diff --git a/src/examples/arbitrary_open_profile_def.cpp b/src/examples/arbitrary_open_profile_def.cpp
index d0d11087fd..de040cf827 100644
--- a/src/examples/arbitrary_open_profile_def.cpp
+++ b/src/examples/arbitrary_open_profile_def.cpp
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@
 #include <fstream>
 
 #include "../ifcparse/schemas/Ifc2x3.h"
-#include "../ifcparse/IfcUtil.h"
 #include "../ifcparse/hierarchy_helper.h"
 
 typedef std::string S;
diff --git a/src/examples/triangulated_faceset.cpp b/src/examples/triangulated_faceset.cpp
index 547fdb028e..55d243b208 100644
--- a/src/examples/triangulated_faceset.cpp
+++ b/src/examples/triangulated_faceset.cpp
@@ -23,15 +23,15 @@
  *                                                                              *
  ********************************************************************************/
 
-#include "../ifcparse/Ifc4.h"
-#include "../ifcparse/IfcUtil.h"
+#include "../ifcparse/schemas/Ifc4.h"
 #include "../ifcparse/hierarchy_helper.h"
 
 #include "suzanne_geometry.h"
 
+#include <fstream>
+
 typedef std::string S;
 typedef ifcopenshell::global_id guid;
-boost::none_t const null = (static_cast<boost::none_t>(0));
 
 template <typename T>
 std::vector< std::vector<T> > create_vector_from_array(const T* arr, unsigned size) {
@@ -50,36 +50,31 @@ std::vector< std::vector<T> > create_vector_from_array(const T* arr, unsigned si
 }
 
 int main(int argc, char** argv) {
-	hierarchy_helper file;
+    hierarchy_helper<Ifc4> file;
 
-	IfcSchema::IfcBuildingElementProxy* product = new IfcSchema::IfcBuildingElementProxy(
-		guid(), 0, S("Blender's Suzanne"), null, null, 0, 0, null, null);
+	Ifc4::IfcBuildingElementProxy product = file.create<Ifc4::IfcBuildingElementProxy>().initialize(
+        guid(), std::nullopt, S("Blender's Suzanne"), std::nullopt, std::nullopt, std::nullopt, std::nullopt, std::nullopt, std::nullopt);
 	file.addBuildingProduct(product);
-	product->setOwnerHistory(file.getSingle<IfcSchema::IfcOwnerHistory>());
+	product.setOwnerHistory(file.getSingle<Ifc4::IfcOwnerHistory>());
 
-	product->setObjectPlacement(file.addLocalPlacement());
-
-	IfcSchema::IfcRepresentation::list::ptr reps (new IfcSchema::IfcRepresentation::list);
-	IfcSchema::IfcRepresentationItem::list::ptr items (new IfcSchema::IfcRepresentationItem::list);
+	product.setObjectPlacement(file.addLocalPlacement());
 
 	std::vector< std::vector< double > > vertices_vector = create_vector_from_array(vertices, sizeof(vertices) / sizeof(vertices[0]));
 	std::vector< std::vector< int > > indices_vector = create_vector_from_array(indices, sizeof(indices) / sizeof(indices[0]));
 
-	IfcSchema::IfcCartesianPointList3D* coordinates = new IfcSchema::IfcCartesianPointList3D(vertices_vector);	
-	IfcSchema::IfcTriangulatedFaceSet* faceset = new IfcSchema::IfcTriangulatedFaceSet(coordinates, null, null, indices_vector, null);
+	Ifc4::IfcCartesianPointList3D coordinates = file.create<Ifc4::IfcCartesianPointList3D>().initialize(vertices_vector);	
+	Ifc4::IfcTriangulatedFaceSet faceset = file.create<Ifc4::IfcTriangulatedFaceSet>().initialize(coordinates, std::nullopt, std::nullopt, indices_vector, std::nullopt);
 		
-	items->push(faceset);
-	IfcSchema::IfcShapeRepresentation* rep = new IfcSchema::IfcShapeRepresentation(
-		file.getRepresentationContext("Model"), S("Body"), S("SurfaceModel"), items);
-	reps->push(rep);
+	Ifc4::IfcShapeRepresentation rep = file.create<Ifc4::IfcShapeRepresentation>().initialize(
+        file.getRepresentationContext("Model"), "Body", "SurfaceModel", {faceset});
 
-	IfcSchema::IfcProductDefinitionShape* shape = new IfcSchema::IfcProductDefinitionShape(0, 0, reps);
+	Ifc4::IfcProductDefinitionShape shape = file.create<Ifc4::IfcProductDefinitionShape>().initialize(std::nullopt, std::nullopt, {rep});
 	file.add_entity(shape);
 		
-	product->setRepresentation(shape);
+	product.setRepresentation(shape);
 
 	const std::string filename = "tesselated_faceset.ifc";
-	file.header().file_name().name(filename);
+	file.header().file_name().setname(filename);
 	std::ofstream f(filename.c_str());
 	f << file;
 }
diff --git a/src/ifcparse/express.h b/src/ifcparse/express.h
index a42ae158ba..e4e2dd699d 100644
--- a/src/ifcparse/express.h
+++ b/src/ifcparse/express.h
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ class IFC_PARSE_API Base {
     }
 
     Base() {};
+    Base(std::nullopt_t) noexcept : Base() {}
     Base(const std::weak_ptr<instance_data>& data) : data_(data) {}
 
     // @todo try and make this private over time too
@@ -132,8 +133,7 @@ class IFC_PARSE_API Base {
 
 class IFC_PARSE_API Entity : public Base {
   public:
-    Entity() {}
-    Entity(const std::weak_ptr<instance_data>& data) : Base(data) {}
+    using Base::Base;
 
     attribute_value get(const std::string& attribute_name) const;
 
@@ -149,7 +149,8 @@ class IFC_PARSE_API Entity : public Base {
 class IFC_PARSE_API Select : public Base {
   public:
     Select() {}
-    // Select are constructed from Base as cast functions, not from data directly
+    Select(std::nullopt_t) noexcept : Base() {}
+    Select(const std::weak_ptr<instance_data>& data) : Base(data) {}
     Select(const Base& base) : Base(base.data_weak()) {}
 
     Base concrete() const {
@@ -163,8 +164,7 @@ class IFC_PARSE_API Select : public Base {
 //       Entity and DeclaredType
 class IFC_PARSE_API DeclaredType : public Base {
   public:
-    DeclaredType() {}
-    DeclaredType(const std::weak_ptr<instance_data>& data) : Base(data) {}
+    using Base::Base;
 };
 
 } // namespace express