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A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Energy Science and Technology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2021) | Viewed by 77813

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Lavinia Chiara Tagliabue

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Guest Editor

Computer Science Department, University of Turin, Corso Svizzera 185, 10149 Torino, Italy
Interests: sustainability and sustainable buildings; environmental and energy protocols; energy saving; renewable energies; energy retrofit and NZEB; BIM to BEM (building information modelling to building energy modelling) interoperability; cognitive buildings; behavioural design; probabilistic models; building management systems (BMS)
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Ibrahim Yitmen

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Department of Construction Engineering and Lighting Science, Jönköping University, 551 11 Jönköping, Sweden
Interests: cognitive digital twins; smart built environment; integration of digital twins and deep learning for smart planning and construction; blockchain technology in construction supply chains; cyber–physical systems for Construction 4.0
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Cognitive building is a pioneering topic to envision the future of our built environment. The concept of "cognitive" steps towards a paradigm shift from the static concept of the building as a container of human activities is nearer to the modernist vision of "machine à habiter" of Le Corbusier, where the technological content adds the capability of learning from users' behavior and environmental variables to adapt itself to achieve main goals such as users comfort, energy-saving, flexible functionality, high durability, and good maintainability. The concept is based on digital frameworks and IoT networks towards the smart city concept.

Assoc. Prof. Lavinia Chiara Tagliabue
Assoc. Prof. Ibrahim Yitmen
Guest Editors

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Keywords

Cognitive building
BMS (building management system)
BIM-Based technologies
IoT network
Uses behavior.

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Published Papers (12 papers)

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Editorial

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5 pages, 188 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Special Issue Cognitive Buildings

by Lavinia Chiara Tagliabue and Ibrahim Yitmen

Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(5), 2460; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12052460 - 26 Feb 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1337

Abstract

Cognitive building is a pioneering topic to envision the future of our built environment [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cognitive Buildings)

Research

Jump to: Editorial, Review

21 pages, 6430 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Heuristic and Numerical Geometrical Methods for Estimating the Elevation and Slope at Points Using Level Curves. Application for Embankments

by Adrian Marius Deaconu and Ovidiu Deaconu

Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(13), 6176; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11136176 - 2 Jul 2021

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1817

Abstract

Both the calculation of ground slopes at points on the map and the elevation estimation for these points bear significant importance and also have applications in various domains, such as civil engineering, road and railway design. The paper presents two methods that use level curves: one that is fast and approximate and another which is slower, but more precise. The running speed of the two proposed methods and their results are compared by performing 100 million experiments. The paper also presents how these methods can be applied to optimize embankments. An accurate method to calculate the horizontal plane of the excavation/filling when building a new house is also presented. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cognitive Buildings)

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15 pages, 1084 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Transforming Building Criteria to Evidence Index

by Géza Fischl and Peter Johansson

Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(13), 5894; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11135894 - 24 Jun 2021

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1830

Abstract

There is increasing pressure from developers toward architects and engineers to deliver scientifically sound proposals for often complex and cost-intensive construction products. An increase in digitalization within the construction industry and the availability of intelligently built assets and overall sustainability make it possible to customize a construction product. This servitization of construction products is assumed to perform much preferably in satisfying stakeholders’ physical, psychological, and social needs. The degree to which these products are performing can be evaluated through an evidence index. This article aims to introduce a conceptual model of an evidence index and test it in the programming stage of a case study. The investigation follows the evidence-based design approach and renders evidence through key performance indicators in the programming stage of the building process. For testing the concept, a case study investigation was performed by simulating a novice research assistant, and the amount of evidence was collected and appraised for evidence index. The case study showed that key performance indicators of a servitized project could be evaluated on a four-point scale. The quality of the evidence index generation depended on the level of expertise the evaluator has in research and the skilful use of scientific databases. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cognitive Buildings)

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18 pages, 1533 KiB

Open AccessArticle

BIM-Based Research Framework for Sustainable Building Projects: A Strategy for Mitigating BIM Implementation Barriers

by Bilal Manzoor, Idris Othman, Syed Shujaa Safdar Gardezi, Haşim Altan and Salem Buhashima Abdalla

Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(12), 5397; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11125397 - 10 Jun 2021

Cited by 42 | Viewed by 13519

Abstract

Although Building Information Modeling (BIM) can enhance efficiency of sustainable building projects, its adoption is still plagued with barriers. In order to incorporate BIM more efficiently, it is important to consider and mitigate these barriers. The aim of this study is to explore and develop strategies to alleviate barriers in developing countries, such as Malaysia, to broaden implementation of BIM with the aid of quantitative and qualitative approaches. To achieve this aim, a comprehensive literature review was carried out to identify the barriers, and a questionnaire survey was conducted with construction projects’ stakeholders. The ranking analysis results revealed the top five critical barriers to be “unavailability of standards and guidelines”, “lack of BIM training”, “lack of expertise”, “high cost”, and “lack of research and BIM implementation”. Comparative study findings showed that “lack of research and BIM implementation” is the least important barrier in other countries like China, United Kingdom, Nigeria, and Pakistan. Furthermore, qualitative analysis revealed the strategies to mitigate the BIM implementation barriers to enhance sustainable goals. The final outcome of this study is the establishment of a framework incorporated with BIM implementation barriers and strategies namely, the “BIM-based research framework”, which can assist project managers and policymakers towards effective sustainable construction. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cognitive Buildings)

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23 pages, 7190 KiB

Open AccessArticle

IoT Open-Source Architecture for the Maintenance of Building Facilities

by Valentina Villa, Berardo Naticchia, Giulia Bruno, Khurshid Aliev, Paolo Piantanida and Dario Antonelli

Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(12), 5374; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11125374 - 9 Jun 2021

Cited by 68 | Viewed by 10412

Abstract

The introduction of the Internet of Things (IoT) in the construction industry is evolving facility maintenance (FM) towards predictive maintenance development. Predictive maintenance of building facilities requires continuously updated data on construction components to be acquired through integrated sensors. The main challenges in developing predictive maintenance tools for building facilities is IoT integration, IoT data visualization on the building 3D model and implementation of maintenance management system on the IoT and building information modeling (BIM). The current 3D building models do not fully interact with IoT building facilities data. Data integration in BIM is challenging. The research aims to integrate IoT alert systems with BIM models to monitor building facilities during the operational phase and to visualize building facilities’ conditions virtually. To provide efficient maintenance services for building facilities this research proposes an integration of a digital framework based on IoT and BIM platforms. Sensors applied in the building systems and IoT technology on a cloud platform with opensource tools and standards enable monitoring of real-time operation and detecting of different kinds of faults in case of malfunction or failure, therefore sending alerts to facility managers and operators. Proposed preventive maintenance methodology applied on a proof-of-concept heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) plant adopts open source IoT sensor networks. The results show that the integrated IoT and BIM dashboard framework and implemented building structures preventive maintenance methodology are applicable and promising. The automated system architecture of building facilities is intended to provide a reliable and practical tool for real-time data acquisition. Analysis and 3D visualization to support intelligent monitoring of the indoor condition in buildings will enable the facility managers to make faster and better decisions and to improve building facilities’ real time monitoring with fallouts on the maintenance timeliness. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cognitive Buildings)

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18 pages, 2851 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Implementation of Visual Comfort Evaluation in the Evidence-Based Design Process Using Lighting Simulation

by Anahita Davoodi, Peter Johansson and Myriam Aries

Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(11), 4982; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11114982 - 28 May 2021

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2986

Abstract

Validation of the EBD-SIM (evidence-based design-simulation) framework, a conceptual framework developed to integrate the use of lighting simulation in the EBD process, suggested that EBD’s post-occupancy evaluation (POE) should be conducted more frequently. A follow-up field study was designed for subjective–objective results implementation in the EBD process using lighting simulation tools. In this real-time case study, the visual comfort of the occupants was evaluated. The visual comfort analysis data were collected via simulations and questionnaires for subjective visual comfort perceptions. The follow-up study, conducted in June, confirmed the results of the original study, conducted in October, but additionally found correlations with annual performance metrics. This study shows that, at least for the variables related to daylight, a POE needs to be conducted at different times of the year to obtain a more comprehensive insight into the users’ perception of the lit environment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cognitive Buildings)

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22 pages, 1770 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An Adapted Model of Cognitive Digital Twins for Building Lifecycle Management

by Ibrahim Yitmen, Sepehr Alizadehsalehi, İlknur Akıner and Muhammed Ernur Akıner

Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(9), 4276; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11094276 - 9 May 2021

Cited by 100 | Viewed by 9752

Abstract

In the digital transformation era in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry, Cognitive Digital Twins (CDT) are introduced as part of the next level of process automation and control towards Construction 4.0. CDT incorporates cognitive abilities to detect complex and unpredictable actions and reason about dynamic process optimization strategies to support decision-making in building lifecycle management (BLM). Nevertheless, there is a lack of understanding of the real impact of CDT integration, Machine Learning (ML), Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS), Big Data, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Internet of Things (IoT), all connected to self-learning hybrid models with proactive cognitive capabilities for different phases of the building asset lifecycle. This study investigates the applicability, interoperability, and integrability of an adapted model of CDT for BLM to identify and close this gap. Surveys of industry experts were performed focusing on life cycle-centric applicability, interoperability, and the CDT model’s integration in practice besides decision support capabilities and AEC industry insights. The evaluation of the adapted model of CDT model support approaching the development of CDT for process optimization and decision-making purposes, as well as integrability enablers confirms progression towards Construction 4.0. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cognitive Buildings)

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27 pages, 28162 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Towards an Occupancy-Oriented Digital Twin for Facility Management: Test Campaign and Sensors Assessment

by Elena Seghezzi, Mirko Locatelli, Laura Pellegrini, Giulia Pattini, Giuseppe Martino Di Giuda, Lavinia Chiara Tagliabue and Guido Boella

Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(7), 3108; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11073108 - 31 Mar 2021

Cited by 46 | Viewed by 5715

Abstract

This study focuses on calibration and test campaigns of an IoT camera-based sensor system to monitor occupancy, as part of an ongoing research project aiming at defining a Building Management System (BMS) for facility management based on an occupancy-oriented Digital Twin (DT). The research project aims to facilitate the optimization of building operational stage through advanced monitoring techniques and data analytics. The quality of collected data, which are the input for analyses and simulations on the DT virtual entity, is critical to ensure the quality of the results. Therefore, calibration and test campaigns are essential to ensure data quality and efficiency of the IoT sensor system. The paper describes the general methodology for the BMS definition, and method and results of first stages of the research. The preliminary analyses included Indicative Post-Occupancy Evaluations (POEs) supported by Building Information Modelling (BIM) to optimize sensor system planning. Test campaign are then performed to evaluate collected data quality and system efficiency. The method was applied on a Department of Politecnico di Milano. The period of the year in which tests are performed was critical for lighting conditions. In addition, spaces’ geometric features and user behavior caused major issues and faults in the system.Incorrect boundary definition: areas that are not covered by boundaries; thus, they are not monitored Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cognitive Buildings)

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31 pages, 8204 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Building Information Modelling and Energy Simulation for Architecture Design

by Marina Bonomolo, Simone Di Lisi and Giuliana Leone

Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(5), 2252; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11052252 - 4 Mar 2021

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 5959

Abstract

Over the years, building information modelling (BIM) has undergone a significant increase, both in terms of functions and use. This tool can almost completely manage the entire process of design, construction, and management of a building internally. However, it is not able to fully integrate the functions and especially the information needed to conduct a complex energy analysis. Indeed, even if the energy analysis has been integrated into the BIM environment, it still fails to make the most of all the potential offered by building information modelling. The main goals of this study are the analysis of the interaction between BIM and energy simulation, through a review of the main existing commercial tools (available and user-friendly), and the identification and the application of a methodology in a BIM environment by using Graphisoft’s BIM software Archicad and the plug-in for dynamic energy simulation EcoDesigner STAR. The application on a case study gave the possibility to explore the advantages and the limits of these commercial tools and, consequently, to provide some possible improvements. The results of the analysis, satisfactory from a quantitative and qualitative point of view, validated the methodology proposed in this study and highlighted some limitations of the tools used, in particular for the aspects concerning the personalization of heating systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cognitive Buildings)

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17 pages, 1685 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An openBIM Approach to IoT Integration with Incomplete As-Built Data

by Nicola Moretti, Xiang Xie, Jorge Merino, Justas Brazauskas and Ajith Kumar Parlikad

Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(22), 8287; https://doi.org/10.3390/app10228287 - 23 Nov 2020

Cited by 63 | Viewed by 6776

Abstract

Digital Twins (DT) are powerful tools to support asset managers in the operation and maintenance of cognitive buildings. Building Information Models (BIM) are critical for Asset Management (AM), especially when used in conjunction with Internet of Things (IoT) and other asset data collected throughout a building’s lifecycle. However, information contained within BIM models is usually outdated, inaccurate, and incomplete as a result of unclear geometric and semantic data modelling procedures during the building life cycle. The aim of this paper is to develop an openBIM methodology to support dynamic AM applications with limited as-built information availability. The workflow is based on the use of the IfcSharedFacilitiesElements schema for processing the geometric and semantic information of both existing and newly created Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) objects, supporting real-time data integration. The methodology is validated using the West Cambridge DT Research Facility data, demonstrating good potential in supporting an asset anomaly detection application. The proposed workflow increases the automation of the digital AM processes, thanks to the adoption of BIM-IoT integration tools and methods within the context of the development of a building DT. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cognitive Buildings)

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23 pages, 7789 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Explainable Post-Occupancy Evaluation Using a Humanoid Robot

by Marina Bonomolo, Patrizia Ribino and Gianpaolo Vitale

Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(21), 7906; https://doi.org/10.3390/app10217906 - 7 Nov 2020

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2424

Abstract

The paper proposes a new methodological approach for evaluating the comfort condition using the concept of explainable post occupancy to make the user aware of the environmental state in which (s)he works. Such an approach was implemented on a humanoid robot with social capabilities that aims to enforce human engagement to follow recommendations. The humanoid robot helps the user to position the sensors correctly to acquire environmental measures corresponding to the temperature, humidity, noise level, and illuminance. The distribution of the last parameter due to its high variability is also retrieved by the simulation software Dialux. Using the post occupancy evaluation method, the robot also proposes a questionnaire to the user for collecting his/her preferences and sensations. In the end, the robot explains to the user the difference between the suggested values by the technical standards and the real measures comparing the results with his/her preferences and perceptions. Finally, it provides a new classification into four clusters: true positive, true negative, false positive, and false negative. This study shows that the user is able to improve her/his condition based on the explanation given by the robot. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cognitive Buildings)

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Review

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25 pages, 1192 KiB

Open AccessReview

Building Information Modelling and Internet of Things Integration for Facility Management—Literature Review and Future Needs

by Antonino Mannino, Mario Claudio Dejaco and Fulvio Re Cecconi

Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(7), 3062; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11073062 - 30 Mar 2021

Cited by 100 | Viewed by 12340

Abstract

Digitisation of the built environment is seen as a significant factor for innovation in the Architecture, Engineering, Construction and Operation sector. However, lack of data and information in as-built digital models considerably limits the potential of Building Information Modelling in Facility Management. Therefore, optimisation of data collection and management is needed, all the more so now that Industry 4.0 has widened the use of sensors into buildings and infrastructures. A literature review on the two main pillars of digitalisation in construction, Building Information Modelling and Internet of Things, is presented, along with a bibliographic analysis of two citations and abstracts databases focusing on the operations stage. The bibliographic research has been carried out using Web of Science and Scopus databases. The article is aimed at providing a detailed analysis of BIM–IoT integration for Facility Management (FM) process improvements. Issues, opportunities and areas where further research efforts are required are outlined. Finally, four key areas of further research development in FM management have been proposed, focusing on optimising data collection and management. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cognitive Buildings)

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