Tekla Structures Achieves IFC 2x3 Certification as the first Structural Software Solution

- Another Step Taken Towards Open BIM and Industry Standard Data Exchange

July 5, 2006, Tekla Corporation, with its Tekla Structures Building Information Modeling (BIM) software, has been working for many years within the International Alliance for Interoperability (IAI) to develop the open-format Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) standard that enables communication between different software and disciplines in the building industry. This work now bears fruit as Tekla Structures receives the IFC 2x3 1st Step Certification on June 29th 2006 in Budapest, Hungary, as part of the buildingSMART initiative of the IAI, and heads for the full Extended Coordination View definition.

The latest milestone in the support for open data exchange mechanisms in building information modeling is the IFC 2x3 certification. This acknowledgement for Extended Coordination View continues the series of earlier certifications for Structural and Coordination views and greatly facilitates using best-of-the-breed applications within the different disciplines of a building project — Architectural, Structural, Mechanical, and Electrical — and open data exchange between them. Open data exchange provides the freedom always to select the best application at hand without loosing connectivity to other disciplines, thus improving productivity across the industry.

All major Architectural BIM providers have included support for IFC in their products, and Tekla has now stepped forward to do the same for Structural BIM. Tekla Structures was the first structural modeling solution to support the IFC standard. In addition to the certified coordination view, Tekla Structures also supports the structural view that facilitates data exchange between structural modeling and Structural Analysis software (such as that of the German Dlubal GmbH, for example).

“To take the BIM workflow one step further, we have developed enhanced interfaces between our software and many other solutions, and we are very happy to receive this certification as a token of our efforts and successes in supporting the open standard,” describes Lassi Lifländer, Product Specialist at Tekla. After this first phase, the certification process will continue for another six months, the second phase consisting of end-users testing the data exchange in practice and reporting on issues for further development.

In Brief

Tekla Corporation
Tekla is the industry-leading international software company whose software solutions make customers’ core business more effective in building and construction, energy distribution and in municipalities. The company’s model-based software products and related services are used in nearly 80 countries. Tekla Group’s net sales for 2005 were approximately 38 million euros. International operations accounted for 72% of net sales. Tekla Group employs more than 300 people, of whom a third work outside Finland. This year is Tekla’s 40th anniversary, making it one of the oldest software companies in Finland. For additional information on Tekla, please visit www.tekla.com

Tekla Structures
Tekla Structures is a fully integrated 3D solution that enables creation and management of complete 3D building models regardless of material or structural complexity. The Tekla Structures solution covers the whole structural design process from conceptual design to detailing, fabrication and erection.

The exceptionally seamless collaboration and information management applications in Tekla Structures are based on Tekla’s world leading building modeling solution sBIM (Structural Building Information Modeling). The same model can be utilized for producing analysis and design results, drawings and reports. Therefore, steel, concrete and structural design professionals can work with the same shared, always up-to-date model in every stage of a building project. Tekla Structures minimizes overlapping work phases and errors, which translates into shorter project lead times, significant cost savings and improvement in building quality – in other words, it increases the competitiveness of the entire structural engineering industry in the future.



International Alliance for Interoperability
The International Alliance for Interoperability (IAI) is a global alliance of organizations dedicated to bring about a coordinated change for the improvement of productivity and efficiency in the industries of construction and facilities management. Organizations within the alliance are members of regional Chapters. Currently, the IAI has Chapters serving Australasia, China, the French-speaking countries, the German-speaking countries, the Iberian countries, Italy, Japan, North America, the Nordic countries, Singapore, and the United Kingdom. There are 447 organizations participating in the IAI. More information at www.iai-international.org

IFC
The IAI issued the first, full release of its Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) information model in January 1997. Several further releases have been issued since. IFCs have been endorsed by the International Standards Organisation (ISO) as a Publicly Available Specification (PAS) under the label ISO/PAS 16739. Issued in October 2000, the IFC 2x3 marked a major change in the way that IFCs are developed and released. It has created a framework for the development of models that can progressively extend the range and capability of IFCs in a modular way. More information at www.iai-international.org/Model/IFC(ifcXML)Specs.html

buildingSMART
buildingSMART is an IAI initiative that offers a forum for industries and the government to work through in due process to identify, test, review, recommend, and implement smart ways of delivering quality buildings and services to facility owners. More information at www.iai-na.org/bsmart/

Contact Information

Lassi Lifländer

Product Specialist Building & Construction

Tekla Corporation

Contact via E-mail