Building performance simulation in the Singapore construction industry IT network

Abstract

A recent survey of architectural and engineering firms in Singapore revealed that one main reason why computational building simulation tools are not commonly used in the design process is that clients generally do not ask for quantification of building performance of proposed designs for most projects beyond the minimum requirements stipulated in current legislations. However, there is a growing awareness that as projects become increasingly complex, the design team will require computational design support tools that can help to deliver value-added and integrated high-performance solutions. Furthermore, to facilitate pervasive IT (information technology) application in the construction industry, an effective IT infrastructure is essential. Singapore has launched a major national IT initiative for the construction industry known as CORENET (COnstruction and Real Estate NETwork). The objective of CORENET is to re-engineer the business processes of the construction industry in order to achieve a quantum leap in productivity and quality while optimizing project duration. Capitalizing on this infrastructure development, a pilot research project has been undertaken, which involves an investigation of the feasibility of mapping the IFC-compliant building model for the CORENET applications with the Shared Object Model (SOM) of SEMPER-II, an Internet-based building simulation environment. The objective is to establish a seamless link for thermal simulation and analysis, particularly for the early design phase. This paper will present the accomplishments of the project and offer views on future opportunities and challenges in implementing multi-domain building performance simulation within the national IT network in Singapore. Copyright © 2004, Locke Science Publishing Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved.