Summary
The design and construction of ‘green buildings’ have emerged as a preferred solution for reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. However, not all buildings perform as they are designed. Post Occupancy Evaluations (POE) can assess how buildings function and establish a better understanding of their sustainable performance. Traditional methods of conducting POE are proven to be inconsistent. This research aims to conceptualize the next generation of POE that can leverage the latest technologies such as Building Information Modeling (BIM), Internet of Things (IoT), Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and Digital Twins (DT). First, the gaps in the existing POE are determined by conducting a thorough literature review. Second, BIM – IoT – GIS integrated digital twins are considered to address the gaps. Third, a conceptual framework is created to demonstrate the procedure of DT-based POE. Moreover, a case study has been conducted to validate the effectiveness of the Proof of Concept. Fourth, a DT-based POE methodology is recommended for the upcoming UVic engineering expansion project.
Problem
This research addressed the gaps in data collection, analysis & visualization for Post Occupancy Evaluations by introducing the use of digital twins by integrating BIM & GIS data with IoT sensors.
Inconsistency of POE Methods, Inconsistency in evaluation equipment, data collection challenges post covid, Data management & visualization challenges and lack of technology integration.
Solution
The solution aims to use the latest technologies to address the challenges in the Post Occupancy Evaluations. First, we proposed to use IoT sensors’ data instead of the traditional POE equipment. Moreover, integration of BIM-GIS is proposed to create a base of the Digital Twins.
BIM provides geometric and parametric information, GIS provides the built-environment data and IoT sensors track the changes in the Built Environment. These integrated digital twins have tremendous potential to conduct multivariable analysis and gather insights that were not possible with traditional methods.
