Malaysia’s construction industry is moving steadily toward a more digital, collaborative and data-driven future. For public sector projects, Building Information Modelling (BIM) is becoming increasingly important as government agencies look for better project coordination, clearer documentation and more reliable asset information.
This direction is especially visible through Jabatan Kerja Raya (JKR) Malaysia. JKR established its Building Information Modelling Unit, UBIM, in 2012 under the Integrated Asset Planning Branch, and the unit is responsible for BIM implementation within JKR. According to Bernama, JKR integrated BIM into 455 projects between 2021 and 2024, covering planning, design and construction stages. JKR’s Strategic Plan 2021–2025 also aimed to implement BIM in 90% of projects valued above RM10 million.
For consultants, architects and contractors involved in public sector work, this signals a clear need to adopt BIM tools and workflows that are not only powerful but also aligned with open collaboration.
Why OpenBIM and IFC Matter
Public sector projects often involve many stakeholders, including architects, engineers, contractors, government agencies and facility managers. Since different teams may use different software, project information must be exchangeable across platforms.
This is where OpenBIM and IFC play an important role. buildingSMART describes IFC, or Industry Foundation Classes, as standardised digital descriptions of the built asset industry, published as an open global standard and as ISO 16739. IFC is also vendor-neutral and available to everyone, which makes it important for cross-platform BIM collaboration.
For government projects, IFC is especially important because public assets need to remain accessible and usable beyond one project phase, one software licence, or one consultant team. With proper IFC workflows, project data can support design coordination, construction review, handover and future facilities management.
For a closer look at how this works in practice, watch the on-demand webinar Transforming Public Sector Projects with Smart BIM Workflow. It explores real project workflows, OpenBIM practices and the challenges teams continue to face when adopting BIM for government projects.
Figure 1: Why OpenBIM and IFC Matter
Archicad as a Practical Tool for OpenBIM Delivery
Archicad is a strong BIM authoring solution for teams preparing for public sector BIM deliverables. It allows architects to work with intelligent building elements, connected drawings, schedules and model data within one coordinated environment.
Through its IFC and OpenBIM support, Archicad helps project teams collaborate with other disciplines using different BIM tools. Graphisoft’s IFC workflow guide covers IFC-based modelling, IFC schemas, Model View Definitions, IFC Translators and property mapping in Archicad for model integration.
This means architectural models created in Archicad can be prepared for coordination, checking, quantity take-off and documentation workflows. For public sector projects, this helps teams reduce design conflicts before construction and improve the reliability of project information.
Archicad also supports information-rich modelling, which is increasingly important as BIM requirements move beyond 3D visualisation. When set up with the right templates, classifications, properties and IFC export settings, Archicad models can better support structured project information for public sector delivery. Teams looking to strengthen this setup can explore Archicad’s BIM and OpenBIM capabilities to see how the platform supports design, documentation and collaboration workflows.
Figure 2: Merge IFC – Result of merging an Archicad model
into an existing file that contains an MEP model.
Preparing for Malaysia’s OpenBIM Direction
As JKR and the Malaysian government continue moving toward wider BIM adoption, firms involved in public projects need to be ready for more structured digital delivery. JKR’s BIM website provides BIM-related resources including guidelines, standards, project information and competency references for industry stakeholders.
This means project teams should improve model quality, coordination workflows, documentation standards and IFC exchange processes. Project teams can also refer to JKR BIM resources and guidelines to better understand current public sector BIM expectations.
Archicad supports this transition by giving design teams a BIM platform that is intuitive for architects while remaining capable of OpenBIM collaboration. With a clear BIM Execution Plan and proper IFC setup, Archicad can help Malaysian project teams deliver models that are coordinated, data-rich and ready for public sector expectations.
Conclusion
Public sector BIM is not just about using 3D software. It is about creating reliable project information that can be shared, reviewed and reused across the building lifecycle.
As Malaysia moves toward a more OpenBIM approach, IFC will continue to play an important role in connecting different disciplines and platforms. With its IFC support and architect-friendly BIM environment, Archicad is well positioned to help project teams meet evolving BIM requirements for public sector projects.
To prepare your team for IFC-based public sector deliverables, book a consultation with our BIM specialists and discuss how Archicad can fit into your project workflow.
