Information Delivery Specification (IDS) – Comprehensive Course

Overview

Information Delivery Specification (IDS) is a buildingSMART standard for defining and checking information requirements in IFC (Industry Foundation Classes) models.

What is IDS?

In simple terms, an IDS is a document (with file extension .ids) that lists what information must or must not be present in an IFC model.

Key Benefits:

For Model Authors: Ensure all required information is provided before delivery
For Model Recipients: Automatically verify that delivered IFC meets requirements
For Projects: Lightweight, standardized approach to model checking

Example: An IDS might specify that "all walls must have a fire rating property"

Course Structure

This course guides you from basics to advanced usage:

Introduction - What IDS is and how to use it
Core Concepts - IDS files and Specifications structure
Metadata - Describing IDS purpose and context
Complex Restrictions - Lists, ranges, and patterns for flexible requirements
Facets Deep Dive - Six building blocks for specifying requirements:
- Entity, Attribute, Classification, Property, Material, PartOf

By the end, you'll understand how to create an IDS from scratch and interpret its advanced features.