Towards the implementation of a BIM-based approach in BIPV sector

Nowadays, the stakeholders of the building process are expected to be involved in the Building Information Modelling (BIM) domain in order to support the digitalization of the construction industry. Considering that the building envelope is today one of the most complex parts of a sustainable building, the “BIM-ization” of its construction process could potentially foster the challenge of a more sustainable built environment. This is particularly relevant for multifunctional systems producing energy such as “solar skins”. Typically, today the building process is highly fragmented so that the information flow is not linear, many information is lost, are missing or need to be re-entered with additional rework and request for information. An integrated and collaborative digital process would reduce efforts, time, repetitive work, risk of mistakes, information losses, etc., transforming an almost “manual” and fragmented work into an interoperable workflow along the value chain. BIM creates efficiency and users will get several benefits. Digitalization of solar building envelopes, since it is a multidisciplinary field, requires dedicated specifications on information modelling/management, process workflows, interoperability aspects and BIM levels to adopt. The paper will present an insight on the adoption of a BIM-based approach to ensure the reduction of process inefficiencies and unforeseen clashes for the implementation of BIPV building skins. Along with a review of the existing framework concerning the definition of a reference process for the PV value-chain, it will focus on the discussion of BIM requirements for solar building envelope systems and in a first definition of the information categories for the main Levels of Development (LOD) of BIPV components. After presenting also a practical example of digitalization for a BIPV customized module, both in terms of geometrical and information modelling, the paper will finally provide basic inputs concerning approaches to support real workflows for higher BIM maturity levels in BIPV sector. The advantages of adopting a digital process and the interoperability levels will be also discussed, in order to provide inputs for the main stakeholders in improving the process efficiency and controlling costs.