City Information Modeling Research Articles

Governing sustainable smart cities supported by city information modelling: a bibliometric analysis and systematic review

ABSTRACT To improving citizen’s living quality and management efficiency, the construction of smart cities is critical on the agenda. Smart cities are highly dependent on multiple innovative technologies. City Information Modelling (CIM) is a promising approach that meets the implementation requirements of sustainable smart cities through various technology integrations. Therefore, this paper extracted 99 articles from the Web of Science core collection database from 2012 to 2022 for bibliometric analysis and investigated the research themes on the current development of CIM from theory, technology, and application perspectives. Based on the results of the holistic framework of each domain, existing problems and further development directions are proposed to govern the sustainable smart cities based on CIM. According to the findings, CIM, as a tool to aid decision-making for planning and managing sustainable smart cities, greatly promotes city development in the direction of intelligence and sustainability.

The Role of Diversified Geo-Information Technologies in Urban Governance: A Literature Review

Global urbanization has made urban governance a crucial aspect of sustainable urban development. While geo-information technologies have emerged as indispensable tools for effective urban governance, a comprehensive analysis of their application in this context remains lacking. This study seeks to review and assess the pivotal role of geo-information technologies in the field of urban governance. A total of 219 related studies were used for bibliometric analysis and key content analysis. Planning Support Systems (PSSs), Participatory Geographic Information Systems (PGISs), Building Information Modeling (BIM), and City Information Modeling (CIM) are identified as the main information technologies progressively employed across diverse stages of urban planning and construction over recent decades. These advancements have propelled the digital and intelligent management of urban areas, yielding significant benefits such as enhanced visualization, informed decision-making, and increased opportunities for citizen participation. However, a noticeable disparity between supply and demand during the application process arises from a lack of transdisciplinary cooperation. This study sheds light on the existing literature and offers policy implications and recommendations for more effective utilization of geo-information technologies in future spatial governance.

A Brief Analysis of the Construction and Application of City Information Modeling in Urban Business Districts

City information modeling (CIM) is a database, in which its intelligent and real-time collection functions allow the database to grow or update continuously. There are many types of data so a computing model capable of processing and analyzing large amounts of data is needed. At this time, the application of breaking down the whole into small scenarios and cities has become a necessary stage in the early development of CIM. This article focuses on the core development driving force of the urban economy in commercial districts. In response to the issues that need to be urgently solved in commercial districts, the study analyzes the use of CIM technology to build a “cloud city” for commercial districts and analyzes feasible commercial district scenario applications.

Urban 3D Modeling as a Precursor of City Information Modeling and Digital Twin for Smart City Era: A Case Study of the Narmak Neighborhood of Tehran City, Iran

Urban 3D Modeling as a Precursor of City Information Modeling and Digital Twin for Smart City Era: A Case Study of the Narmak Neighborhood of Tehran City, Iran

From Material Cadastres to a Materiality Informed City Information Modelling

Abstract Urbanization and built environment significantly impact resource consumption, posing sustainability challenges, especially regionally, due to bulk material dominance. Circular practices, like closing, slowing, and narrowing offer solutions. However, effective circularity management requires understanding built environment material stock comprehensively. Material cadastres model city and regional materiality using typology approaches and GIS Modelling, offering insights into circularity potential and supporting strategic circular city management. Conversely, urban planning digitalization introduced City Information Modelling, linking GIS for urban structure mapping with Building Information Modelling systems for digital building integration and thus support urban planning. Yet, empirically, materiality and circularity issues lack systematic and comprehensive integration in such approaches. To this end, this paper discusses the potential of developing digital material cadastre concepts towards materiality-based urban information modelling using case study results that reveal strengths and limitations of existing cadastre concepts. We present a methodological overview covering a general approach to built environment material cadastres and the main components of the underlying bottom up Material Flow approach: material composition indicators and GIS based building stock modelling and a dynamization approach. To discuss circularity potentials of the built environment in a larger urban regional development context, we furthermore designed material cadastres for two case study cities and calculated exemplary circularity potentials for closing, slowing and narrowing approaches. The findings and drafted conclusions were then reflected with urban planning and development actors in workshops and group discussions. As a result, we present consolidated propositions with respect to bridging the methodological gap between strategic and operational materiality informed urban and regional planning in the transition of the built environment towards circularity.

Development and key technologies for architectural design and technical solutions of CIM platform: A review

The integration of building information modeling (BIM), geographic information systems (GIS), 5G, IOT, cloud computing, big data, artificial intelligence, and other technologies in urban management has become a new and rapidly developing trend in recent years. However, most of the existing research on the construction of city information modeling (CIM) platforms based on the integration of BIM and GIS technologies focuses on integration technologies, and there is a lack of theories, methods, and standards for further data analysis and mathematical modeling. This paper analyzes and summarizes the actual situation of the application of recent research papers in the BIM field and the application of CIM platform pilot projects, reviews the application of BIM and GIS technologies in smart cities, and discusses future trends. For example, the construction of a basic platform for smart cities requires the establishment of a three-dimensional visual CIM platform with functions such as the planning review, architectural design plan review, construction drawing review, completion acceptance filing. A smart city is built by analyzing the cyber security risks faced during the construction. The technical, management, and operational measures of the security system provide guidance and reference for the secure construction of smart cities. This involves promoting the reform of the construction work system driven by data resources obtained from government information, and the establishment a new digital government construction management system through the “separation of management and transportation.” These analyses highlight the evolution of the CIM platform construction. The results indicate that the use of key technology integration in the construction of a CIM platform requires a system theory that goes beyond integration technology and mathematical modeling methods for a detailed application. It involves analyzing the deep integration of key technologies and business processes in the CIM platform.

CIM-WV: A 2D semantic segmentation dataset of rich window view contents in high-rise, high-density Hong Kong based on photorealistic city information models

Large-scale assessment of window views is demanded for precise housing valuation and quantified evidence for improving the built environment, especially in high-rise, high-density cities. However, the absence of a semantic segmentation dataset of window views forbids an accurate pixel-level assessment. This paper presents a City Information Model (CIM)-generated Window View (CIM-WV) dataset comprising 2,000 annotated images collected in the high-rise, high-density urban areas of Hong Kong. The CIM-WV includes seven semantic labels, i.e., building, sky, vegetation, road, waterbody, vehicle, and terrain. Experimental results of training a well-known deep learning (DL) model, DeepLab V3+ , on CIM-WV, achieved a high performance (per-class Intersection over Union (IoU) ≥ 86.23%) on segmenting major landscape elements, i.e., building, sky, vegetation, and waterbody, and consistently outperformed the transfer learning on a popular real-world street view dataset, Cityscapes. The DeepLab V3+ model trained on CIM-WV was robust (mIoU ≥ 72.09%) in Hong Kong Island and Kowloon Peninsula, and enhanced the semantic segmentation accuracy of real-world and Google Earth CIM-generated window view images. The contribution of this paper is three-fold. CIM-WV is the first public CIM-generated photorealistic window view dataset with rich semantics. Secondly, comparative analysis shows a more accurate window view assessment using DL from CIM-WV than deep transfer learning from ground-level views. Last, for urban researchers and practitioners, our publicly accessible DL models trained on CIM-WV enable novel multi-source window view-based urban applications including precise real estate valuation, improvement of built environment, and window view-related urban analytics.

Informational Modeling of Cities: Method and Challenges for Institutional Implementation

ABSTRACT Although cities are increasingly permeated by information and communication technologies (ICTs), these urban centers still face theoretical and practical obstacles regarding the application of 3D technologies as a tool for urban planning and management. This study aims to ontologically structure an informational model as an urban management tool and assess the perceived challenges for implementing this model in the municipal public management of Curitiba, Brazil. The study was carried out through the collective subject discourse, the interviews’ thematic saturation, and Delphi techniques. The results indicate that the technical capacity, technological infrastructure, and financial resources for the development of a city information modeling (CIM) exist, although its activation for such development depends on a more significant political and managerial entrepreneurship in the decision-making in arrangements of multilevel governance, and, consequently, there is a need to develop public policies for staff training to stimulate and promote advanced technological innovations for urban management and planning. Implementing a CIM in large cities seems to face more management and planning problems due to the lack of institutional ontologies than technological, infrastructural, or knowledge limitations.

Transportation Planning Opportunities for Al-Jadriya Intersection through City Information Modelling Techniques

Transportation Planning Opportunities for Al-Jadriya Intersection through City Information Modelling Techniques

Modeling the Geometry of Tree Trunks Using LiDAR Data

The effective development of digital twins of real-world objects requires sophisticated data collection techniques and algorithms for the automated modeling of individual objects. In City Information Modeling (CIM) systems, individual buildings can be modeled automatically at the second Level of Detail or LOD2. Similarly, for Tree Information Modeling (TIM) and building Forest Digital Twins (FDT), automated solutions for the 3D modeling of individual trees at different levels of detail are required. The existing algorithms support the automated modeling of trees by generating models of the canopy and the lower part of the trunk. Our argument for this work is that the structure of tree trunk and branches is as important as canopy shape. As such, the aim of the research is to develop an algorithm for automatically modeling tree trunks based on data from point clouds obtained through laser scanning. Aiming to generate 3D models of tree trunks, the suggested approach starts with extracting the trunk point cloud, which is then segmented into single stems. Subsets of point clouds, representing individual branches, are measured using Airborne Laser Scanning (ALS) and Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS). Trunks and branches are generated by fitting cylinders to the layered subsets of the point cloud. The individual stems are modeled by a structure of slices. The accuracy of the model is calculated by determining the fitness of cylinders to the point cloud. Despite the huge variation in trunk geometric forms, the proposed modeling approach can gain an accuracy of better than 4 cm in the constructed tree trunk models. As the developed tree models are represented in a matrix format, the solution enables automatic comparisons of tree elements over time, which is necessary for monitoring changes in forest stands. Due to the existence of large variations in tree trunk geometry, the performance of the proposed modeling approach deserves further investigation on its generality to other types of trees in multiple areas.

Lightweighting Process of Digital Twin Information Models for Smart City Services

A smart city digital twin refers to a system designed to digitally replicate real-world city objects in a virtual space and implement real-time synchronization with the real world, thus helping to solve urban problems through various service scenario simulations and data analysis processes. In relation to the development of city information models for implementing the smart city digital twin, many efforts have been made to integrate and utilize BIM-GIS data. However, due to problems with the capacity available for storing large amounts of data, there are limitations in practical applications because it is sometimes difficult to provide numerous realtime services in the era of web environments. Therefore, in this study, a lightweighting process for the Lightweight Digital Twin System was presented as a method to provide various services that a smart city offers based on the digital twin, and a lightweighting method was proposed accordingly. The process and method were verified through the development of a case application for the case of 00 city. It is expected that the Digital Twin System lightweighting method proposed in this study will serve as a basis for efficient city information processing and contribute to facilitating the provision of various smart city-related services.

Game Based Worldbuilding: Planning, Models, Simulations and Digital Twins

Urban planning has been simulated through various city-building games such as The Sumerian Game (1964), SimCity (1989), and Cities: Skylines (2015), amongst many others. Gaming technology has been utilized in 3D GIS, City Information Models (CIMs), and Urban Digital Twins (UDTs) to enhance public participation and engagement in the planning process. This article studies the overlap and ‘game-like’ qualities of these systems and presents an Urban Game Continuum. This interactive tool works in tandem with a taxonomy of city-building games and existing UDTs in order to assist with the design of future systems. A case study imported GeoData from Lancaster, UK, into a games platform. The continuum tool and case study offer new insights into opportunities for the utilisation of game design and gaming technology in urban planning and digital transformation. The article argues that the current use of gaming technology for real-world applications is one-directional and misses opportunities to include digital game design and research, such as mechanics, dynamics, flow, and public participatory world-building for future scenarios. By incorporating these elements, UDT systems could offer higher levels of citizen engagement.

3DKL v1.0: Creating the first 3D geological model of Kuala Lumpur

The objective of UN Sustainable Development Goal 11 is to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. Geoscience can play a significant role in achieving targets within this goal by developing a better understanding of geological properties and processes within urban environments, and by ensuring that this understanding is integrated into urban development. A key step in this process will be enhancing awareness of urban geology among non-geoscience decision-makers, so that inherent subsurface risks and benefits are understood and accounted for during all phases of development. Three-dimensional geological models are an effective tool for geologists to communicate with stakeholders in government and industry during that process. They can also provide a framework to enable geological data and information to be integrated into Building and City Information Models, and thus facilitate more effective infrastructure and utility asset management. This paper describes the modelling workflow adopted by a consortium of geoscientists from government, industry and academia to deliver the first 3D geological model of Kuala Lumpur – 3DKL v1.0. The modelling workflow involved: digitising borehole logs from site investigation reports and storing them in a dedicated geospatially-enabled SQLite borehole database; viewing and interpreting that borehole data using QGIS software; generating multiple orthogonally oriented cross-section profiles across the modelled area using Groundhog Desktop software; and integrating the information derived from the interpreted boreholes, surface data and cross-section profiles to generate a 3D geological model in Leapfrog Geo software. 3DKL v1.0 has demonstrated proof-of-concept: we have developed a workflow, based largely on freely-available software, for transforming borehole information, previously captured in paper records, into a conceptual 3D model. The modelling process has also identified areas where geological knowledge and data need to be enhanced if 3DKL is to fulfil its potential to support more sustainable and resilient urban development in Kuala Lumpur.

Blockchain and City Information Modeling (CIM): A New Approach of Transparency and Efficiency

For over a decade, digital modelling has transcended geometric representations to more advanced object-based modelling using real-life attirbutes. Digital technologies, especially Building Information Modelling (BIM) have been widely adopted in the Architecture, Engineering, Construction, and Operations (AECO) industry, while a newer niche - City Information Modelling (CIM) has emerged as an extension of BIM for urban informatics. This research proposes a framework that integrates heterogeneous CIM using a multi-level, nested data environment. The CIM is developed through a network of BIM models synchronized into a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) interface. The individual BIM models are blockchain-enabled by connecting them to a distributed ledger and shared across a network of project collaborators using a Common Data Environment (CDE) in a Building Level Framework.. The resulting CIM from the network of BIM models is shared between the asset owners in a City Level Framework. Use case scenarios are presented to illustrate the application of the research in real life, and research limitations are discussed. The study aims to improve management of buildings and urban assets, providing a more efficient and secure platform for collaboration and data sharing through a blockchain-CIM integration, providing opportunities for further research in digital modelling and smart technologies.

Blockchain and City Information Modeling (CIM): A New Approach of Transparency and Efficiency (REDIRECT)

For over a decade, digital modelling has transcended geometric representations to more advanced object-based modelling using real-life attirbutes. Digital technologies, especially Building Information Modelling (BIM) have been widely adopted in the Architecture, Engineering, Construction, and Operations (AECO) industry, while a newer niche - City Information Modelling (CIM) has emerged as an extension of BIM for urban informatics. This research proposes a framework that integrates heterogeneous CIM using a multi-level, nested data environment. The CIM is developed through a network of BIM models synchronized into a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) interface. The individual BIM models are blockchain-enabled by connecting them to a distributed ledger and shared across a network of project collaborators using a Common Data Environment (CDE) in a Building Level Framework.. The resulting CIM from the network of BIM models is shared between the asset owners in a City Level Framework. Use case scenarios are presented to illustrate the application of the research in real life, and research limitations are discussed. The study aims to improve management of buildings and urban assets, providing a more efficient and secure platform for collaboration and data sharing through a blockchain-CIM integration, providing opportunities for further research in digital modelling and smart technologies.

Analytical Review of the Software for Creating a City Information Model

Introduction. The article describes a forward-looking technology in the field of construction industry and urban management – CIM (City Information Modeling) – an information model of a city. Emergence of the information modelling have led to the possibility to create the 3D models not only of individual objects, but also of a city as a whole with its buildings, infrastructure, geological and environmental factors. But creation and maintenance of the city models require the software tools. The aim of the present research is to make a review of the available software, describe its properties and field of application. CIM application capacities are also defined. The tasks, which can be solved by means of such a model, are described. The result of using GIS technologies in creating a city information model with respect to the data on housing stock energy efficiency level is shown.Materials and Methods. Within the research, an analytical review of the existing software for creating an information model of a city was carried out, the works of the scientists, who contributed to the issue of urban modeling, were studied. The information sources useful for further research were identified. Geo-information systems ARC GIS 10.1 ESRI were used to create a city information model.Results. A city information model can be described as a replication of the historical and cultural, socio-economic and religious events and phenomena; the three-dimensional models, geo-information virtual systems created by means of the space-based processing and information technologies, including BIM (Building Information Modeling) and GIS (Geographic Information Systems). The software complexes, which function based on the analysis of the valid data and creation of design entities, are used to create the information models of the urban territories. The major companies importing the urban modeling software, Autodesk and Bentley, offer both BIM and CIM tools.Discussion and Conclusions. The term "Smart City" has become especially popular due to development of BIM technologies. This is an innovative approach based on the digital technologies application, which directly affects the activities and efficiency of provided services and rising the city living standard. For solving the thematic problems, there exist the focused technologies and tools of the modern urban environment development. The main task of the "Smart City" is enhancement of the comfort standard of the residents’ living. This task is solved by creating a city information model integrating the information about the terrain, buildings and structures, roads, green spaces, etc.

Smart City Construction Based on Urban Information Model

Since the implementation of smart city construction in our country, smart city development has been flourishing across various regions. However, in practice, certain deficiencies have been identified in the smart city construction model, such as the occurrence of "data silos" and redundant construction. The development of City Information Modeling (CIM) presents new opportunities for refined urban governance and smart city construction. This article analyzes the origin and connotation of CIM, explores the meaning of the CIM model, and explains the essence of CIM from the perspectives of its foundational nature and constituent system. Furthermore, it discusses the application value of CIM in smart cities and elaborates on the assistance provided by CIM and smart cities in achieving refined urban management.

Integration of citizens’ feelings and feedback into the city information modeling environment

A City Information Model (CIM) is a 3D model composed of the city structure and various interconnected city layers such as mobility, environment, and social inclusion. CIM has attracted attention in recent years, but improvements are still needed for data collection, integration, and visualization in CIM. Also, limited research is available on citizen participation and integration into CIM, which is crucial for realizing a human-centered digital replica of the city. This paper explains the thorough integration of both tangible and intangible data around mobility, road security, and social participation in CIM. The study embarks on the creation of a CIM prototype based on (1) integrating data from different sources, and (2) collaborating with residents to highlight specific feelings around the neighborhood. The general methodology comprises (1) data collection, (2) data analysis, and (3) platform build-up. This methodology is projected onto a selected neighborhood in Lille, France where collected quantitative and qualitative data is analyzed, and then visualized. This study can provide stakeholders and city planners with a means of decision-making to improve the quality of life in cities.

Placemaking in the Design of Knowledge‑Based Urban Developments

In this paper, we review the concept of science parks and their culmination as knowledge-based urban developments (KBUDs). Next, we describe the upgrading of second-generation science parks in urban fringes to knowledge territories based on the quintuple helix innovation model. This research aims to study planning and design tools that can be used to foster serendipity, vitality and high-quality living environments in otherwise sterile landscapes from a human point of view, as is generally the case in second-generation science parks. In this context, we discuss how city information modelling (CIM) capabilities can be extended with three placemaking aspects that are important to this type of development: social negotiation, urban vitality and legibility. Finally, we present the International Hub for Sustainable Development (HIDS), which is currently being planned in Campinas, Brazil, and some examples of the use of CIM in this project. We conclude that CIM can be used to increase public engagement in participatory processes by facilitating communication between stakeholders. In addition, it improves data collection in these processes and supports decision‑making.

NURTURING TALENTS OF GEOMATICS SURVEYORS TO MEET THE CHALLENGES OF LAND SUPPLY, WORKS PROJECTS AND SMART CITY OF HONG KONG

Abstract. The challenges brought by a growing number of large-scale land development projects (e.g., Northern Metropolis, Lantau Tomorrow, and related infrastructures) in Hong Kong must be met by innovative land acquisition planning and processes. A recent quick win solution to land supply for Works projects has been in trial commissioning the provisional draft land resumption plan preparations and related survey works from the government to consultants, specifically the Authorized Land Surveyor (ALS) in the private sector. The industry therefore must consider the necessary and diverse sources of expertise available, and the existing land surveying technical resources that will render support to such new initiatives. Collaboration is called for between the spheres of public sector, education, and works industry to successfully move the use of cadastral survey for land management forwards, bridging the gap between lands and works practices for efficient processing of Works projects, and smart city development of Hong Kong.This paper will examine the new approach of professional surveying that private practicing ALSs bring, and why the overall number of ALS and engineering surveyors in the construction industry is growing so slowly. It will additionally compare Hong Kong's practice with that of the mainland China, Singapore, and the UK to grasp global learning points. The paper recommends the establishment of a Cadastral Survey Lab (CSL) firstly to explore the policy implementation of a sound cadastral system. The processing of lot boundary determination by ALS is reviewed. The regulatory roles of the Land Survey Authority (LSA) are requested in approving new land boundary plans; this both replaces the Demarcation District (DD) Sheet boundary and improves land boundary records. Secondly, the CSL can serve as a coordinating body in curating various kinds of land records from diverse sources, and aids the research and knowledge management of cadastral survey, land law, land tenure, land registration systems, land boundary record keeping, problematic lot boundary determination, etc. These topics can be considered in the refining geomatics education curriculum, and furthermore developed into guidance notes for geomatics survey practitioners.The evolution of the traditional land surveying profession into the geomatics services has become a recent international trend that is growing in popularity in the survey profession. Combining geo-spatial data from the planning and design stages, alongside the use of standardised survey data processing in project implementation and asset management, would encourage data sharing, avoid duplicate efforts, and facilitate the formation of a digital city. The spectrums of geomatics education in universities should be widened with a refined curriculum on combining geomatics with cadastral survey that has evolved from the traditional lot boundary survey to multi-purpose cadastre, city information modelling, urban informatics, smart city administration, and a full-blown Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI).