5.4.3.66 IfcSpatialElement

5.4.3.66.1 Semantic definition

A spatial element is the generalization of all spatial elements that might be used to define a spatial structure or to define spatial zones.

• a hierarchical spatial structure element as IfcSpatialStructureElement
• a spatial structure is a hierarchical decomposition of the project. That spatial structure is often used to provide a project structure to organize a project.
• a spatial project structure might define as many levels of decomposition as necessary for the project. Some examples of elements within the spatial breakdown can be: site, building, storey, space. And for infrastructure projects also: bridge, railway, road, ports, tunnel and parts of them.
• a spatial zone as IfcSpatialZone
• a spatial zone is a non-hierarchical and potentially overlapping decomposition of the project under some functional consideration.
• a spatial zone might be used to represent a thermal zone, a lighting zone, a usable area zone.
• a spatial zone might be used to represent a horizontal spatial structure as used in civil works.
• a spatial zone might have its independent placement and shape representation.

5.4.3.66.2 Entity inheritance

1. • IfcRoot
2. • IfcObjectDefinition
   • IfcPropertyDefinition
   • IfcRelationship
3. • IfcObject
   • IfcContext
   • IfcTypeObject
4. • IfcProduct
   • IfcActor
   • IfcControl
   • IfcGroup
   • IfcProcess
   • IfcResource
5. • IfcSpatialElement
   • IfcAnnotation
   • IfcElement
   • IfcLinearElement
   • IfcPort
   • IfcPositioningElement
   • IfcStructuralActivity
   • IfcStructuralItem
6. • IfcExternalSpatialStructureElement
   • IfcSpatialStructureElement
   • IfcSpatialZone

5.4.3.66.3 Attributes

#	Attribute	Type	Description
IfcRoot (4)
1	GlobalId	IfcGloballyUniqueId	Assignment of a globally unique identifier within the entire software world.
2	OwnerHistory	OPTIONAL IfcOwnerHistory	Assignment of the information about the current ownership of that object, including owning actor, application, local identification and information captured about the recent changes of the object,
3	Name	OPTIONAL IfcLabel	Optional name for use by the participating software systems or users. For some subtypes of IfcRoot the insertion of the Name attribute may be required. This would be enforced by a where rule.
4	Description	OPTIONAL IfcText	Optional description, provided for exchanging informative comments.
IfcObjectDefinition (7)
	HasAssignments	SET [0:?] OF IfcRelAssigns FOR RelatedObjects	Reference to the relationship objects, that assign (by an association relationship) other subtypes of IfcObject to this object instance. Examples are the association to products, processes, controls, resources or groups.
	Nests	SET [0:1] OF IfcRelNests FOR RelatedObjects	References to the decomposition relationship being a nesting. It determines that this object definition is a part within an ordered whole/part decomposition relationship. An object occurrence or type can only be part of a single decomposition (to allow hierarchical structures only).
	IsNestedBy	SET [0:?] OF IfcRelNests FOR RelatingObject	References to the decomposition relationship being a nesting. It determines that this object definition is the whole within an ordered whole/part decomposition relationship. An object or object type can be nested by several other objects (occurrences or types).
	HasContext	SET [0:1] OF IfcRelDeclares FOR RelatedDefinitions	References to the context providing context information such as project unit or representation context. It should only be asserted for the uppermost non-spatial object.
	IsDecomposedBy	SET [0:?] OF IfcRelAggregates FOR RelatingObject	References to the decomposition relationship being an aggregation. It determines that this object definition is whole within an unordered whole/part decomposition relationship. An object definition can be aggregated by several other objects (occurrences or parts).
	Decomposes	SET [0:1] OF IfcRelAggregates FOR RelatedObjects	References to the decomposition relationship being an aggregation. It determines that this object definition is a part within an unordered whole/part decomposition relationship. An object definition can only be part of a single decomposition (to allow hierarchical structures only).
	HasAssociations	SET [0:?] OF IfcRelAssociates FOR RelatedObjects	Reference to the relationship objects, that associates external references or other resource definitions to the object. Examples are the association to library, documentation or classification.
IfcObject (5)
5	ObjectType	OPTIONAL IfcLabel	The type denotes a particular type that indicates the object further. The use has to be established at the level of instantiable subtypes. In particular it holds the user defined type, if the enumeration of the attribute PredefinedType is set to USERDEFINED or when the concrete entity instantiated does not have a PredefinedType attribute. The latter is the case in some exceptional leaf classes and when instantiating IfcBuiltElement directly.
	IsDeclaredBy	SET [0:1] OF IfcRelDefinesByObject FOR RelatedObjects	Link to the relationship object pointing to the declaring object that provides the object definitions for this object occurrence. The declaring object has to be part of an object type decomposition. The associated IfcObject, or its subtypes, contains the specific information (as part of a type, or style, definition), that is common to all reflected instances of the declaring IfcObject, or its subtypes.
	Declares	SET [0:?] OF IfcRelDefinesByObject FOR RelatingObject	Link to the relationship object pointing to the reflected object(s) that receives the object definitions. The reflected object has to be part of an object occurrence decomposition. The associated IfcObject, or its subtypes, provides the specific information (as part of a type, or style, definition), that is common to all reflected instances of the declaring IfcObject, or its subtypes.
	IsTypedBy	SET [0:1] OF IfcRelDefinesByType FOR RelatedObjects	Set of relationships to the object type that provides the type definitions for this object occurrence. The then associated IfcTypeObject, or its subtypes, contains the specific information (or type, or style), that is common to all instances of IfcObject, or its subtypes, referring to the same type.
	IsDefinedBy	SET [0:?] OF IfcRelDefinesByProperties FOR RelatedObjects	Set of relationships to property set definitions attached to this object. Those statically or dynamically defined properties contain alphanumeric information content that further defines the object.
IfcProduct (5)
6	ObjectPlacement	OPTIONAL IfcObjectPlacement	This establishes the object coordinate system and placement of the product in space. The placement can either be absolute (relative to the world coordinate system), relative (relative to the object placement of another product), or constrained (e.g. relative to grid axes, or to a linear positioning element). The type of placement is determined by the various subtypes of IfcObjectPlacement. An object placement must be provided if a representation is present.
7	Representation	OPTIONAL IfcProductRepresentation	Reference to the representations of the product, being either a representation (IfcProductRepresentation) or as a special case of a shape representation (IfcProductDefinitionShape). The product definition shape provides for multiple geometric representations of the shape property of the object within the same object coordinate system, defined by the object placement.
	ReferencedBy	SET [0:?] OF IfcRelAssignsToProduct FOR RelatingProduct	Reference to the IfcRelAssignsToProduct relationship, by which other products, processes, controls, resources or actors (as subtypes of IfcObjectDefinition) can be related to this product.
	PositionedRelativeTo	SET [0:?] OF IfcRelPositions FOR RelatedProducts	Reference to the IfcRelPositions relationship, which defines its relationship with a positioning element.
	ReferencedInStructures	SET [0:?] OF IfcRelReferencedInSpatialStructure FOR RelatedElements	Reference to the objectified relationship IfcRelReferencedInSpatialStructure may be used to relate a product to one or more spatial structure elements in addition to the one in which it is primarily contained.
Click to show 21 hidden inherited attributes Click to hide 21 inherited attributes
IfcSpatialElement (6)
8	LongName	OPTIONAL IfcLabel	Long name for a spatial structure element, used for informal purposes. It should be used, if available, in conjunction with the inherited Name attribute.
	ContainsElements	SET [0:?] OF IfcRelContainedInSpatialStructure FOR RelatingStructure	Set of spatial containment relationships, that holds those elements, which are contained within this element of the project spatial structure.
	ServicedBySystems	SET [0:?] OF IfcRelServicesBuildings FOR RelatedBuildings	Set of relationships to systems, that provides a certain service to the spatial element for which it is defined. The relationship is handled by the objectified relationship IfcRelServicesBuildings.
	ReferencesElements	SET [0:?] OF IfcRelReferencedInSpatialStructure FOR RelatingStructure	Set of spatial reference relationships, that holds those elements, which are referenced, but not contained, within this element of the project spatial structure.
	IsInterferedByElements	SET [0:?] OF IfcRelInterferesElements FOR RelatedElement	Reference to the interference relationship to indicate the spatial element that is interfered. The relationship, if provided, indicates that this spatial element has an interference with one or many other spatial elements.
	InterferesElements	SET [0:?] OF IfcRelInterferesElements FOR RelatingElement	Reference to the interference relationship to indicate the spatial element that interferes. The relationship, if provided, indicates that this spatial element has an interference with one or many other spatial elements.

5.4.3.66.4 Property sets

• Pset_AirSideSystemInformation
  • Description
  • AirSideSystemType
  • AirSideSystemDistributionType
  • TotalAirFlow
  • EnergyGainTotal
  • AirFlowSensible
  • EnergyGainSensible
  • EnergyLoss
  • InfiltrationDiversitySummer
  • InfiltrationDiversityWinter
  • ApplianceDiversity
  • HeatingTemperatureDelta
  • CoolingTemperatureDelta
  • Ventilation
  • FanPower
• Pset_Risk
  • RiskName
  • RiskType
  • NatureOfRisk
  • RiskAssessmentMethodology
  • UnmitigatedRiskLikelihood
  • UnmitigatedRiskConsequence
  • UnmitigatedRiskSignificance
  • MitigationPlanned
  • MitigatedRiskLikelihood
  • MitigatedRiskConsequence
  • MitigatedRiskSignificance
  • MitigationProposed
  • AssociatedProduct
  • AssociatedActivity
  • AssociatedLocation
• Pset_SpaceAirHandlingDimensioning
  • CoolingDesignAirFlow
  • HeatingDesignAirFlow
  • SensibleHeatGain
  • TotalHeatGain
  • TotalHeatLoss
  • CoolingDryBulb
  • CoolingRelativeHumidity
  • HeatingDryBulb
  • HeatingRelativeHumidity
  • VentilationDesignAirFlow
  • DesignAirFlow
  • CeilingRAPlenum
  • BoundaryAreaHeatLoss
• Pset_SpaceCommon
  • Reference
  • IsExternal
  • GrossPlannedArea
  • NetPlannedArea
  • PubliclyAccessible
  • HandicapAccessible
• Pset_SpaceCoveringRequirements
  • FloorCovering
  • FloorCoveringThickness
  • WallCovering
  • WallCoveringThickness
  • CeilingCovering
  • CeilingCoveringThickness
  • SkirtingBoard
  • SkirtingBoardHeight
  • Molding
  • MoldingHeight
  • ConcealedFlooring
  • ConcealedFlooringOffset
  • ConcealedCeiling
  • ConcealedCeilingOffset
• Pset_SpaceFireSafetyRequirements
  • FireRiskFactor
  • FlammableStorage
  • FireExit
  • SprinklerProtection
  • SprinklerProtectionAutomatic
  • AirPressurization
• Pset_SpaceHVACDesign
  • TemperatureSetPoint
  • TemperatureMax
  • TemperatureMin
  • TemperatureSummerMax
  • TemperatureSummerMin
  • TemperatureWinterMax
  • TemperatureWinterMin
  • HumiditySetPoint
  • HumidityMax
  • HumidityMin
  • HumiditySummer
  • HumidityWinter
  • DiscontinuedHeating
  • NaturalVentilation
  • NaturalVentilationRate
  • MechanicalVentilation
  • MechanicalVentilationRate
  • AirConditioning
  • AirConditioningCentral
  • AirHandlingName
• Pset_SpaceLightingDesign
  • ArtificialLighting
  • Illuminance
• Pset_SpaceOccupancyRequirements
  • OccupancyType
  • OccupancyNumber
  • OccupancyNumberPeak
  • OccupancyTimePerDay
  • AreaPerOccupant
  • MinimumHeadroom
  • IsOutlookDesirable
• Pset_SpaceThermalLoad
  • People
  • Lighting
  • EquipmentSensible
  • VentilationIndoorAir
  • VentilationOutdoorAir
  • RecirculatedAir
  • ExhaustAir
  • AirExchangeRate
  • DryBulbTemperature
  • RelativeHumidity
  • InfiltrationSensible
  • TotalSensibleLoad
  • TotalLatentLoad
  • TotalRadiantLoad
• Pset_SpaceThermalLoadPHistory
  • PeopleHistory
  • LightingHistory
  • EquipmentSensibleHistory
  • VentilationIndoorAirHistory
  • VentilationOutdoorAirHistory
  • RecirculatedAirHistory
  • ExhaustAirHistory
  • AirExchangeRateTimeHistory
  • DryBulbTemperatureHistory
  • RelativeHumidityHistory
  • InfiltrationSensibleHistory
  • TotalSensibleLoadHistory
  • TotalLatentLoadHistory
  • TotalRadiantLoadHistory
• Pset_SpaceThermalPHistory
  • CoolingAirFlowRate
  • HeatingAirFlowRate
  • VentilationAirFlowRateHistory
  • ExhaustAirFlowRate
  • SpaceTemperatureHistory
  • SpaceRelativeHumidity
• Pset_ThermalLoad
  • OccupancyDiversity
  • LightingDiversity
  • ApplianceDiversity
  • OutsideAirPerPerson
  • ReceptacleLoadIntensity
  • AppliancePercentLoadToRadiant
  • LightingLoadIntensity
  • LightingPercentLoadToReturnAir
  • TotalCoolingLoad
  • TotalHeatingLoad
  • InfiltrationDiversitySummer
  • InfiltrationDiversityWinter
  • LoadSafetyFactor
• Pset_Tolerance
  • ToleranceDescription
  • ToleranceBasis
  • OverallTolerance
  • HorizontalTolerance
  • OrthogonalTolerance
  • VerticalTolerance
  • PlanarFlatness
  • HorizontalFlatness
  • ElevationalFlatness
  • SideFlatness
  • OverallOrthogonality
  • HorizontalOrthogonality
  • OrthogonalOrthogonality
  • VerticalOrthogonality
  • OverallStraightness
  • HorizontalStraightness
  • OrthogonalStraightness
  • VerticalStraightness
• Pset_Uncertainty
  • UncertaintyBasis
  • UncertaintyDescription
  • HorizontalUncertainty
  • LinearUncertainty
  • OrthogonalUncertainty
  • VerticalUncertainty
• Qto_BodyGeometryValidation
  • GrossSurfaceArea
  • NetSurfaceArea
  • GrossVolume
  • NetVolume
  • SurfaceGenusBeforeFeatures
  • SurfaceGenusAfterFeatures

5.4.3.66.5 Concept usage

Concept	Usage	Description
IfcRoot (2)
Revision Control	General	Ownership, history, and merge state is captured using IfcOwnerHistory.
Software Identity	General	IfcRoot assigns the globally unique ID. In addition it may provide for a name and a description about the concept.
IfcObjectDefinition (9)
Classification Association	General	Any object occurrence or object type can have a reference to a specific classification reference, i.e. to a particular facet within a classification system.
Aggregation	General	No description available.
Approval Association	General	No description available.
Constraint Association	General	No description available.
Document Association	General	No description available.
Library Association	General	No description available.
Material Association	General	No description available.
Material Single	General	No description available.
Nesting	General	No description available.
IfcObject (5)
Object Predefined Type	General	No description available.
Object Typing	General	Any object occurrence can be typed by being assigned to a common object type utilizing this concept. A particular rule, restricting the applicable subtypes of IfcTypeObject that can be assigned, is introduced by overriding this concept at the level of subtypes of IfcObject. This concept can be applied to the following resources: IfcTypeObject
Object User Identity	General	An attribute Name and optionally Description can be used for all subypes of IfcObject. For those subtypes, that have an object type definition, such as IfcBeam - IfcBeamType, the common Name and optionally Description is associated with the object type.
Property Sets with Override	General	Any object occurrence can hold property sets, either directly at the object occurrence as element specific property sets, or at the object type, as type property sets. In this case, the properties that are provided to the object occurrence are the combinations of element specific and type properties. In case that the same property (within the same property set) is defined both in occurrence and type properties, the property value of the occurrence property overrides the property value of the type property.
Assignment to Group	General	No description available.
IfcProduct (18)
Body Geometry	General	The body or solid model geometric representation of an IfcProduct is typically defined using a Tessellation or Brep. Subtypes may provide recommendations on other representation types that may be used. The following attribute values for the IfcShapeRepresentation holding this geometric representation shall be used: IfcShapeRepresentation.RepresentationIdentifier = 'Body' IfcShapeRepresentation.RepresentationType = Typically 'Tessellation' or 'Brep'
Product Geometric Representation	General	The geometric representation of any IfcProduct is provided by the IfcProductDefinitionShape allowing multiple geometric representations. It uses the Product Placement concept utilizing IfcLocalPlacement to establish an object coordinate system, in which all geometric representations are founded.
Product Geometry Colour	General	No description available.
Product Geometry Layer	General	No description available.
Product Relative Positioning	General	If the IfcProduct Product Placement is placed relative to an IfcPositioningElement this relationship covers the information on which IfcPositioningElement positions the IfcProduct.
Product Span Positioning	General	No description available.
Box Geometry	General	No description available.
CoG Geometry	General	No description available.
Mapped Geometry	General	No description available.
Object Typing	General	This concept can be applied to the following resources: IfcTypeProduct
Product Local Placement	General	No description available.
Product Topology Representation	General	No description available.
Property Sets for Objects	General	This concept can be applied to the following resources: Pset_Risk Pset_Tolerance Pset_Uncertainty
Quantity Sets	General	This concept can be applied to the following resources: Qto_BodyGeometryValidation
Reference Geometry	General	No description available.
Reference SweptSolid Geometry	General	No description available.
Reference SweptSolid PolyCurve Geometry	General	No description available.
Reference Tessellation Geometry	General	No description available.
Click to show 34 hidden inherited concepts Click to hide 34 inherited concepts
IfcSpatialElement (11)
Body Geometry	General	A spatial element will not usually provide a body geometry, instead relying on its constituting elements. A body geometry may be provided if it is necessary to expose an independent geometric representation. This geometry is typically expressed by its exterior elements or volume boundary.
FootPrint GeomSet Geometry	General	No description available.
Group Spatial Connectivity	General	No description available.
Property Sets for Objects	General	This concept can be applied to the following resources: Pset_AirSideSystemInformation Pset_SpaceFireSafetyRequirements Pset_SpaceAirHandlingDimensioning Pset_SpaceThermalLoad Pset_SpaceCoveringRequirements Pset_SpaceHVACDesign Pset_SpaceLightingDesign Pset_SpaceOccupancyRequirements Pset_SpaceCommon Pset_ThermalLoad
Spatial Interference	General	No description available.
Spatial Interference With Zones	General	No description available.
Object Typing	General	This concept can be applied to the following resources: IfcSpatialElementType
Property Sets for Performance	General	This concept can be applied to the following resources: Pset_SpaceThermalLoadPHistory Pset_SpaceThermalPHistory
Spatial Container	General	This concept can be applied to the following resources: IfcAnnotation IfcElement IfcGrid
Spatial Element Attributes	General	No description available.
Spatial Service Connectivity	General	No description available.

5.4.3.66.6 Formal representation

ENTITY IfcSpatialElement
 ABSTRACT SUPERTYPE OF (ONEOF
	(IfcExternalSpatialStructureElement
	,IfcSpatialStructureElement
	,IfcSpatialZone))
 SUBTYPE OF (IfcProduct);
	LongName : OPTIONAL IfcLabel;
 INVERSE
	ContainsElements : SET [0:?] OF IfcRelContainedInSpatialStructure FOR RelatingStructure;
	ServicedBySystems : SET [0:?] OF IfcRelServicesBuildings FOR RelatedBuildings;
	ReferencesElements : SET [0:?] OF IfcRelReferencedInSpatialStructure FOR RelatingStructure;
	IsInterferedByElements : SET [0:?] OF IfcRelInterferesElements FOR RelatedElement;
	InterferesElements : SET [0:?] OF IfcRelInterferesElements FOR RelatingElement;
END_ENTITY;

5.4.3.66.7 References

• IfcExternalSpatialStructureElement
• IfcInterferenceSelect
• IfcProduct
• IfcRelContainedInSpatialStructure
• IfcRelReferencedInSpatialStructure
• IfcRelServicesBuildings
• IfcSpatialStructureElement
• IfcSpatialZone