Home of OSArch

We help create the built environment with free software, increased transparency, and a more ethical approach.

On this wiki, we collect and share everything we know about the free technology in our industry. Every page on this website was written by people just like you.

Get Involved

Interested in OSArch initiatives, and why OSArch is so important to the design, construction, operation, and recycling of the built environment? See an introduction to what OSArch is all about. Join over 700 community members and over 100 wiki editors who have authored over 100 wiki articles.

• Post questions in our Community Forum
• Join our Monthly Meetup show & tell event
• Donate to sustain our volunteers
• See past projects using free software and see Featured images
• Publicly announce yourself as an OSArch supporter
• See more ways to contribute to OSArch

Right now, we're looking in particular for volunteers to help with these things. If you're up for it, post on the forums and let us know!

• We need people to help get the word out and manage the OSArch Twitter, LinkedIn & Youtube accounts.
• We need people to help design a curriculum to teach about AEC tools and OpenBIM concepts.
• We need help with writing more wiki articles! Anybody can edit!

Explore Free Software

Did you know there's a growing list of over 100 free tools to help you do your job? Unlike proprietary software, free software will never make your digital work incompatible, obsolete, or force you into subscriptions. See the AECO Free Software Directory.

Begin your journey:

• Switch to Krita and The GIMP for 2D visualisation instead of Photoshop
• Switch to QCAD and LibreCAD for 2D drafting instead of depending on AutoCAD
• Learn freeform 3D modeling and BIM model creation with BlenderBIM Add-on
• Learn solid 3D modeling and BIM model creation with FreeCAD
• Learn structural analysis with_Code Aster
• Learn environmental analysis with Ladybug Tools
• Learn geospatial analysis with QGIS
• Manage a project with OpenProject

Do you want to dig deep in to AEC tech?

• Learn visual node-based parametric design with Sverchok
• Learn OpenBIM & IFC programming using IfcOpenShell

Use Open Standards

Open technology and standards helps our digital tools interoperate and protect you against data expiry. See what's available at the Open Data Standards Directory.

• Learn about OpenBIM
• Get sample files of Open Data
• Learn about relevant Standards organizations
• Read Academic Papers and external articles

Learn about Industry Foundation Class (IFC) data concepts:

• An introduction to IFC
• What is an IFC class
• How is an IFC project defined
• How does IFC store attributes and properties
• How spaces are broken down in IFC
• How materials are stored in IFC
• How georeferencing data is stored in IFC
• How to group sub objects in IFC
• How IFC integrates with classification systems

Delivering OpenBIM for facility management?

• Learn about how COBie works
• Read the COBie definition of a maintainable asset

Learn how to specify data requirements with MVDs and MicroMVDs (all articles).

Stuck with proprietary software? Learn best practices and workarounds to produce industry standards compliant data.

• How to set up Revit for OpenBIM
• How to export correct IFC classes from Revit
• How to optimise IFC geometry output from Revit
• How to export classification data from Revit
• How to geolocate models from Revit
• How to define an OpenBIM project in Revit
• How to organise IFC spaces in Revit
• How to define IFC construction types in Revit
• List of known invalid IFC practices

To see a complete list of articles, check out the directories and categories.

"Open-source software (OSS) is a type of computer software in which source code is released under a license in which the copyright holder grants users the rights to use, study, change, and distribute the software to anyone and for any purpose." -Wikipedia