Development of a building information modelling (BIM)-based real-time data integration system using a building management system (BMS)

Abstract

Building Information Modelling (BIM) has become a very important part of the construction industry, and it has not yet reached its full potential, but the use of BIM is not just limited to the construction industry. The aim of BIM is to provide a complete solution for the life cycle of the built environment from the design stage to construction and then to operation. One of the biggest challenges faced by the facility managers is to manage the operation of the infrastructure sustainably; however, this can be achieved through the installation of a Building Management System (BMS). Currently, the use of BIM in facilities management is limited because it does not offer real-time building data integration, which is vital for infrastructure operation. This chapter investigates the integration of real-time data from the BMS system into a BIM model, which would aid facility managers to interact with the real-world environment inside the BIM model. We present the use of web socket functionality to transmit and receive data in real-time over the Internet in a 3D game environment to provide a user-friendly system for the facility managers to help them operate their infrastructure more effectively. This novel and interactive approach would provide rich information about the built environment, which would not have been possible without the integration of BMS with BIM.