Engaging Building Automation Data Visualisation Using Building Information Modelling and Progressive Web Application

Abstract

The integration of the building information modelling (BIM) and assets database has enabled a potential pathway for building stakeholders to add value to the building lifecycle management (BLM) processes. However, the obtaining, storing, processing, and distributing of data have not been ratified in a detailed and semantic manner in any official guideline. This paper suggests a framework for the efficient development of an interoperable visualisation of a building “digital twin” through an intuitive interface, to contribute to the idea above. The framework was applied in two case studies as examples, where rich visualisations of two buildings in the Kanta-Häme region of Finland were constructed using their architectural models and building indoor climate metrics. By constructing an engaging interface, relevant metrics and constant feedback from buildings’ occupants are gathered, meaningful data is selected, processed, and displayed to improve the facility management (FM) process. The yielded result is a progressive web application (PWA), where valuable sets of building performance data are visualised and a promptly communicable channel between owners/occupants and building system is delivered. Further development of this application in practice and research work is also proposed to harness the data-driven monitoring and automation in buildings to the greatest extent.

Keywords

• progressive web application
• building information modelling
• building lifecycle management
• interoperability
• digital twin