Real-Time Information Management for Engaging Users in Building Operation

The massive deployment of intelligent solutions for monitoring buildings is changing the way buildings are not only designed and constructed, but also experienced and operated. Indeed, buildings are nowadays “enriched” with great amounts of data collected through several devices during building operational stages, not only for monitoring buildings’ use and performance, but also for tracking users’ behaviors. However, limited advantages are generally derived by those data as several barriers still exist for making data available and valuable in real-time to users. The paper mainly addresses barriers due to issues on information awareness, information structure, information redundancy and interoperability, information transmission and information fruition. The paper deals with those issues by presenting strategies based on the integration of Building Information Modeling (BIM)-based processes and Internet of Things (IoT)-related paradigms, outlining how innovative processes and technological advances can be leveraged to improve building information management. Strategies are provided for an information-driven asset management, relying on a user-centric approach, for engaging end-users in building operation while addressing behavioral changes, considering the relevant influence of user behaviors on building conditions. Those strategies are based on a dynamic use of data for defining digitally-supported practices and digitally-enabled workflows. On one hand, digitally-supported practices are proposed as procedures for keeping users engaged in building operation, relying on a bottom-up approach, and for promoting behavioral changes. On the other hand, digitally-enabled workflows are developed for exchanging and updating information, connecting different data sources, relying on the use of both open and proprietary solutions. By investigating how the integration and sharing of information supported by collaborative environments and recent information technologies enhance the management of the built asset, the paper presents a framework for delivering buildings as service providers, relying on real-time data for tracking user behaviors and designing user interactions with buildings. Moreover, the paper describes methods and tools related to BIM practices and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) solutions for an information-driven asset management, namely digitally-supported practices and digitally-enabled workflows. Presented practices and workflows take into consideration the influence of users in building operation, defining strategies for engaging different actors in building operations and informing them about the behaviors of both buildings and users. The paper outlines ho to provide end-users with valuable and available information about the way buildings function, increasing their awareness and addressing behavioral changes, by establishing a connection between as-designed virtual models and as-delivered physical assets.