Abstract
The low accessibility to the information regarding buildings current performances causes deep difficulties in planning appropriate interventions. Internet of Things (IoT) sensors make available a high quantity of data on energy consumptions and indoor conditions of an existing building that can drive the choice of energy retrofit interventions. Moreover, the current developments in the topic of the digital twin are leading the diffusion of Building Information Modeling (BIM) methods and tools that can provide valid support to manage all data and information for the retrofit process. This paper shows the aim and the findings of research focused on testing the integrated use of BIM methodology and IoT systems. A common data platform for the visualization of building indoor conditions (e.g., temperature, luminance etc.) and of energy consumption parameters was carried out. This platform, tested on a case study located in Italy, is developed with the integration of low-cost IoT sensors and the Revit model. To obtain a dynamic and automated exchange of data between the sensors and the BIM model, the Revit software was integrated with the Dynamo visual programming platform and with a specific Application Programming Interface (API). It is an easy and straightforward tool that can provide building managers with real-time data and information about the energy consumption and the indoor conditions of buildings, but also allows for viewing of the historical sensor data table and creating graphical historical sensor data. Furthermore, the BIM model allows the management of other useful information about the building, such as dimensional data, functions, characteristics of the components of the building, maintenance status etc., which are essential for a much more conscious, effective and accurate management of the building and for defining the most suitable retrofit scenarios.
Highlights
In terms of energy efficiency, the European building stock is distant from the objectives set by the European Commission’s 2050 roadmap
According to data revealed by the Energy Performance Certifications (EPC) in 16 Member States and collected by the Buildings Performance Institute Europe (BPIE), less than 10% of the buildings have an energy performance equivalent to the first two classes of EPC systems, and only 2.7%
Despite the urgent need to improve the quality and the functionality of the existing building stock, all the processes related to its transformation are still carried out with traditional analogical methods and instruments
Summary
In terms of energy efficiency, the European building stock is distant from the objectives set by the European Commission’s 2050 roadmap. It is instead common to deal with the lack of documentation on the real constructive layout of existing buildings (in terms of components, installations, plants etc.), together with the limited instruments and methodologies to survey their current use profile (energy behavior, real consumptions etc.) and maintenance conditions (conservation status, previous maintenance works, compliance with current regulations etc.). Choosing an appropriate method for sensor data visualization is important as it may help users to intuitively understand and work with the data faster and easier Starting from these premises, the Department of Civil Engineering, Environment and Architecture of Cagliari (DICAAR), in collaboration with the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (DIEE) Department of Cagliari, has been conducting for some years research work to test the application of Building Information Modeling for the management of existing buildings. The model allows for a faithful representation of the building to plan the most appropriate intervention on a shared basis of knowledge
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
