Supporting building automation systems in BIM/IFC: reviewing the existing information gap

Abstract

PurposeDespite the continuous development of Building Information Modeling (BIM) standards, not all of its dimensions are supported to the same extent. This is the case of Building Automation Systems (BAS) in which the features that are limited mostly to physical setup of devices are supported. These are largely insufficient to support modeling automation scenarios. The purpose of this article is to clarify the gap in the state of the art and define the need for further developments.Design/methodology/approachThis article explores the existing gap in the literature and discusses the hypothesis of extending BIM to a wider support of BA concepts. Based on an assessment of scientific and technical literature, this study elicits the information requirements of BA and performs a gap analysis with current BIM standards, such as Industry Foundation Classes (IFC).FindingsOur findings lead us to conclude that there is a lack of completeness regarding features from BAS automation and management levels. Furthermore, it is shown that IFC is the most adequate data model to cover BAS without losing its purpose, but there is still a considerable work that needs to be addressed in future research.Originality/valueBIM standards such as IFC position themselves as natural candidates for modeling and exchanging information regarding BA. However, the extent to which BIM supports automation features has never been rigorously analyzed. This article explores the existing gap in the literature and discusses the hypothesis of extending BIM to a wider support of BA concepts. Based on an assessment of scientific and technical literature, this study elicits the information requirements of BA and performs a gap analysis with current BIM standards such as IFC.

A Systematic Review of Green Building Development in China: Advantages, Challenges and Future Directions

“…In the technology aspect, the inconsistency of software standards in different technologies utilized in green buildings' lifecycles is the most significant barrier [187][188][189][190]. In the process of BIM and digital twin implementation in green buildings, the IFC (Industry Foundation Class) and gbXML are adopted as the data organization formats [191][192][193]. Moreover, the IFD (International Framework for Dictionaries) is utilized to determine the designations and definitions of the various objects and components in the BIM and digital twin model [194,195].…”

IFC-Based 4D Construction Management Information Model of Prefabricated Buildings and Its Application in Graph Database

“…This is disadvantageous for the highly dynamic construction process of prefabricated buildings. In summary, the lack of information interoperation between BIM software keeps the management of prefabricated buildings inefficient and locked-in to tool vendors [25]. Unlike the methods of 4D BIM and construction management in this literature, this paper adopts the standard for sharing data in the whole process of engineering projects-IFC standards-as the basis for modeling the 4D management information model of prefabricated building.…”

Exchange requirements to support demand side management using BIM and Building Automation System domains

“…The proposed ERs to enable DSM using BAS and BIM are derived from the fundamental BAS concepts of the ISO 16484-3:2005 (International Organisation for Standardisation 2005) as assessed by Vieira et al (2020), and the required data to assist the deployment of the DSM programmes as defined in the use case definition section. To foster interoperability between heterogeneous data environments and communication protocols, the ERs are defined abstractly and holistically within three main BAS levels: field, control and management.…”