Interoperability and the Internet

Citation

Finch, E. (1998), "Interoperability and the Internet", Facilities, Vol. 16 No. 3/4. https://doi.org/10.1108/f.1998.06916cag.001

Interoperability and the Internet

Interoperability and the Internet

The Internet is noteworthy for the speed with which it is able to accelerate the evolution of whole industries. It is not just about electronic commerce or global publicity. More importantly, it provides a catalyst for changing the way we do things. This potential is no more apparent than in the AEC (Architecture, Engineering and Construction) industries in which facilities management is so enmeshed. To illustrate this point, this Internet editorial looks at a specific area known as interoperability. This rather unwieldy term which might fail to catch the imagination of the technophobe, is fairly simple in concept.

Interoperability is concerned with the ability of organizations to use a common building model, which is accessible, open and highly extensible. This will allow the professional facilities manager to use any software products and end up with the same building model. But what is a common building model and how does this relate to the Internet?

Common building model

The last 15 years has produced a clear progression of software technologies used by facilities managers and the AEC industries in general moving from:

(1) drawing with lines;

(2) creating elements based on lines such as circles;

(3) grouping elements into templates;

(4) connecting text attributes to templates; and

(5) connecting templates to relational databases to retrieve needed non-graphic information.

Stage 5 is the prevailing stage of development with FM software. Using this approach, the graphic representation (CADD) is separate and independent from the data-storage (the database) and the system's behaviours (e.g. thermal models). This inevitably gives rise to problems of data integrity involving numerous files in a relational model. While such systems are ideal for many industries such as the financial sector that make use of tabular information, the area of building behaviour and interaction is influenced by many physical laws.

A building model can closely mimic the way a building works in the real world. This is achieved by the use of Object Oriented Data Methods (OODM). This technology represents a dramatic shift in the way we represent information. In two-dimensional drawing, real world representations are achieved by the use of layers. Each layer corresponds to a different discipline (e.g. space planner, structural engineer, architect). Using this approach, an air conditioning outlet present on a mechanical and electrical layer would be different in representation to the same item on the space planners layer, with differing sets of attributes and graphics. As a result, human error and conflict between designers invariably occurs. Using a common building model, the air conditioning outlet is represented only once as a discrete object. The model provides a single mechanism for storing the plan, elevation and three-dimensional model. Since it is described as a common building model, not only does it carry an array of attributes (e.g. mechanical properties, fire resistance, cost, dimensions, etc.), those attributes are standardized: for example, the attributes of a desking system in an electronic catalogue provided by Steelcase or Herman Miller are consistent.

The Internet

The Internet is enabling the rapid development of a common building model for use in the AEC industries. The Industry Alliance of Interoperability I nc. (IAI) is a non-profit making entity, with founding companies including: Honeywell, Primavera, AT&T, Carrier, and Autodesk, was set up to produce a new technology that supports interoperability and maintains the common building model. The Internet is being used to bring together diverse players in the building cycle such as software engineers, construction managers, architects and research institutions from around the world. The final outcome from their work will be the Industry Foundation Classes (IFC). As an open standard, anyone in the industry is encouraged to develop and contribute to its development. Various chapters of the IAI are looking at IFCs for particular areas of the AEC industry, corresponding to particular stages in the building model's life. In the UK, for example, there is a working group looking specifically at work orders and maintenance management.

Figure 1 World Wide Web homepage of AI International

Figure 2 World Wide Web homepage of IAI UK

The Internet is also fundamental to the implementation as well as the design of the common building model. Prototypes can be disseminated and implemented by online retrieval. Electronic product catalogues can be assimilated into Internet-enabled CAD browsers instantaneously, allowing the CAD user to use the latest product information.

Implications of using a common building model

The key advantages of using an interoperable system for facilities managers are:

(1) Visualization: The ability to move away from the drawing/layer-based mentality. In object models, different drawings to not need to be used to view building elements at different scales ­ one object model is sufficient to produce a fully scalable model capable of full three-dimensional visualization. For the facilities manager, this provides a valuable tool for communicating ideas to non-FM professionals who can readily relate to three-dimensional models.

(2) Storage and referencing: The need to store multiple separate representations on different layers in a system is overcome. The common building model would perform its drawing or calculation functions according to the particular building professional interacting with the system.

(3) Spatially aware: Since all information about an object is stored with an object, including its relationships with neighbouring objects, a building model can be used to deal with co-ordination issues and clash detection.

(4) Intelligent: Codes and rules can be integrated within the model (e.g. American Disabilities Act) and used in an interactive fashion. Also positional rules, as in the location of related items such as a door and a light switch, can be maintained. When a door is moved along a wall, the swing of the door and the location of the light switch can move in relation to one another.

(5) Interactive: Vendors will increasingly be able to supply an interactive portion of the design and construction system. This will enable the client and the facilities manager to investigate the building's behaviour and assess alternativedesigns.

(6) Design Intent: Project data which is passed on from one phase to another often excludes calculations, space programs and decision documentation. The lack of this information leads to a loss of intent and frequently leads to misinterpretation and inappropriate changes by all groups working concurrently on a design.

(7) Facilities management is moving from national to international responsibilities as international companies recognize the value of global FM planning. By using an interoperable common building model to co-ordinate and communicate, there are likely to be opportunities for undertaking design work in other parts of the world around the clock, and to reuse previous designs.

The future of IAI

The Internet is likely to be the main vehicle for introducing interoperable systems in facilities management. Suppliers will be providing electronic object models of their products which can be instantaneously assimilated and tested using Internet-enabled building models. This will inevitably require major cultural changes in the industry, including a move away from two-dimensional design, and a more sophisticated approach to information sharing.

To receive more information about the International Association of Interoperability, write to the Executive Director, Industry Alliance for Interoperability, Suite 106, Box 263, 4200 Wisconsin Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20016, USA; or e-mail iaiexec@interoperability.com.

For the Facilities Management group contact: Mike Goodman, IAI Facilities Management Division, Head of Facilities Management, Lloyds TSB Group, PO Box 112, Canons House, Canons Way, Bristol BS99 7LB, UK. Fax: +44 (0)117 943 4372.

Internet addresses

IAI International: www.interoperability.com/chapdir.htm

IAI UK: http://www.bre.co.uk/iai

Further information on the Facilities Management [FM-1] document ­ Engineering Maintenance, Draft 3, dated 16th September 1997, is available as a Word (DOC) file at the password-protected IAI International FTP site (ftp://iai.lbl.gov). The filename is r3_fm1.doc, size 970 KB.

Edward Finch