Open BCF File
The BCF, or BIM Collaboration Format, is a format, developed and maintained by buildingSMART International for the exchange of communications related to the IFC model.
About the IFC Format
The IFC, Industry Foundation Classes, is a particular data format that has the purpose of allowing the exchange of an information model without data loss or distortion.
It is an open, neutral file format, not controlled by individual software houses and created to facilitate interoperability between different operators.
IFC is designed to process the data model of a building throughout its entire life cycle, from feasibility to completion and maintenance, through the various phases of design and planning.
That said, BCF is an open XML-based file format that allows comments to be added to a BIM model in IFC format.
The BCF has a well-defined and functional structure to support the exchange of focused observations in an IFC model, despite not being standardized by ISO, as is IFC.
The main objective of this collaboration format is to be able to simplify the collaboration between the different agents that work on a BIM model, in order to be able to raise observations or problems, make comments and respond to them always within an open file format that does not contain elements of the model.
This type of BCF format allows exchanging notes, comments, reports, images during the management of a BIM project, in IFC format, through a platform.
The BCF is, therefore, an exchange format not used to exchange geometric information, but of a graphic/descriptive nature capable of illustrating and facilitating the problems to be solved: that is, it provides a communication capacity that is independent of the model itself.
Create a BCF
There are several software packages that allow you to generate and manage BCF, such as BCFier, an open program with a desktop version for Autodesk Revit.
Software to work with a BCF file