Breaking Barriers in Acoustic Modeling with Treble’s updated IFC import feature

Treble is proud to announce a significant upgrade to the IFC import workflow in the Treble Web Application. In June we introduced a series of updates, including some major improvements that significantly improve key aspects of the feature:   

• Improved import quality of large spaces: The main focus of the update was to increase the import quality of large spaces, as they are often the focus point of acoustic simulations in the design process. The improvement was focused on decreasing the number of missing faces and interior features.  
• Improved Space Detection Algorithm: The algorithm responsible for identifying enclosed volumes has been significantly improved. It now offers increased accuracy in detecting rooms within IFC models, even in cases where IFC Space tags are missing or inconsistently applied. This ensures that more acoustically meaningful spaces are captured with minimal user intervention.  
• Fewer triangles when fetching the imported model to Sketchup for cleanup work: One of the fundamental aspects of the IFC importing workflow in Treble is the ability to fetch the imported model into Sketchup for modification work. When fetching a model that was imported via IFC into Sketchup each surface will be recreated as a group of triangles. After the update the number of triangles the algorithm requires to model each surface has been reduced, making it easier to edit the model in Sketchup. 
• More watertight spaces: The percentage of spaces that are watertight after import, without the need for any additional work, has been improved. This is mostly noticeable in small to medium sized rooms. Note that watertight models are only required to run wave-based simulations, which fittingly are often of special interest in rooms of that scale. 
• No size restrictions on the internal volume of imported models: Restrictions on the internal size of imported IFC files have been lifted. The feature can now be used to import buildings of any size and shape without restrictions. 

Why IFC Matters  

The IFC (Industry Foundation Classes) format is a cornerstone of modern building information modeling (BIM). It provides a standardized way to model, share, and manage building geometry and metadata across platforms and can easily be exported from industry standard tools such as Revit. For acoustic simulations, the IFC format is invaluable because it retains spatial definitions, and architectural intent.  

By supporting IFC imports, the Treble Web Application integrates directly into the BIM workflow, eliminating the friction of manual geometry preparation.  Architects, engineers, and consultants can now transfer spatial data from design tools like Revit directly into Treble with full fidelity.  

How the Treble IFC Import Works  

Upon uploading an IFC file, the Treble platform performs three key operations:  

• Geometry Simplification: Details such as furniture and interior fixtures are automatically simplified to a detail level suitable for simulations in Treble. Features that are non-essential to acoustic simulations, such as railings, are removed to streamline the simulation model without compromising acoustic accuracy.  
• Automated Space Detection: The algorithm detects enclosed volumes and picks them out separately, prioritizing those tagged as Ifc Spaces, to create a model that is ready for an acoustic simulation out of the box. The algorithm also intelligently identifies untagged rooms and combines different rooms if they form a continuous volume and therefore behave as one from the standpoint of room acoustic simulations.   
• Watertight Validation: The importer flags whether detected spaces are watertight and suitable for wave-based simulation, it will also do some healing in the cases where there are small gaps between elements. Even if a space is not watertight, users can still proceed with geometrical acoustic simulations or use Treble's SketchUp plugin to refine the model.  

The user is then guided through a curated interface to review, rename, and selectively import spaces. Real-time 3D previews, metadata insights, and feedback indicators streamline this decision-making process.  

A Groundbreaking Advancement  

The ability to import IFC files marks a fundamental advancement in acoustic simulation workflows. It allows users to seamlessly transfer complete BIM models into Treble’s cloud-native simulation environment with minimal effort. From lecture halls and office towers to entire healthcare facilities, this process now offers unmatched speed, reliability, and scalability. With the latest update, users can go even further, simulating expansive environments such as airports, industrial complexes, and large commercial developments with no model size constraints.  

By enhancing the capabilities of the algorithm and removing size limits our goal here at Treble is to further solidify our role as the leading platform for next-generation sound simulation. This upgrade reflects our ongoing commitment to bridging the gap between architectural design and acoustic engineering, enabling better sounding spaces from the very first sketch.  

Experience the difference firsthand. Start your 14-day free trial of the Treble Web Application today and explore the future of acoustic simulation.