A systematic review of BIM-based approaches for fire safety and automated code compliance checking

Abstract

Fire safety requirements involve complex spatial and semantic conditions that go beyond simple attribute checks. This review consolidates approaches for automated code compliance checking (ACCC) for fire safety, classifies them by applied technologies, methods, complexity levels and data formats, and assesses their suitability for building permit processes. A PRISMA-compliant systematic literature review across major databases, augmented by backward and forward snowballing, yielded 16 papers. The included studies were mapped descriptively and analyzed thematically using concept matrices according to Webster and Watson, covering methods, technologies, rule complexity, data formats, and reported opportunities and challenges. Existing methods effectively support rule checks of lower complexity, but tasks involving spatial reasoning and interdependent safety conditions, such as multi-story compartmentation, remain difficult to automate. Compared to black box systems, white box methods are preferred for their transparency and auditability, with visual programming noted as particularly user-friendly. Despite the many advantages of ACCC, organizational, technical, and regulatory requirements constrain deployment in the permit process. The use of ACCC in the building permit process is a promising opportunity to achieve long-term efficiency gains, reduce errors and lighten the workload in building authorities, provided that the current challenges are addressed appropriately through a coherent implementation strategy. As research activities have accelerated significantly since 2023, the topic is becoming increasingly important, while several challenges remain unresolved. This research identifies further gaps, such as limited support for complex spatial–topological reasoning or insufficient IFC expressiveness for fire-safety properties.