a Department of Trade and Industry, Partners in Innovation (PII) Project
The largest gap in the chain of building information occurs between the design/construction of a building and handover to those who will be responsible for operation and maintenance.
The Ifc-mBomb project will show how the information chasm can be bridged.
Launched in September 2002, the project has brought together representatives of the construction and IT industries in a programme to develop an information process framework (the 'scenario'), test cases and complex software interfaces.
The Ifc-mBomb project comes to an end in summer 2004, with an open demonstration of the principles of improved
handover. There will be a final published report and conference presentations.
Duration: 21 months
Start: September 2002, Finish: June 2004
The efficient operation and facilities management of a building relies on accurate, high-quality information about the building itself.
In practice, this transition is often stuttering and disjointed. Instead of a seamless re-use of the data, there is a manual re-inputting. There may be gaps in the information supplied. The weakest information interfaces involve building services and facilities management. All in all, there is scope for error and omission - leading to problems in the operation and maintenance of the building later in its life cycle.
It was against this background that the Ifc-mBomb project - IFC Model Based Operation and Maintenance of Buildings - was conceived. The project aims at devising a method that will allow a seamless flow of information to pass from design and construction to operation and maintenance - and then decommissioning and demolition if need be.
Such a system will have to be underpinned by sophisticated, robust technology. Complex designs, created through different software packages, will have to be stored in an object database. The technology behind the database is based on the Industry Foundation Classes, the IFC project model and property sets - information-rich standards that allow a wealth of data on a building to be assembled, exchanged, stored, re-used and updated during the life of a building.
When a building project is handed over to the client, a seamless flow of information, stored fully and accurately in a data warehouse, will contribute to the efficient management of the building (complete information flow shown under Scenario)
Because of the complexity of a large building, the project team chose to concentrate on specified aspects, notably HVAC (heating, ventilating and air-conditioning) services. With their maze of concealed ducts and pipes, this is an area where problems are often hard to solve during maintenance. The Ifc-mBomb project has used real-world construction projects for its development work.
The project has brought together players from different parts of the construction, facilities management and IT industries. It is led by the international housing and development company Taylor Woodrow. The partners are drawn from software companies specialising in architectural and engineering design, together with IAI UK, the standards-setting body.
After passing four milestones, with presentations and published research at each, the project will complete during 2004 with a public event. With its 'first things first' approach, the project will demonstrate that the information chasm between design/construction and operation/maintenance can be bridged. Proof of concept will be given in an open demonstration. Then, at the end of the project, it will be over to commercial software companies to develop and market software based on the concept.
The use of a shared building model throughout the full AEC process leads to higher quality and lower costs for all the participants.
The project is sponsored by DTI under its Partners in Innovation (PII) programme, with major contributions in kind from industry.
For more information contact the Taylor Woodrow project management team: David Leonard or Jeff Stephens