diff --git a/src/blenderbim/blenderbim/bim/module/material/data.py b/src/blenderbim/blenderbim/bim/module/material/data.py
index 8929bd00bc..a327e31ab8 100644
--- a/src/blenderbim/blenderbim/bim/module/material/data.py
+++ b/src/blenderbim/blenderbim/bim/module/material/data.py
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import blenderbim.tool as tool
 
 def refresh():
     MaterialsData.is_loaded = False
+    ObjectMaterialData.is_loaded = False
 
 
 class MaterialsData:
@@ -67,3 +68,19 @@ class MaterialsData:
         if tool.Ifc.get_schema() == "IFC2X3":
             material_types = ["IfcMaterial", "IfcMaterialLayerSet", "IfcMaterialList"]
         return [(m, m, "") for m in material_types]
+
+
+class ObjectMaterialData:
+    data = {}
+    is_loaded = False
+
+    @classmethod
+    def load(cls):
+        cls.data = {
+            "materials": cls.materials(),
+        }
+        cls.is_loaded = True
+
+    @classmethod
+    def materials(cls):
+        return sorted([(str(m.id()), m.Name or "Unnamed", "") for m in tool.Ifc.get().by_type("IfcMaterial")], key=lambda x: x[1])
diff --git a/src/blenderbim/blenderbim/bim/module/material/prop.py b/src/blenderbim/blenderbim/bim/module/material/prop.py
index 4b83a1e042..349d132452 100644
--- a/src/blenderbim/blenderbim/bim/module/material/prop.py
+++ b/src/blenderbim/blenderbim/bim/module/material/prop.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 
 import bpy
 from ifcopenshell.api.material.data import Data
-from blenderbim.bim.module.material.data import MaterialsData
+from blenderbim.bim.module.material.data import MaterialsData, ObjectMaterialData
 from blenderbim.bim.ifc import IfcStore
 from blenderbim.bim.prop import StrProperty, Attribute
 from bpy.types import PropertyGroup
@@ -33,18 +33,15 @@ from bpy.props import (
     CollectionProperty,
 )
 
-materials_enum = []
 materialtypes_enum = []
 profileclasses_enum = []
 parameterizedprofileclasses_enum = []
 
 
 def purge():
-    global materials_enum
     global materialtypes_enum
     global profileclasses_enum
     global parameterizedprofileclasses_enum
-    materials_enum = []
     materialtypes_enum = []
     profileclasses_enum = []
     parameterizedprofileclasses_enum = []
@@ -78,12 +75,10 @@ def getParameterizedProfileClasses(self, context):
     return parameterizedprofileclasses_enum
 
 
-def getMaterials(self, context):
-    global materials_enum
-    if len(materials_enum) == 0 and IfcStore.get_file():
-        materials_enum.clear()
-        materials_enum = [(str(m_id), m["Name"], "") for m_id, m in Data.materials.items()]
-    return materials_enum
+def get_materials(self, context):
+    if not ObjectMaterialData.is_loaded:
+        ObjectMaterialData.load()
+    return ObjectMaterialData.data["materials"]
 
 
 def getMaterialTypes(self, context):
@@ -126,7 +121,7 @@ class BIMMaterialProperties(PropertyGroup):
 
 class BIMObjectMaterialProperties(PropertyGroup):
     material_type: EnumProperty(items=getMaterialTypes, name="Material Type")
-    material: EnumProperty(items=getMaterials, name="Material")
+    material: EnumProperty(items=get_materials, name="Material")
     is_editing: BoolProperty(name="Is Editing", default=False)
     material_set_usage_attributes: CollectionProperty(name="Material Set Usage Attributes", type=Attribute)
     material_set_attributes: CollectionProperty(name="Material Set Attributes", type=Attribute)
@@ -135,7 +130,7 @@ class BIMObjectMaterialProperties(PropertyGroup):
     material_set_item_profile_attributes: CollectionProperty(
         name="Material Set Item Profile Attributes", type=Attribute
     )
-    material_set_item_material: EnumProperty(items=getMaterials, name="Material")
+    material_set_item_material: EnumProperty(items=get_materials, name="Material")
     profile_classes: EnumProperty(items=getProfileClasses, name="Profile Classes")
     parameterized_profile_classes: EnumProperty(
         items=getParameterizedProfileClasses, name="Parameterized Profile Classes"
diff --git a/src/blenderbim/blenderbim/bim/module/material/ui.py b/src/blenderbim/blenderbim/bim/module/material/ui.py
index 7791466af6..818d59cedb 100644
--- a/src/blenderbim/blenderbim/bim/module/material/ui.py
+++ b/src/blenderbim/blenderbim/bim/module/material/ui.py
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ from ifcopenshell.api.material.data import Data
 from ifcopenshell.api.profile.data import Data as ProfileData
 from blenderbim.bim.ifc import IfcStore
 from blenderbim.bim.helper import draw_attributes
-from blenderbim.bim.module.material.data import MaterialsData
+from blenderbim.bim.module.material.data import MaterialsData, ObjectMaterialData
 
 
 class BIM_PT_materials(Panel):
@@ -119,6 +119,9 @@ class BIM_PT_object_material(Panel):
         return True
 
     def draw(self, context):
+        if not ObjectMaterialData.is_loaded:
+            ObjectMaterialData.load()
+
         self.file = IfcStore.get_file()
         self.oprops = context.active_object.BIMObjectProperties
         self.props = context.active_object.BIMObjectMaterialProperties
@@ -130,7 +133,7 @@ class BIM_PT_object_material(Panel):
             ProfileData.load(self.file)
         self.product_data = Data.products[self.oprops.ifc_definition_id]
 
-        if not Data.materials:
+        if not ObjectMaterialData.data["materials"]:
             row = self.layout.row(align=True)
             row.label(text="No Materials Available")
             row.operator("bim.add_material", icon="ADD", text="").obj = ""