity, delivery time, and quality throughout the life cycle of a building. It reduces the loss of information during transmission from one application to another, with established standards for common objects in the building industry.
For more information about the IFC file format, visit http://www.buildingsmart.com/standards/ifc/model-industry-foundation-classes-ifc.