16 research outputs found

    Digital Twin framework for automated fault source detection and prediction for comfort performance evaluation of existing non-residential Norwegian buildings

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    Numerous buildings fall short of expectations regarding occupant satisfaction, sustainability, or energy efficiency. In this paper, the performance of buildings in terms of occupant comfort is evaluated using a probabilistic model based on Bayesian networks (BNs). The BN model is founded on an in-depth anal- ysis of satisfaction survey responses and a thorough study of building performance parameters. This study also presents a user-friendly visualization compatible with BIM to simplify data collecting in two case studies from Norway with data from 2019 to 2022. This paper proposes a novel Digital Twin approach for incorporating building information modeling (BIM) with real-time sensor data, occupants’ feedback, a probabilistic model of occupants’ comfort, and HVAC faults detection and prediction that may affect occupants’ comfort. New methods for using BIM as a visualization platform, as well as a pre- dictive maintenance method to detect and anticipate problems in the HVAC system, are also presented. These methods will help decision-makers improve the occupants’ comfort conditions in buildings. However, due to the intricate interaction between numerous equipment and the absence of data integra- tion among FM systems, CMMS, BMS, and BIM data are integrated in this paper into a framework utilizing ontology graphs to generalize the Digital Twin framework so it can be applied to many buildings. The results of this study can aid decision-makers in the facility management sector by offering insight into the aspects that influence occupant comfort, speeding up the process of identifying equipment malfunc- tions, and pointing toward possible solutions.Digital Twin framework for automated fault source detection and prediction for comfort performance evaluation of existing non-residential Norwegian buildingspublishedVersionPaid open acces

    Improving building occupant comfort through a digital twin approach:A Bayesian network model and predictive maintenance method

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    This study introduces a Bayesian network model to evaluate the comfort levels of occupants of two non-residential Norwegian buildings based on data collected from satisfaction surveys and building performance parameters. A Digital Twin approach is proposed to integrate building information modeling (BIM) with real-time sensor data, occupant feedback, and a probabilistic model of occupant comfort to detect and predict HVAC issues that may impact comfort. The study also uses 200000 points as historical data of various sensors to understand the previous building systems’ behavior. The study also presents new methods for using BIM as a visualization platform and for predictive maintenance to identify and address problems in the HVAC system. For predictive maintenance, nine machine learning algorithms were evaluated using metrics such as ROC, accuracy, F1-score, precision, and recall, where Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGB) was the best algorithm for prediction. XGB is on average 2.5% more accurate than Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP), and up to 5% more accurate than the other models. Random Forest is around 96% faster than XGBoost while being relatively easier to implement. The paper introduces a novel method that utilizes several standards to determine the remaining useful life of HVAC, leading to a potential increase in its lifetime by at least 10% and resulting in significant cost savings. The result shows that the most important factors that affect occupant comfort are poor air quality, lack of natural light, and uncomfortable temperature. To address the challenge of applying these methods to a wide range of buildings, the study proposes a framework using ontology graphs to integrate data from different systems, including FM, CMMS, BMS, and BIM. This study’s results provide insight into the factors that influence occupant comfort, help to expedite identifying equipment malfunctions and point towards potential solutions, leading to more sustainable and energy-efficient buildings.publishedVersio

    A Review of the Digital Twin Technology in the AEC-FM Industry

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    The Architecture, Engineering, Construction, and Facility Management (AEC-FM) industry is increasingly affected by digital technologies that monitor sensor network data and control automation systems. Advances in digital technologies like Digital Twin offer a high-level representation of buildings and their assets by integrating the physical and digital world. This paper examines patterns, gaps, and trends in the AEC-FM sector and contributes to digitalization and automation solutions for building management. This work covers a broad range of research topics, from intelligent information management of complex models to building information management and the interaction of building systems, where researchers are increasingly interested in using the Digital Twin to manage their information and in developing new research lines focused on data interchange and the interoperability of building information modeling (BIM) and facility management (FM). After a complete bibliometric search of several databases and following selection criteria, 77 academic publications about the Digital Twin application in the AEC-FM industry were labeled and clustered accordingly. This study analyzed in detail the concept of key technologies, including “Digital Twin in Facility Lifecycle Management,” “Digital Twin-Information Integration Standards,” “Digital Twin-Based Occupants Centric Building Design,” “Digital Twin-Based Predictive Maintenance,” “Semantic Digital Twin for Facility Maintenance,” and “Digital Twin-Based Human Knowledge.” The findings show that information standardization is the first major hurdle that must be overcome before the actual use of Digital Twin can be realized in the AEC-FM industry. Based on that, this paper provides a conceptual framework of Digital Twin for building management as a starting point for future research.publishedVersio

    Experiences from implementation of sustainability in a civil engineering course at the University of Agder

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    Design and assessment of sustainability is expected to be a mandatory part of the competence of the engineers of the future. Sustainability in design and engineering education has often been solved by choosing environmental friendly materials without use of fact based assessment methods. This case study explores experiences from a new developed mandatory course in the civil engineering education at University of Agder (UiA). This course is based on problem- and project based learning, and the learning of sustainability has therefore focused on how the students have applied assessments of sustainability in their project reports. Analyzing the educational and learning situation consist of multiple elements. The didactic relation model is therefore selected as theoretical framework for analyses of selected elements and their relations. Students reported that the support of software technology motivated them to consider several designs before selecting or recommending solutions, and that these experiences are positive. The students project reports included a more mature and holistic assessment of solutions for the built environment. Problem based learning supported by software technology contributed to enable specialization in different directions when it came to how the students solved the problem. The authors conclude that this type of teaching learning environment can be applied in many different teaching situations, where there is no fixed solution. Examples of subjects are; circular economy, product design, architecture and many more
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