Data integration for digital twins in the built environment

Abstract: Digital Twins are an emerging technology in AEC/FM for the efficient operation of the built-environment. Data is still isolated in traditional Building Automation Systems (BAS) and documental databases. This paper proposes a method based on federated data models and ontologies to standardise the integration of construction data (IFC), BAS (Brick Schema), and IoT, and using data lake architectures to keep the delegation of responsibilities of data owners. A case study in the Alan Reece building demonstrates the approach by enabling Fault-Detection-and-Diagnosis of the HVAC system for facility management. Integration of all built-environment data is crucial for efficient operation.