Frequently Asked Questions

ForensicBIM checks the quality of IFC models and estimates the value of the information they contain. It shows whether a model is complete, reliable and reusable, compares it with thousands of similar models, and calculates its value in line with accounting standards.

Public and private asset owners use it to check the models they receive. Contractors and engineering firms use it to check models before they deliver them, and finance teams use it to understand what the information is worth.

Yes. From an analysis you can request support from a consultant in your region. We review your request and propose consultants, and we pass on your contact details only after you agree to a specific consultant. We do not share your model or its results with them.

ForensicBIM analyses IFC files in the standard .ifc format, exported from any authoring tool. We support IFC2X3, IFC4 and IFC4.3, for buildings as well as infrastructure such as bridges, roads and railways. We will support IFC 4.4 and IFC 5 as they are released.

Files with a non-official schema are processed on a best-effort basis. Compressed (.ifczip) and XML (.ifcxml) files cannot be uploaded; unzip or export them to .ifc first.

Up to 5 GB per file, and up to 20 files per upload. Very large or unusual files can fail because of memory limits. Our guide to file size limits explains how to make files smaller. The optional buildingSMART validation accepts files up to 256 MB.

You don't need to create one in advance. On the Examine page, add your files and enter your email address. The analysis starts straight away and we email you a sign-in link. Following that link opens your results and creates your free account. You can also sign in with Google.

With an account, all your analyses stay available in your dashboard, on any device.

No. We only read your file. The original is stored unchanged in the region you chose, and you can download it again from the analysis page. Everything we generate, such as the 3D preview and the results, is stored separately.

Both are scores from 0 to 100.

• Overall quality covers five dimensions: validity, structure, geometry, information and consistency.
• The Forensic BIM score looks at the data only: how complete, rich, reliable and well-defined the information is. It comes with a grade from A (80 or more) to E (below 35).

When the data is weak, the Forensic BIM score limits the overall score, because good geometry cannot make up for missing information. Each model is also compared with similar models in our reference benchmark. What we check explains every check and why it matters.

The buildingSMART Validation Service checks whether a file follows the IFC standard: its syntax, schema and agreed rules. It does not check whether the information is useful. A model in which every element is a generic IfcBuildingElementProxy without properties can pass validation, yet be of little use for asset management.

ForensicBIM measures whether the information can be found, trusted and reused, for example its classification, materials, quantities, properties, spatial structure and georeferencing. The two checks complement each other, which is why you can add the official buildingSMART validation to your analysis.

If you tick the option when uploading, we also send your file to the official buildingSMART Validation Service (validate.buildingsmart.org). Its results appear in the Validity tab of your analysis. buildingSMART International handles and keeps the file under its own terms. Files larger than 256 MB, and files without an official IFC schema, are not sent.

The valuation measures the information in the model, estimates what it cost to create, and adjusts that for completeness and quality. It follows the concepts of the accounting standards for intangible assets: IAS 38, GASB Statement No. 51 and RJ 210. The detailed method is proprietary.

The method was developed by a team that combines more than 25 years of IFC experience with almost 20 years of investing and balance sheet evaluation, with a background in buildingSMART, AEC engineering and Columbia Business School. We calibrate it against independent expert estimates and our reference benchmark, and use regression and advanced statistics, such as Bayesian belief networks, to find patterns that are not immediately apparent. More than 30 IFC experts advise us on the values and patterns we find, and we review and improve the method regularly.

Your report shows the assumptions behind each figure, such as the hourly rate. On the Pro plan you can adjust them. How the numbers are built explains the concepts, the standards and how we test the results.

The valuation is designed to support that decision. It follows the concepts of IAS 38 (IFRS), GASB Statement No. 51 (US state and local governments) and RJ 210 (Dutch GAAP) for recognising information as an intangible asset, and shows the carrying amount and the figures behind it.

Whether you recognise or capitalise model data, and at what amount, remains your decision. Discuss it with your accountant or auditor.

No. Our scores and valuations are automated estimates based on the content of your files. They are not a formal appraisal by a certified valuer, an audit opinion, accounting or engineering advice, or a certification that a model complies with buildingSMART or any other standard. Use them to check data quality, prepare due diligence and support your decisions, together with professional advice where needed (section 10 of our Terms of Service).

Yes. Files are encrypted in transit and at rest and kept in the region you choose, and access rules tie each file to your account. Your models are never public: other people can see an analysis only if you share it.

Analyses run automatically. Authorised ForensicBIM staff can access a model only when you ask us for help, when we use it to improve our algorithms (unless you opt out), to investigate a security incident, or when the law requires it. Every staff download of a model file is logged.

Our security controls are designed around SOC 2 and ISO/IEC 27001. We do not yet hold a certification or audit report. Details are in section 7 of our Privacy Policy.

Regional storage. Your IFC file and every file generated from it are stored in the region you choose. ForensicBIM offers eight regions:

• 🇪🇺 Europe (Netherlands / europe-west4) (default)
• 🇺🇸 United States (Iowa / us-central1)
• 🇬🇧 United Kingdom (London / europe-west2)
• 🇸🇬 Singapore (asia-southeast1)
• 🇭🇰 Hong Kong (asia-east2)
• 🇦🇺 Australia (Sydney / australia-southeast1)
• 🇯🇵 Japan (Tokyo / asia-northeast1)
• 🇧🇷 South America (São Paulo / southamerica-east1)

The upload page suggests the region closest to you, based on your device's time zone. You can pick another region before uploading.

Regional processing. Your IFC file is analysed by a dedicated worker in the same region. Metric extraction, geometry calculations, data density forensics, the 3D preview and thumbnails are all produced there and stored in your regional storage. If that worker cannot be started, the analysis fails; your file is never processed in another region instead.

Account details and analysis records are held as described in our Privacy Policy. If you choose the optional buildingSMART validation, your file is also sent to buildingSMART International.

No. The region is fixed when you upload. To store a model in a different region, delete the analysis and upload the IFC file again with the new region selected.

You decide in Settings:

• Use analysis and IFC (the default): our staff may use your IFC files and their results to test and calibrate the Service. We never publish, sell or share your model files.
• Use analysis without IFC: we use only anonymised, aggregated results.
• Do not use: we do not use your files or results to improve the Service.

A change applies to later uploads. Unless you choose "Do not use", we may reuse the results of a file when someone else uploads an identical file, without passing on your identity.

Yes. Our Data Processing Agreement forms part of the Terms of Service, and we can provide a signed copy. On request, and under confidentiality, we share our security policies, a summary of our controls and answers to security questionnaires. Our Compliance page lists what we provide for supplier assessments.

Yes. On the Pro plan you can create a secret share link for an analysis. Anyone with the link can view that report for 14 days, or until you revoke the link on your account's secret links page. On every plan you can download the standalone HTML report and send it yourself.

• Standalone HTML report: every tab and detail in one file that you can open offline (all plans).
• PDF report with improvements: a prioritised list of what to fix, for whoever modelled the file (all plans).
• Your original IFC file (all plans).
• AI-ready export: all metrics and summary text as a Markdown file for AI tools, never the IFC file itself (Pro).

A full PDF report, a custom report and a financial report for your accountant are coming soon for Pro users.

Open the analysis, choose Details on the model card and use Delete file and analysis in the Danger zone. This deletes the IFC file, everything generated from it, the analysis record and any share links to it.

To delete your whole account and all your data, go to Settings. Cancel any active subscription first.

No. Deleted files are removed from the Service immediately. Our cloud storage keeps them for 7 days in a recovery store that is used only to recover from technical errors, after which they are permanently erased. Some records, such as invoices and security logs, are kept for the periods set out in our Privacy Policy.

• Free: the complete valuation, full buildingSMART validation, the data quality visualiser and processing in the region of your choice, subject to fair use.
• Pro: everything in Free, plus adjustable valuation parameters, secret share links, the AI-ready export and priority support.
• Enterprise: custom checks, a custom hosting location, customer-managed encryption keys, single sign-on, benchmarking against your own IFC data and dedicated support, under a written agreement.

Prices are on the Pricing page in EUR, USD, BRL, HKD or JPY, excluding VAT.

Pro is bought online and paid through Stripe, monthly or annually. Enterprise is provided under a written agreement and paid by invoice, against your purchase order if you need one.

If the law that applies to you requires different contract terms, for example on governing law or public access to information, we agree to those changes in writing (section 19 of our Terms of Service). Our Compliance page lists the documents we provide for procurement. Contact support@forensicbim.business to start.

Yes, each with their own account. An account is linked to one email address and has its own analyses; analyses are not shared between accounts automatically. Pro users can share individual analyses through secret links. Single sign-on with your company accounts is part of the Enterprise plan.

Yes. We offer a 14-day money-back guarantee on your first Pro purchase, monthly or annual. Email support@forensicbim.business from your account's email address within 14 calendar days of the first payment. You don't need to give a reason. We refund the full amount through Stripe to your original payment method, usually within 5 to 10 business days, and your account returns to the Free plan straight away.

Renewals and partial periods are not refundable. You can cancel at any time, and you keep Pro access until the end of the period you paid for (section 5 of our Terms of Service).