IFC Export Setup Options

Configure settings for exporting a model to an Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) file.

To customize setup properties for exporting a model to IFC, modify the "In-Session Setup" option or duplicate a built-in setup and modify the settings as required. The changes you make to the In-Session Setup are not saved between sessions.

The following table displays the options available on each tab in the Modify Settings dialog.

Option Description
General
IFC version
  • IFC 2x2 Coordination View

    The older IFC 2x2 schema, using the Coordination View model definition.

  • IFC 2x3 Coordination View

    The older certified version of export, used by older product versions, based on the IFC 2x3 schema and the Coordination View model view definition.

  • IFC 2x3 Coordination View 2.0
    The default certified version of export, and the latest version generally supported by other systems, based on the IFC 2x3 schema and the Coordination View 2.0 model view definition.
    Note: To export structural steel elements, select the IFC2x3 Coordination View 2.0 setup option in the Export IFC dialog. Using the IFC format you can view steel elements in external IFC viewers.
  • IFC 2x3 GSA Concept Design BIM 2010

    A variant of the standard IFC 2x3 used for submitting files to the US Government Services Administration. Additional property sets will be included.

  • IFC 2x2 Singapore BCA e-Plan Check

    A certified variant of IFC 2x2 used for submitting files to the Singapore BCA e-Plan Check Server. When exporting to this file type, ensure that all room-bounding elements are selected.

  • IFC2x3 Basic FM Handover View

    A variant of IFC 2x3 that follows the general requirements to enable the handover of facility management information, used primarily in Bavaria.

  • IFC2x3 COBie 2.4 Design Deliverable View

    IFC COBie (Construction Operations Building Information Exchange) format output required by the UK government's 2016 Level 2 BIM mandate for collaboration on public-sector work.

  • IFC4 Reference View

    The newest version of IFC defined by buildingSMART. Intended as a reference model which is not modified. See https://technical.buildingsmart.org/.

  • IFC4 Design Transfer View

    The newest version of IFC defined by buildingSMART. With this option, Revit will attempt to create ifcAdvancedBReps in some cases. This can reduce file size and time to export. See https://technical.buildingsmart.org/.

File type
  • IFC
  • IFC XML
  • Zipped IFC
  • Zipped IFC XML
Phase to export Selects the phase of the document to export, defaulting to the last phase of the document. If "Export only elements visible in view" is selected on the Additional Content tab, the phase of the view is used and this option is disabled.
Space boundaries
The level of room/space boundaries exported:
  • None - room/space boundaries are not exported.
  • 1st level - the room/space boundaries are included but are not optimized to split elements with respect to spaces on the opposite side of the boundary.
  • 2nd level - the room/space boundaries are included and are split with respect to spaces on the opposite side of the boundary. A second level space boundary considers the material of the building element and the adjacent spaces behind it, providing thermal properties, for example.

Split Walls, Columns, Ducts by Level

Allows you to divide multi-level walls, columns, and ducts by level. When you use this option, Revit cuts the walls, columns, and ducts by each level that is defined as a building story (see Level Instance Properties).

Revit exports elements whose base level is a non-building story level using the next lower building story as the base level, with an appropriate offset.

Revit only exports levels for which the Building Story parameter is enabled, unless no levels are defined as building stories. In that case, Revit exports all levels that are used as base levels for walls, columns, and ducts.

File Header Information Opens the File Header dialog, which allows you to enter author and organization information.
Project Address Opens the Project Address dialog, which allows you to provide information about the project purpose and location. Select the "Update project information" option to save the information to the project.
Additional Content
Export 2D plan view elements Select this option to include 2D elements supported by IFC export (notes and filled regions). Clear the option to exclude these elements.
Export linked files as separate IFCs Select this option to export Revit links in the model as separate IFCs. Clear this option to exclude Revit links.
  • Each linked instance in the file is exported as a separate IFC file with the correct positioning relative to the host file.
  • Multiple instances of the same linked document are exported as separate files, identical except for their position and orientation.
  • Note: Linked IFC files are re-exported, so they may suffer data loss on roundtrip.
Export only elements visible in view

Select this option to export only the visible elements of the current view. Visible elements include those that are hidden by hidden line or shaded mode, any underlays in the view, and elements that are cropped from view by the crop region.

Elements temporarily hidden using temporary hide/isolate are not exported. Categories marked as Not Exported in the IFC Export Classes dialog are not exported. See Load and Modify an IFC Mapping File. Clear the option to export the entire model.

Export rooms in 3D views If the "Export only elements visible in view" option is selected, selecting this option exports all rooms contained inside the section box of the selected 3D view. If there is no active section box, all rooms are exported.
Property Sets
Export Revit property sets Select this option to include the Revit-specific property sets based on parameter groups. Clear the option to exclude them.
Export IFC common property sets Select this option to include the IFC common property sets. Clear the option to exclude them.
Export base quantities Select this option to include base quantities for model elements in the export data. Base quantities are generated from model geometry to reflect actual physical quantity values, independent of measurement rules or methods.
Export schedules as property sets Select this option to export schedules as custom property sets. The name of the schedule is the property set name; the column names are the IFC parameter names.
Export only schedules containing IFC, Pset, or Common in the title When selected, restricts the schedules exported to only those that contain "IFC," "PSet," or "Common," in the title.
Export user defined property sets Select this option to export user-defined property sets. If selected, you can specify the name of a text file that contains property set definitions.
Export parameter mapping table Select this option to export a custom parameter-mapping table. If selected, you can specify the name of a text file that contains parameter mapping.
Classification Settings Opens the Classification Settings dialog, which allows you to provide information about the source and edition of the project.
Level of Detail
Level of detail for some element geometry These options allow you to control the level of tessellation for some Revit elements. Selecting Medium or High for this option generally results in larger, but more accurate, BRep and profile representations.
The main Revit elements affected by this control are: elbows, floors, pipe fittings, railings, ramps, spaces, and stairs. Highly-detailed extrusion profiles are also affected for these items.
  • Extra Low
  • Low
  • Medium
  • High
Keep Tessellated Geometry as Triangulation Select this advanced option to use a triangulation method that is compatible with older IFC 4 Reference View viewers.
Advanced
Export parts as building elements Select this option to export parts as standard IFC elements. Clear the option to export them as IfcBuildingElementPart.
Allow use of mixed "Solid Model" representation Select this option to allow for mixing BRep and extrusion geometries for an entity. This can result in smaller IFC files, but the files are not strictly within the standard IFC MVDs.
Use active view when creating geometry Select this option to use the active view to generate the exported geometry. Note that this can have unexpected results if used on a non-3D view.
Use family and type name for reference Select this option to use the family and type name for references. Clear the option to use the type name only.
Use 2D room boundaries for room volume Select this option to use a simplified approach to calculation of room volumes (based on extrusion of 2D room boundaries) which is also the default when exporting to IFC 2x2.

Clear the option to use the Revit calculated room geometry to represent the room volumes (which is the default when exporting to IFC 2x3).

Include IFCSITE elevation in the site local placement origin Select this option to include the elevation from the Z offset of the IFCSITE local placement. Clear the option to exclude it.
Store the IFC GUID in an element parameter after export Select this option to store the generated IFC GUIDs in the project file after export. This will add "IFC GUID" parameters to elements and their types, and Project Information for Project, Site, and Building GUIDs.
Export bounding box Select this option to export bounding box representations. Clear the option to exclude them. This option is automatically selected for GSA export.