#### 5.4.3.4 IfcElement

| Élément
| Element (allgemein)

An element is a generalization of all components that make up an AEC product. Those elements can be logically contained by a spatial structure element that constitutes a certain level within a project structure hierarchy (site, building, storey or space). This is done by using the IfcRelContainedInSpatialStructure relationship.

Elements are physically existent objects, although they might be void elements, such as holes. Elements either remain permanently in the AEC product, or only temporarily, as formwork does. Elements can be either assembled on site or pre-manufactured and built in on site.

> EXAMPLE Examples of elements in a building construction context are walls, floors, windows and recesses.

An element can have material and quantity information assigned through the IfcRelAssociatesMaterial and IfcRelDefinesByProperties relationship.

In addition an element can be declared to be a specific occurrence of an element type (and thereby be defined by the element type properties) using the IfcRelDefinesByType relationship.

An element can also be defined as an element assembly that is a group of semantically and topologically related elements that form a higher level part of the AEC product. Those element assemblies are defined by virtue of the IfcRelAggregates relationship.

> EXAMPLE Examples for element assembly are complete Roof Structures, made by several Roof Areas, or a Stair, composed by Flights and Landings.

Elements that performs the same function may be grouped by an "Element Group By Function". It is realized by an instance of IfcGroup with the ObjectType = 'ElementGroupByFunction".

> HISTORY New entity in IFC1.0

Quantity Use Definition

The quantities relating to the IfcElement are defined by the IfcElementQuantity and attached by the IfcRelDefinesByProperties. A detailed specification for individual quantities is introduced at the level of subtypes of IfcElement.

Geometry Use Definitions

The geometric representation of any IfcElement is given by the IfcProductDefinitionShape and IfcLocalPlacement allowing multiple geometric representations. A detailed specification for the local placement and shape representaion is introduced at the level of subtypes of IfcElement.

## Construction Operations

An element represents a physical building component. All subtypes of IfcElement are within scope of this MVD (for example, IfcBoiler), however instantiable subtypes are not incorporated within this documentation, for brevity.

Instance diagram

Identity

The Identity concept applies to this entity.

Exchange |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Import | X | X | X | X | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O
Export | X | X | X | X | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O

Revision Control

The Revision Control concept applies to this entity.

Exchange |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Import |  |  |  |  | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O
Export |  |  |  |  | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O

External Data Constraints

The External Data Constraints concept applies to this entity as shown in Table 19.

Table | Name | Reference | Format | Color
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Component | Name | IfcElement.Name | Key | #FFFF99
Component | CreatedBy | IfcElement.OwnerHistory\IfcOwnerHistory.OwningUser\IfcPersonAndOrganization.ThePerson\IfcPerson.Identification |  | #FFCC99
Component | CreatedOn | IfcElement.OwnerHistory\IfcOwnerHistory.CreationDate |  | #FFFF99
Component | TypeName | IfcElement.IsTypedBy[*]\IfcRelDefinesByType.RelatingType |  | #FFCC99
Component | Space | IfcElement.ContainedInStructure[*]\IfcRelContainedInSpatialStructure.RelatingStructure |  | #FFCC99
Component | Description | IfcElement.Description |  | #FFFF99
Component | ExtSystem | IfcElement.OwnerHistory\IfcOwnerHistory.OwningApplication\IfcApplication.ApplicationIdentifier |  | #CC99FF
Component | ExtObject | IfcElement\ |  | #CC99FF
Component | ExtIdentifier | IfcElement.GlobalId |  | #CC99FF
Component | SerialNumber | IfcElement.IsDefinedBy['Pset_ManufacturerOccurrence']\IfcRelDefinesByProperties.RelatingPropertyDefinition\IfcPropertySet.HasProperties['SerialNumber']\IfcPropertySingleValue.NominalValue\IfcIdentifier |  | #CCFFCC
Component | InstallationDate | IfcElement.IsDefinedBy['Pset_ManufacturerOccurrence']\IfcRelDefinesByProperties.RelatingPropertyDefinition\IfcPropertySet.HasProperties['AcquisitionDate']\IfcPropertySingleValue.NominalValue\IfcDateTime |  | #CCFFCC
Component | WarrantyStartDate | IfcElement.IsDefinedBy['Pset_Warranty']\IfcRelDefinesByProperties.RelatingPropertyDefinition\IfcPropertySet.HasProperties['WarrantyStartDate']\IfcPropertySingleValue.NominalValue\IfcDateTime |  | #CCFFCC
Component | TagNumber | IfcElement.Tag |  | #CCFFCC
Component | BarCode | IfcElement.IsDefinedBy['Pset_ManufacturerOccurrence']\IfcRelDefinesByProperties.RelatingPropertyDefinition\IfcPropertySet.HasProperties['BarCode']\IfcPropertySingleValue.NominalValue\IfcIdentifier |  | #CCFFCC
Component | AssetIdentifier | IfcElement.IsDefinedBy['Pset_ManufacturerOccurrence']\IfcRelDefinesByProperties.RelatingPropertyDefinition\IfcPropertySet.HasProperties['BatchReference']\IfcPropertySingleValue.NominalValue\IfcIdentifier |  | #CCFFCC
Table 19 — IfcElement External Data Constraints

Exchange |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Import | X | X | X | X | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O
Export | X | X | X | X | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O

Classification

The Classification concept applies to this entity as shown in Table 20.

Source | Name | Tokens | Description
--- | --- | --- | ---
Construction Specifications Institute | OmniClass Table 22 | 22-00 00 00 | Work Results
Table 20 — IfcElement Classification

Exchange |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Import | X | X | X | X | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O
Export | X | X | X | X | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O

Object Typing

The Object Typing concept applies to this entity as shown in Table 21.

Type
IfcElementType
Table 21 — IfcElement Object Typing

Exchange |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Import |  |  |  |  | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O
Export |  |  |  |  | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O

Spatial Containment

The Spatial Containment concept applies to this entity as shown in Table 22.

Structure
IfcSpace
Table 22 — IfcElement Spatial Containment

Exchange |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Import | X | X | X | X | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O
Export | X | X | X | X | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O

Properties for Occurrences

The Properties for Occurrences concept applies to this entity as shown in Table 23.

PredefinedType | Name | Description
--- | --- | ---
| Pset_ManufacturerOccurrence | Describes product occurrence information including serial number.
Table 23 — IfcElement Properties for Occurrences

Exchange |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Import |  |  |  |  | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O
Export |  |  |  |  | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O | O

XSD Specification:

<xs:element name="IfcElement" type="ifc:IfcElement" abstract="true" substitutionGroup="ifc:IfcProduct" nillable="true"/>
<xs:complexType name="IfcElement" abstract="true">
<xs:complexContent>
<xs:extension base="ifc:IfcProduct"/>
</xs:complexContent>
</xs:complexType>

EXPRESS Specification:

ENTITY IfcElement

| SUBTYPE OF (IfcProduct);

Tag | : | OPTIONAL IfcStrippedOptional;

| INVERSE

ConnectedTo | : | SET OF IfcRelConnectsElements FOR RelatingElement;
IsConnectionRealization | : | SET OF IfcRelConnectsWithRealizingElements FOR RealizingElements;
ConnectedFrom | : | SET OF IfcRelConnectsElements FOR RelatedElement;
ContainedInStructure | : | SET [0:1] OF IfcRelContainedInSpatialStructure FOR RelatedElements;

END_ENTITY;

Attribute Definitions:

Tag | : | The tag (or label) identifier at the particular instance of a product, e.g. the serial number, or the position number. It is the identifier at the occurrence level.
ConnectedTo | : | Reference to the element connection relationship. The relationship then refers to the other element to which this element is connected to.
IsConnectionRealization | : | Reference to the connection relationship with realizing element. The relationship, if provided, assigns this element as the realizing element to the connection, which provides the physical manifestation of the connection relationship.
ConnectedFrom | : | Reference to the element connection relationship. The relationship then refers to the other element that is connected to this element.
ContainedInStructure | : | Containment relationship to the spatial structure element, to which the element is primarily associated. This containment relationship has to be hierachical, i.e. an element may only be assigned directly to zero or one spatial structure.

Inheritance Graph:

ENTITY IfcElement

| ENTITY IfcRoot

GlobalId | : | IfcGloballyUniqueId;
OwnerHistory | : | OPTIONAL IfcOwnerHistory;
Name | : | OPTIONAL IfcLabel;
Description | : | OPTIONAL IfcText;

| ENTITY IfcObjectDefinition

| INVERSE

HasAssignments | : | SET OF IfcRelAssigns FOR RelatedObjects;
HasContext | : | SET [0:1] OF IfcRelDeclares FOR RelatedDefinitions;
IsDecomposedBy | : | SET OF IfcRelAggregates FOR RelatingObject;
Decomposes | : | SET [0:1] OF IfcRelAggregates FOR RelatedObjects;
HasAssociations | : | SET OF IfcRelAssociates FOR RelatedObjects;

| ENTITY IfcObject

ObjectType | : | OPTIONAL IfcStrippedOptional;

| INVERSE

IsTypedBy | : | SET [0:1] OF IfcRelDefinesByType FOR RelatedObjects;
IsDefinedBy | : | SET OF IfcRelDefinesByProperties FOR RelatedObjects;

| ENTITY IfcProduct

ObjectPlacement | : | OPTIONAL IfcStrippedOptional;
Representation | : | OPTIONAL IfcStrippedOptional;

| INVERSE

| ENTITY IfcElement

Tag | : | OPTIONAL IfcStrippedOptional;

| INVERSE

ConnectedTo | : | SET OF IfcRelConnectsElements FOR RelatingElement;
IsConnectionRealization | : | SET OF IfcRelConnectsWithRealizingElements FOR RealizingElements;
ConnectedFrom | : | SET OF IfcRelConnectsElements FOR RelatedElement;
ContainedInStructure | : | SET [0:1] OF IfcRelContainedInSpatialStructure FOR RelatedElements;

END_ENTITY;

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