A Space Model for User-centered Building Services

01.10.2010 - 31.07.2014
Forschungsförderungsprojekt
Recent advances in computing have the potential to enable user-centered building services (UCBS) in the areas of building automation and ubiquitous computing which are responsive to the comfort or information needs of individual users. For example, agents are conceivable that manage local indoor climate and lighting quality based on individual users¿ location, activity, and corresponding preferences. This project examines a common characteristic of UCBS, which is a need for detailed and up-to- date information about the configuration of architectural spaces in order to deliver a high quality of service. A dedicated space model is proposed in which to consolidate such information. By contrast, in current building automation systems, space configuration information is often poorly organized, difficult to access and maintain. The primary project goals are the specification, design, prototypical implementation, and validation of a space model for UCBS. The project builds on and extends existing work in the areas of building information models (BIM) and location models. The proposed space model includes a higher level of detail than location models. Moreover, multiple views and representations of space configurations are provided. They enable query operations that let UCBS clients retrieve small subsets from a space model instance based on view, geometric and topological parameters. Queries are the most frequent operations and, in domains such as lighting, may require short response times. These are different requirements compared with design, where BIM tend to be used. A space model schema is implemented in a spatially enabled database environment. Equally important, a set of update operations are developed to automate repetitive update tasks. Geometric reasoning methods are devised and existing geometric modeling libraries reused to implement these operations. The space model database and query operations are modules of a space model server. Its main non-functional design objective is responsiveness under peak query loads that are to be expected in large public or office buildings. Tests and demonstrations of prototypical implementations of the space model structure and operations, the space model server, and an instance of a user-centered lighting service deployed in an office space will provide initial feedback on the feasibility and potential utility of space models for UCBS.

Personen

Projektleiter_in

Projektmitarbeiter_innen

Institut

Grant funds

  • FWF - Österr. Wissenschaftsfonds (National) Austrian Science Fund (FWF)

Forschungsschwerpunkte

  • Sensor Systems: 50%
  • Energy Active Buildings, Settlements and Spatial Infrastructures: 50%

Schlagwörter

DeutschEnglisch
Building information modelingBuilding information modeling
GebäudeautomationBuilding Automation
Ubiquitous computingUbiquitous computing
Location-based systemsLocation-based systems

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