diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 133bef32..4de250e5 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 * Added `Element.compute_elementgeometry()`.
 * Added `Element.compute_modelgeometry()` to replace `Element.compute_geometry()`.
 * Added `Element.compute_modeltransformation()` to replace `Element.compute_worldtransformation()`.
+* Added `Element.is_dirty`. 
 
 ### Changed
 
diff --git a/src/compas_model/elements/element.py b/src/compas_model/elements/element.py
index 7012d2f7..4d2ce37d 100644
--- a/src/compas_model/elements/element.py
+++ b/src/compas_model/elements/element.py
@@ -93,6 +93,8 @@ class Element(Data):
         Scaling factor to inflate the AABB with.
     inflate_obb : float
         Scaling factor to inflate the OBB with.
+    is_dirty : bool
+        Flag to indicate that the element needs to be updated.
 
     """
 
@@ -141,6 +143,8 @@ def __init__(
         self.inflate_aabb = 0.0
         self.inflate_obb = 0.0
 
+        self._is_dirty = True
+
     # this is not entirely correct
     def __repr__(self) -> str:
         return f"Element(frame={self.frame!r}, name={self.name})"
@@ -178,6 +182,19 @@ def parent(self) -> "ElementNode":
     def features(self) -> list[Feature]:
         return self._features
 
+    @property
+    def is_dirty(self):
+        return self._is_dirty
+
+    @is_dirty.setter
+    def is_dirty(self, value):
+        self._is_dirty = value
+
+        if value:
+            elements = list(self.model.elements())
+            for neighbor in self.model.graph.neighbors_out(self.graphnode):
+                elements[neighbor].is_dirty = value
+
     # ==========================================================================
     # Computed attributes
     # ==========================================================================
@@ -291,6 +308,7 @@ def compute_modelgeometry(self) -> Union[Brep, Mesh]:
         :class:`compas.datastructures.Mesh` | :class:`compas.geometry.Brep`
 
         """
+        self.is_dirty = False
         raise NotImplementedError
 
     def compute_aabb(self) -> Box: