#### 6.2.3.5 IfcDistributionSystem

| Système de distribution
| haustechnische Anlage

A distribution system is a network designed to receive, store, maintain, distribute, or control the flow of a distribution media. A common example is a heating hot water system that consists of a pump, a tank, and an interconnected piping system for distributing hot water to terminals.

The group IfcDistributionSystem defines the occurrence of a specialized system for use within the context of building services.

Important functionalities for the description of a distribution system are derived from existing IFC entities:

- From IfcSystem it inherits the ability to couple the distribution system via IfcRelServicesBuildings to one or more IfcSpatialElement subtypes as necessary.

- From IfcGroup it inherits the inverse attribute IsGroupedBy, pointing to the relationship entity IfcRelAssignsToGroup. This allows to group distribution elements (instances of IfcDistributionElement subtypes), and in special cases ports directly (instances of IfcDistributionPort).

- From IfcObject it inherits the inverse attribute IsDecomposedBy pointing to the relationship entity IfcRelAggregates. It provides the hierarchy between the separate (partial) distribution systems. For example, an electrical main circuit may be aggregated into branch circuits.

> HISTORY New entity in IFC4.

> IFC4 CHANGE For electrical power systems, IfcElectricalCircuit has been used for low-voltage (12-1000 V) power circuits and has been replaced by IfcDistributionCircuit in IFC4; IfcDistributionSystem with PredefinedType 'ELECTRICAL' should be used for overall power systems, and IfcDistributionCircuit with PredefinedType 'ELECTRICAL' should be used for each switched circuit.

## Plumbing System Design

Instance diagram

Identity

The Identity concept applies to this entity.

Exchange |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Import |  |  | R |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Export |  | R | R |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |

Properties for Occurrences

The Properties for Occurrences concept applies to this entity as shown in Table 49.

PredefinedType | Name
--- | ---
| Pset_DistributionSystemCommon
DOMESTICCOLDWATER | Pset_DistributionSystemTypePlumbing
Table 49 — IfcDistributionSystem Properties for Occurrences

Exchange |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Import |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Export |  | R |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |

Aggregation

The Aggregation concept applies to this entity as shown in Table 50.

PredefinedType | RelatedObjects
--- | ---
| IfcDistributionCircuit
Table 50 — IfcDistributionSystem Aggregation

Domestic water distribution systems may be subdivided into circuits indicating subsets with the same pressure requirements, such as within a range of building storeys.

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

Group Assignment

The Group Assignment concept applies to this entity as shown in Table 51.

Type | Description
--- | ---
IfcSanitaryTerminal | Fixtures such as sinks, toilets, and urinals.
IfcPump | Pumps to regulate water pressure.
IfcValve | Valves to adjust water flowrate or prevent backflow.
IfcBoiler | Hot water heaters.
IfcWasteTerminal | Drains such as in floors or on site exterior.
IfcFilter | Water filtration devices such as softeners or carbon filters.
Table 51 — IfcDistributionSystem Group Assignment

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

XSD Specification:

<xs:element name="IfcDistributionSystem" type="ifc:IfcDistributionSystem" substitutionGroup="ifc:IfcSystem" nillable="true"/>
<xs:complexType name="IfcDistributionSystem">
<xs:complexContent>
<xs:extension base="ifc:IfcSystem"/>
</xs:complexContent>
</xs:complexType>

EXPRESS Specification:

ENTITY IfcDistributionSystem

| SUPERTYPE OF(IfcDistributionCircuit)

| SUBTYPE OF (IfcSystem);

LongName | : | OPTIONAL IfcStrippedOptional;
PredefinedType | : | OPTIONAL IfcStrippedOptional;

END_ENTITY;

Attribute Definitions:

LongName | : | Long name for a system, used for informal purposes. It should be used, if available, in conjunction with the inherited Name attribute. NOTE In many scenarios the Name attribute refers to the short name or number of a distribution system or branch circuit, and the LongName refers to a descriptive name.
PredefinedType | : | Predefined types of distribution systems.

Inheritance Graph:

ENTITY IfcDistributionSystem

| ENTITY IfcRoot

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

| ENTITY IfcObjectDefinition

| INVERSE

HasAssignments | : | SET OF IfcRelAssigns FOR RelatedObjects;
Nests | : | SET [0:1] OF IfcRelNests FOR RelatedObjects;
IsNestedBy | : | SET OF IfcRelNests FOR RelatingObject;
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

IsDeclaredBy | : | SET [0:1] OF IfcRelDefinesByObject FOR RelatedObjects;
Declares | : | SET OF IfcRelDefinesByObject FOR RelatingObject;
IsTypedBy | : | SET [0:1] OF IfcRelDefinesByType FOR RelatedObjects;
IsDefinedBy | : | SET OF IfcRelDefinesByProperties FOR RelatedObjects;

| ENTITY IfcGroup

| INVERSE

IsGroupedBy | : | SET OF IfcRelAssignsToGroup FOR RelatingGroup;

| ENTITY IfcSystem

| INVERSE

| ENTITY IfcDistributionSystem

LongName | : | OPTIONAL IfcStrippedOptional;
PredefinedType | : | OPTIONAL IfcStrippedOptional;

END_ENTITY;

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