Qonic’s data exploration tools

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is a methodology involving the generation of models with geometry, along with the information needed to get the project realized. At Qonic, we believe that BIM should enable a process “from cradle to grave”, involving both the geometry and the data.

In this post, we will dive a bit deeper in the data part – and demonstrate some of the data exploration tools on LG’s North American headquarters, designed by HOK. This aggregated model, composed from the architecture, structure, and interior models (without MEP), contains roughly 100,000 building elements.

Qonic supports the import of Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) files provided by buildingSMART. As a platform-neutral and open standard, IFCs are used to exchange information within a project team and between software applications used in design, construction, tendering, maintenance, and operation.

Explore IFC data visually

We have built several exploration tools in Qonic to work with this non-geometrical IFC data. Every actor involved in the design and construction process is interested to see their particular view of the model to better understand and work with the data.

Using our data exploration tools, it is possible to browse IFC data by filtering the model using a combination of different properties.

IFC models contain several types of data. Let’s look at some of the most used data in IFC.

Attributes

IFC has many specialized classes (like wall, column, beam, ...) with attributes. These attributes could be the name, identification, or description of an element. Let’s show how you can isolate the structural elements in the model by filtering the beams and columns.

Materials

Every element contains a set of material layers. Here is an example how you can find all the structural slabs, looking into the different kinds of concrete material.

Spatial structure, Types and Properties

The spatial structure defines how an element is contained in a project, site, building, floor, or space. Also, elements can share common properties via types (like a cavity wall, concrete wall, ...). Finally, there exist many arbitrary properties, organized in user-defined property sets.

All these data types can be used in Qonic to filter your model. Let’s combine different kind of filters, like category and type, to isolate all chairs of a specific type in the model.

This data exploration is the first preparation step towards using our solid modelling toolbox for detailing and upscaling the BIM model.

Using fast and intuitive data exploration tools, it is possible to see the information that is relevant for you, and to fully understand how the model is organized.

Get in touch!

Keep following us to see more updates. As we’re building the Qonic toolset in the months to come, we would like to speak to you. Feel free to reach out to us, follow Qonic on LinkedIn or subscribe to our website www.qonic.com.