An approach for standardization of semantic models for building renovation processes

The design and maintenance of buildings and infrastructures relies on digital tools such as Computer-Aided Design (CAD), Building Information Modelling (BIM) methods, Geographic Information System (GIS) datasets and other kinds of digital representation of knowledge. The innovations in digital technologies in Architecture, Engineering, Construction and Operations (AECO) sector are not just related to the enhancement of consolidated processes, but they open new collaboration methods and integration with other Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) such as Internet of Things (IoT), additive manufacturing, automation, augmented reality and artificial intelligence. As domain-specific software solutions are expanding their features over different sources and datasets, the need for integration and standardization of information storage and exchange arises. Semantic Web technologies are one of the emerging solutions for solving such issues, as they offer the possibility to combine data from diverse data models and multiple domains using the web. Among the ontologies developed in the last decade for the construction sector, one specific reference should be made on the ifcOWL, an IFC-based ontology representing the most used data schema industry. Nonetheless, from the standardization point of view, so far ontologies have not been considered among the standard methods for information exchange in the AEC, unlike in other sectors (e.g. ISO 15926 was firstly developed for the integration of life cycle data for process plants of oil and gas facilities). This paper aims at showing a standardization and harmonization perspective for ontologies in the AECO industry, starting from the results achieved in the BIM4EEB project.