IFC Properties Don't Belong in Revit with Thomas Zwielehner | openBIMvoice Ep. 5

In the fifth episode of openBIMvoice, I talk with Thomas Zwielehner, an architect who now manages BIM workflows on large railway infrastructure projects in Germany. On his current project there are more than 500 IFC files. His team asked one question that changed everything: why are designers the bottleneck for data that has nothing to do with their design? Most projects never ask which properties actually require a modeller to enter them. Thomas asked. The answer was 80% do not. That single question changed how his entire team works. What we discuss: From Architecture to Infrastructure. Thomas explains what changed when he moved from small building projects to railway at scale. With 500 or more IFC files on a single project, every inefficiency multiplies fast. The 80% Discovery. How they audited every property requirement and found that most properties had no reason to live in Revit or Civil 3D. This single finding changed how the whole team thinks about BIM data. Building the Database. What they actually built: a browser-based system where anyone on the project can enter data directly, with live IDS-compatible validation at the point of entry. No more waiting weeks for a quality report. Geometry and Data Separated. Why they deliberately keep the 3D geometry and the property data in separate systems, and how they use IFC OpenShell to merge them back into a compliant IFC file at handover. AI as an Amplifier. Thomas's view on what AI tools actually do in a workflow like this. Good domain knowledge gets multiplied. Bad domain knowledge gets multiplied too. Find me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/petruconduraru/ Questions: [email protected]

Stop Modeling for the Project. Start Modeling for the Asset Lifetime with Alexander Worp | openBIMvoice 04 In the fourth episode of openBIMvoice, I talk with Alexander Worp, Asset Information Manager at Waternet, the department responsible for drinking water and sewage in the Amsterdam region. Alexander manages infrastructure that goes back to 1850. Some of those original drawings are still more useful today than digital models produced 25 years ago because the data was correct. That is the whole point. Correct data outlives every tool, every format, and every project. Most BIM teams have not understood this yet. What we discuss: Modeling for the asset lifetime. Why every BIM modeler needs to understand they are not creating a picture for the project. They are creating information that will be used for the next 50 to 150 years. Data as an asset. Why information has the same value as physical infrastructure under ISO 55000, and why most organizations still do not manage it that way. The pirate approach. How Alexander drives openBIM adoption inside a large public organization without waiting for management permission. Show the value first. Explain later. IFC and the digital twin. How Waternet connects IFC models to a graph database and combines asset management, documents, and geometry into one linked data platform, vendor free. Certification in contracts. Why Alexander wants buildingSMART Foundation certification as a contract requirement for every modeler on his projects, and why that is not a high bar to set. Questions? Contact me (Petru Conduraru): 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/petruconduraru/ 📧 [email protected]

I Stopped Opening Revit. My Entire Workflow Is Now IFC with Jocelyn Sapin | openBIMvoice 03 In the third episode of openBIMvoice, I talk with Jocelyn Sapin, a BIM consultant from Switzerland who made a decision most BIM professionals have not: he stopped opening Revit models entirely. His whole workflow runs on IFC. In this conversation he explains exactly how and why he got there. Jocelyn works exclusively on the client side, which means he receives models, checks them, and uses them without ever opening the native file. If you have ever wondered what it actually looks like to go full IFC in practice, this conversation will show you. What we discuss: The full IFC workflow. How Jocelyn stopped relying on native models and what his day-to-day work looks like when IFC is the only format on the table. The Swiss client model. Why public clients, banks, and hospitals in Switzerland require IFC deliverables and leave designers free to use any tool they want. Faster quality checks. Why checking model quality in IFC is three times faster than in native Revit files, and how Jocelyn uses IDS templates on every model he receives. The FM model mistake. Why trying to plan the facility management model from day one is wrong, and why building it from scratch at the end of the project is cheaper and smarter. Open format for the long term. Why any asset owner thinking in decades should never accept a proprietary file as a final deliverable. Questions? Contact me (Petru Conduraru): 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/petruconduraru/ 📧 [email protected]

OpenBIM from the Contractor's Perspective with Daniel Phillips | openBIMvoice 02 In the second episode of openBIMvoice, I talk with Daniel Phillips about how openBIM is actually being used on the ground by general contractors. We discuss his journey from 14 years of structural modeling to using Bonsai BIM and Python to fix model loopholes in 2026. Daniel shares his experience working on massive hospital projects in Norway and why state of the art models still face challenges when they hit the construction site. If you want to know how a BIM coordinator handles missing data and model maturity in the real world, this conversation is for you. What we discuss: The GC perspective. Why general contractors need openBIM to control what they receive from designers. Bonsai BIM and Python. How Daniel uses open source tools and AI to fix IFC models faster than native software. The IDS dream. Why Information Delivery Specification is the tipping point for project quality and instant feedback on requirements. Reinforcement success. Why structural models are currently the most advanced part of the Norwegian industry. Model based construction. The honest truth about why drawings still exist on site and what it takes to go truly digital. Questions? Contact me (Petru Conduraru): 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/petruconduraru/ 📧 [email protected]

openBIM Needs an Open Mind with Menno Mekes | openBIMvoice 01 In the first episode of openBIMvoice, I talk with my friend Menno Mekes about why openBIM adoption is more about mindset than technology. We dig into how the industry is changing in 2026 and what's actually working. Menno shares how he moved away from proprietary silos toward workflows where data is the single source of truth. If you've ever struggled to explain to clients or colleagues that a model is more than just 3D shapes, this conversation will help. What we discuss: - The open mind shift. Why cultural change is the hardest part of openBIM adoption. - IDS. How Information Delivery Specification moves us from checking for mistakes to checking for answers. - Data vs geometry. Why Menno focuses on property sets over visuals when working with contractors and clients. - The Dutch perspective. What's happening with IDS and digital building permits in the Netherlands. - The drawingless future. How close are we to building without traditional 2D plans. Questions? Contact me (Petru Conduraru): 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/petruconduraru/ 📧 [email protected]

🎙️Building with Data: Emma Hooper's Vision for Information Management in Construction Join me in a captivating conversation with Emma Hooper, associate director and head of R&D at Bond Bryan Digital an Information Management consultancy.  We delved deep into the world of information management in construction, discussing the pivotal role of open standards like IFC, the tools that are shaping the industry, and the future of collaborative construction.  Emma's insights, backed by her extensive experience and recognition in the field, shed light on the challenges we face and the solutions on the horizon. Subscribe Spotify | Apple | YouTube | Google | Stitcher | Player.fm | iHeart Resources Frank Schuyer’s LinkedIn Xinaps Website Verifi3D by Xinaps Shirin’s LinkeIn

🎙️Pelle Meholm on BIM Challenges and Solutions BIM professional Pelle Meholm from Conclass showcases conVoid, a tool that revolutionizes building design. ConVoid is a valuable aid for architects and engineers, facilitating the design and coordination of areas where utilities like electricity and water are routed.  Conclass homepage: https://www.conclass.tech/ Disclaimer:  this interview is not a paid advertisement. Subscribe Spotify | Apple | YouTube | Google | Stitcher | Player.fm | iHeart Resources Frank Schuyer’s LinkedIn Xinaps Website Verifi3D by Xinaps Shirin’s LinkeIn  

🎙️Building Beyond Boundaries: Bruno Postle's Open-Source Approach   Meet Bruno Postle, a visionary who's blending art and technology to reshape the world of architecture. In this conversation, he takes us on a journey through his work with open-source tools like Homemaker and BlenderBIM.  It's not just about buildings and designs; it's about a philosophy that values collaboration, innovation, and sustainability.  Whether you're an architect, an engineer, or simply curious about how the spaces we live in are created, Bruno's insights offer a fresh perspective on the future of building design. Join him in exploring a world where creativity and technology come together in harmony. Subscribe Spotify | Apple | YouTube | Google | Stitcher | Player.fm | iHeart Resources Frank Schuyer’s LinkedIn Xinaps Website Verifi3D by Xinaps Shirin’s LinkeIn  

🎙️Exploring the Digital Shift in Construction with Alexandru Patache In this video, I had the pleasure of interviewing Alexandru Patache, a civil engineer from Splendid Development, a Romanian company that is making strides in the use of advanced Building Information Modeling (BIM) techniques.  Alexandru shared his personal journey in the industry, his role as a BIM coordinator, and why having an engineering background is crucial to understanding the processes involved.  We delved into the company's focus on design for projects across Europe and their diverse services, which range from structural engineering to design automation, visualization, and even gamification.  Alexandru emphasized the importance of open standards like IFC for asset management and the future of the construction industry.  We also discussed the challenges and solutions in automating workflows and the need for a balance between innovation and practicality.  A significant part of our conversation revolved around the shift from analog to digital in the construction industry and the role of professionals in driving this change. . Subscribe Spotify | Apple | YouTube | Google | Stitcher | Player.fm | iHeart Resources Frank Schuyer’s LinkedIn Xinaps Website Verifi3D by Xinaps Shirin’s LinkeIn

Learn the hidden facts and common misunderstandings about openBIM in this engaging talk. Nando Mogollon, the director of Build Digital, uncovers the truths about openBIM, the difference between teamwork and swapping files, and why we really need to work together in the AEC business in this episode.   This chat will open up your mind about teamwork and openBIM, offering useful ideas about the changing world of BIM.   Prepare for an engaging talk that clears up these important subjects, grow your understanding, and keep up with the fast-paced BIM world. Subscribe Spotify | Apple | YouTube | Google | Stitcher | Player.fm | iHeart Resources Frank Schuyer’s LinkedIn Xinaps Website Verifi3D by Xinaps Shirin’s LinkeIn