A BIM-based framework for automated building code extraction and compliance checking

Automated code-compliance checking based on Building Information Modeling (BIM) has received increasing attention in recent years. However, many existing approaches rely on manually formalized rules derived from non-machine-readable standards and building codes, which limits scalability and hampers adaptability to regulatory changes. This paper presents a framework for the automated extraction and formalization of building code information requirements by leveraging Level 4 Smart Standards encoded in the National Information Standards Organization (NISO) Standards Tag Suite (STS) in combination with the ISOProps ontology. The proposed procedure generates machine-interpretable validation rules using the Shapes Constraint Language (SHACL), which can be directly applied to BIM models to produce structured compliance validation reports. The framework is demonstrated through a proof-of-concept implementation that uses real-world building regulations to verify the compliance of calcium silicate masonry units based on IFC models. The results indicate a substantial reduction in manual rule-modeling effort while enabling consistent compliance assessment across multiple regulatory revisions. Overall, the proposed approach supports more maintainable, transparent, and scalable compliance checking workflows, contributing to the digitalization and automation of regulatory approval processes.