Miscellaneous updates

In this post, I will briefly report on some recent events of different scales in a reverse chronological order:

1.

Magnus Svantegård clarifies how data queries on properties
is facilitated by an integrated web interface

Last Wednesday, Väino, Hannes, and me had a visit to Datscha company who procure information and analytic tools on commercial properties mainly in Sweden.

Magnus Svantegård explained their business plan for gathering, developing, packaging, and fitting data into user-friendly and customer-specific interfaces. Their business is mainly grounded on the demand of the actors in the Swedish real estate market for certified, customized, and easy-to-retrieve data on properties. It was then discussed how knowledge management systems implemented at urban and regional scales could be integrated with their counterparts at building level so as to maintain a holistic approach towards knowledge management of the built environment.

2.

Prof. Väino Tarandi intoduces an effort for extending use of IFC to
urban and regional scale

Last week, one more step was taken towards establishment of BIM Alliance Sweden. OpenBIM's meeting that was held at KTH main campus also included a visit to XPRESS lab and a presentation by us from the BIM Collaboration Lab about our latest research activities and interests. Väino, Örjan, and me briefly showcased two proposed solutions for life-cycle-support, and integrated knowledge management of the built environment:

The first example demonstrated a basic renovation project where the original model of the building was retrieved from an open format BIM repository (Share-A-space) possessing versioning functionality at building elements' level. Planned changes were made to the retrieved model in open standard (IFC) using a proprietary modelling software (ArchiCAD) and the output was sent back to the BIM repository again in IFC format. The information system proved to be capable of recognizing modified elements (here four walls) as newer versions of the elements already existing in the database. This approach will facilitate further use of previously-created building models in future projects inasmuch as it obviates the need for iterative transfer of sizable building models for the purpose of minor renovation and alteration projects.

The second example showcased a methodology for also capturing urban and regional features such as properties, infrastructure, and roads in the same data format as that of the buildings (here IFC). Such an approach can facilitate executing all-inclsive data queries at large spatial scales while having access to detailed elements that eventually constitute the building environment far beyond building blocks and residential units.

3.

Design team of White Architects explain their plan for
"moving" the city center of Kiruna

Finally, I would like to provide a summary of a one of the sessions at the Business Arena held at Stockholm Waterfront Congress on 17th and 18th September. The topic for this session was Collaboration among the municipality, construction firms, companies, and energy experts.

Representatives from Vattenfall, Sweco, Fortum, Siemens, and The City of Stockholm discussed how environmental concerns should be dealt with in a close collaboration among public and private actors at different levels. Collaboration among politicians, construction firms, consulting companies, and people, the importance of visualization of energy consumption for customers, and the significance of the soft aspects of the problem were among the topics that were raised. What makes the soft (behavioral) aspects of energy consumption optimization even more important is the fact that despite availability of the required technology for minimizing energy consumption, no major change is realized yet. Devising great visions that do not clearly specify how to achieve their articulated objectives was one of inefficient environmental policies that was criticized by the speakers.