Automatic Verification of Facilities Management Handover Building Information Models

Abstract

Although Building Information Models (BIM) are increasingly recognized as a compelling tool for project delivery, the challenges of seamless model validation and the transition of BIM data to FM remains unresolved. BIM data interoperability issues, lack of a clear understanding of owner’s Exchange Requirements (ERs), inconsistent syntax in developing discipline-specific models, and software limitations contribute to the difficulty of using Architecture, Engineering, and Construction-purposed BIMs for FM handover. This research explores a case-based example of implementing computational BIM for automatic verification of an FM-handover BIM at project close out. The relationships between, and properties of, model objects used to capture the required geometric and non-geometric information for the owner’s FM handover needs is specified in accordance with the applicable IFC entities. The syntax of the model is formalized in conjunction with the buildingSMART Data Dictionary (bsDD) schema. Dynamo is used as a visual programming platform to work with the Autodesk Revit Application Programming Interface (API) to extend its parametric capabilities to verify the BIM data in compliance with the specified requirements. The results of the automated verification procedure highlight completeness, uniqueness, correctness, usefulness, and unambiguity of BIM data as critical quality dimensions for the purpose of project delivery.