BIMvoice

I’m very proud to share this.

𝗕𝗜𝗠𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗮 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗦𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗧 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗕𝗜𝗠 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.

This means I can deliver official training, aligned with the buildingSMART learning outcomes, and administer the Foundation exam through the buildingSMART Qualification Platform.

Online. In English.

—

Today, 𝟭𝟳,𝟲𝟭𝟳 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱𝘄𝗶𝗱𝗲 have taken the openBIM Foundation exam.

The Foundation certification is theoretical by design.

The syllabus is the same everywhere.

The exam is the same everywhere.

What is different is 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗶𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺.

I work exclusively with openBIM.

I don’t sell software, I don’t represent vendors, and I don’t have hidden agendas. My work is focused on open standards and how they are actually used on real projects.

I’ve applied IFC-based workflows on real projects and handled broken exports, unclear requirements, interoperability issues, and validation problems in practice, not just in slides.

That experience doesn’t change the syllabus.

But it changes how the concepts are explained, how they connect, and how clearly they make sense when you later apply them on real projects.

If you’re considering the openBIM Foundation certification and want to take it with someone who works with openBIM daily and teaches it with real project context, 𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗺𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲.

—

I’m also working on becoming a 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗦𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗧 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗕𝗜𝗠 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹.

This is the applied level, where openBIM stops being theory and starts being measurable: real workflows around IFC, IDS, bSDD, BCF, validation, and delivery.

So far, 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝟯𝟮𝟲 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱𝘄𝗶𝗱𝗲 have taken the Practitioner exam, partly because it has been available only in German and Italian.

My goal is to be among the first to offer this training 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲, 𝗶𝗻 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵, starting with a 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗼𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁.

If you're interested in the Practitioner certification, 𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗺𝗲 and I'll add you to the waitlist.

You’ll be the first to know when pre-registration opens.

1 week ago | [YT] | 29

BIMvoice

Why do people keep putting classification codes in property sets?

There's literally a dedicated structure for this in IFC.

IfcClassificationReference.

It exists. It works. It's been there for years.

But instead, I keep seeing models with custom properties like:

→ "ClassificationCode"
→ "UniclassCode"
→ "OmniClass"
→ "Classification_SS"

All sitting in random property sets. All done differently on every project.

Here's the problem.

When you put classification in a property set, you're inventing your own system. The next person who receives your model has to guess where you put it. Software can't find it automatically. And if someone needs multiple classifications, you end up with five properties doing the same job.

IfcClassificationReference solves all of this.

→ It's standardized
→ It supports multiple classification systems on one element
→ It includes source, edition, and hierarchy
→ Software knows exactly where to look

Classifications are not properties. They have their own place in IFC.

Use it.

What's stopping you from using IfcClassificationReference?

1 week ago | [YT] | 10

BIMvoice

I'll be at the buildingSMART Summit in Porto this March.

This will be my first time in Porto. And I'm looking forward to it.

Not just for the sessions. But for the conversations that happen between them.

The hallway chats. The coffee breaks. The random "hey, I saw your post" moments that turn into real connections.

That's where the good stuff happens.

If you're planning to be there, let me know. I'd love to meet in person.

And if you've been thinking about submitting a talk, now is the time.

The call for papers is still open, but not for long.

You don't need a polished case study. You don't need a perfect success story.

Share something real. A lesson you learned. A problem you solved. A failure that taught you something.

The openBIM community grows when people share what they know.

Submit here: www-eur.cvent.com/c/abstracts/cf10e10d-66ec-4449-b…

Will I see you in Porto?

2 weeks ago | [YT] | 2

BIMvoice

It's happening today.

My friend Louis Trümpler and I are going live to talk about something exciting happening in Switzerland.

Louis is involved in an open source initiative around openBIM building permits that's gaining real traction with Swiss municipalities.

He's generating complete site models automatically from official open APIs. Terrain, buildings, satellite imagery. No manual modeling.

He even built a glTF exporter because IFC texture support wasn't enough for what the project needed.

We'll walk through how it works and what it means for the future of digital permitting.

📅 Today 🕚 11:00 AM CET / 10:00 AM GMT 💰 Free

lnkd.in/gSTJHgNE

If you're curious about openBIM, automation, or just want to see something real, join us.

See you there.

2 weeks ago | [YT] | 15

BIMvoice

Over the last years, I’ve had many private conversations with BIM professionals.

Good people.
Hard workers.
People who really care about their work.

Most of them were not bad at BIM.
They were just stuck.

Same role for years.
Same money.
More responsibility.
No real progress.

I know this feeling very well.

I was in a job where the tasks didn’t match what I knew I could do.
The work felt repetitive.
And the money was not enough.

Not “it would be nice to earn more”.

I mean I had to earn more.

→ To feel safe
→ To take care of my family
→ To stop worrying all the time

I didn’t know what the next step was.
I didn’t know what role to aim for.
I just knew staying there was not an option.

So I stopped guessing and made a plan.

I designed the role I actually wanted.
Work I enjoy.
Value I can explain clearly.
And pay that makes sense.

That decision changed my career.
More than once.

Looking back, the biggest change was not technical skills.

It was:

→ how I positioned myself
→ how I talked about my work
→ how I thought about money and career together

That’s why now I’m doing research on BIM career growth.

I’m talking to mid-level BIM professionals who feel underpaid or stuck, to understand:

→ what’s frustrating them right now
→ what they’ve already tried
→ what’s blocking them from earning more

This is a short research call.

No selling.
No pitch.

Just an honest conversation about where you are right now.

At the end, I’ll also share a few practical tips based on what I’ve seen work for others in similar situations, so you don’t leave empty-handed.

If this sounds like you, send me a message.

And if you know someone in BIM who is good at what they do but clearly undervalued, feel free to connect us.

2 weeks ago | [YT] | 6

BIMvoice

Porto 2026. I'll be there.

The buildingSMART International Summit is one of those events where you walk in as an attendee and walk out with ideas, connections, and energy you didn't expect.

I've seen it happen. To me. To others.

But the best part of any Summit isn't just attending.

It's contributing.

The call for papers is open. And the deadline has been extended, so you have more time to put your ideas together.

If you've done real work with openBIM, this is your moment.

Topics they're looking for:

→ IFC, IDS, BCF, bSDD implementation
→ Data quality and validation
→ CDE and ISO 19650 workflows
→ Manufacturing and prefabrication
→ Digital twins and asset management
→ AI and openBIM
→ Sustainability and lifecycle analysis
→ Policy and mandates
→ Education and training

You don't need perfection.

You need something real. A lesson. A failure. A breakthrough.

The community grows when people share.

Submit here: h͟t͟t͟p͟s͟:͟/͟/͟w͟w͟w͟-͟e͟u͟r͟.͟c͟v͟e͟n͟t͟.͟c͟o͟m͟/͟c͟/͟a͟b͟s͟t͟r͟a͟c͟t͟s͟/͟c͟f͟1͟0͟e͟1͟0͟d͟-͟6͟6͟e͟c͟-͟4͟4͟4͟9͟-͟b͟3͟5͟7͟-͟6͟8͟5͟a͟9͟4͟1͟5͟6͟4͟b͟f͟

See you in Porto?

#bSSPorto26

2 weeks ago | [YT] | 3

BIMvoice

"I exported IFC and half the data is missing."

I've heard this hundreds of times.

Here's how to think about the problem:

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟭: 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜𝗙𝗖 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗿𝘆

IFC can carry:

→ Geometry (the shapes)
→ Classification (if assigned)
→ Attributes (built in data like Name, Description, GlobalId)
→ Properties (custom data attached to objects)
→ Quantities (area, volume, length, etc.)
→ Materials (what things are made of)
→ Relationships (how objects connect)

But your exporter may or may not include all of these.

If something is "missing," ask: which part is missing?

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟮: 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗜𝗙𝗖 𝗺𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴

Your software translates its own objects to IFC objects.

Wall → IfcWall
Door → IfcDoor
Duct → IfcDuctSegment

If mapping is wrong, the receiving software doesn't understand what it's looking at.

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟯: 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀

Attributes are part of the IFC entity itself.

Properties travel in property sets (Psets).

Quantities travel in quantity sets (Qsets).

Materials need to be mapped and included.

If your export settings exclude any of these, the geometry arrives but the data doesn't.

𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟰: 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗼𝗳𝘁𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲

Sometimes the export is fine. But the import settings are wrong.

Or the receiving software doesn't support certain IFC entities.

Use for free Bonsai BIM to double-check.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁:

Stop thinking "IFC is broken."

Start thinking "Where in the chain did the data get lost?"

Export settings → File → Import settings → Display settings

Systematic thinking beats frustrated googling.

What IFC problem are you facing right now? Describe it below.

2 weeks ago | [YT] | 15

BIMvoice

BIM has too many acronyms.

Let me decode the ones that actually matter:

OIR — Organizational Information Requirements

AIR — Asset Information Requirements

EIR — Exchange Information Requirements

BEP — BIM Execution Plan

CDE — Common Data Environment

IFC — Industry Foundation Classes

MVD — Model View Definition

IDS — Information Delivery Specification

BCF — BIM Collaboration Format

bSDD — buildingSMART Data Dictionary

LOD — Level of Development

We all have that one acronym we keep forgetting.

Which one is yours? Comment below.

2 weeks ago | [YT] | 7

BIMvoice

"buildingSMART? Is that a software?"

I still see this question come up.

No. It's not software.

buildingSMART International is the organization that maintains and develops the open standards that allow different BIM software to talk to each other.

Think of it like this:

Imagine if every phone manufacturer used a different charging cable that only worked with their phones.

That's what BIM was like before open standards.

Revit files only worked in Revit. Archicad files only worked in Archicad. Tekla files only worked in Tekla.

IFC is an open data schema for the built environment. It defines how building information is structured so different tools can understand and exchange it. buildingSMART maintains and evolves it.

They also maintain: → BCF (for coordination issues) → bSDD (for data dictionaries) → IDS (for information delivery specifications)

Why should you care?

Because the future of BIM isn't about which software you use.

It's about whether your data can travel across the entire project lifecycle, from design to construction to facility management.

buildingSMART is writing the rules of that future.

Understanding those rules is becoming essential.

What questions do you have about buildingSMART or openBIM? Ask below. I'll answer.

2 weeks ago | [YT] | 14

BIMvoice

I've learned a lot of software in my BIM career.

Autocad, Revit, Tekla Structures, Navisworks, Solibri, Bonsai BIM. Too many to list.

But the skill that made the biggest difference in my income?

None of them.

It was learning how to talk about my value.

Most BIM professionals are terrible at this. I was terrible at this.

When someone asked what I did, I described tasks.

"I model bridges and make reinforcement drawings"
"I manage model quality."
"I run clash detection."

Tasks. Not value.

Nobody pays for tasks. They pay for outcomes.

Time saved.
Money saved.
Risk reduced.
Decisions made faster.

That's what matters to the people who decide salaries.

When I finally learned to translate my work into business language, everything changed.

I wasn't asking for more money. I was explaining why I was worth it.

Big difference.

Technical skills get you hired. Communication skills get you paid.

And nobody teaches BIM professionals how to communicate their value.

So we stay underpaid. Not because we lack skill. But because we lack the words.

👇 Can you relate? Drop a comment

3 weeks ago | [YT] | 16