Universal format for BIM libraries?

BIM is a ‘group sport’ – not particularly well suited for the ‘lone-rangers’ roaming in it, wanting to make a difference.

Both success and failure depend on the quantity and quality of data available for BIMmers to play with, an environment hard to achieve for any one-entity on their own, regardless of size.

Even a super-powerful, super-rich and super-committed operation will struggle building up a database that will let them play meaningful ‘super games’.

Consequently, almost everyone within the field will quickly recognise the need to share the tasks out across the board and to charge building material manufacturer- and supplier companies with some.

I have dedicated numerous posts to this subject.

I believe that this part of AEC has a huge role in content creation.

The question is in the format of libraries offered:

Should manufacturers and suppliers of AEC products be taking more interest in creating IFC-formatted representations of their products?

What would then a pervasive use of IFC-objects do to the overall development of BIM?

Would it encourage fit-for-all, low intelligence development with large volumes but not great substance?

Or, would it move current BIM ‘modellers’ away from own content-creation skills and focus their efforts onto better manipulating IFC formatted objects instead?

Hard to know.

Will widespread practice of reheating of pre-frozen meals replace the need for full blown kitchens in the future?