Semantic BIM models as inputs for semantic LCI models

Session
TU.3.A || Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Life Cycle Assessment

Authors
Navarrete Gutiérrez, Tomás; Hahn Menacho, Álvaro José; Boje, Calin; Benetto, Enrico

Abstract
The semantic web is an evolution of sharing data with higher levels of meaning over the internet. Semantic web technologies and standards permit the sharing of data structured around knowledge graphs, that make data richer in semantics and context. In addition, knowledge graphs and data are naturally machine interpretable, enabling reasoning and description logics. The building construction and maintenance sector challenges to reduce its environmental impacts are often addressed by digital means. One main application is the use of ontologies to share the BIM models, including LCA data inside BIM software tools. This link seems to happen only inside the different software tools, but a full linking to LCA databases and calculation engines is not seen yet in the research and professional practice. In the SEMANTICLA project, led by LIST and CARDIFF University, we work on the identification of existing semantic web tools that help to leverage the existing LCA tools to ease and improve the link and interoperability between BIM Models and LCA under a semantic web paradigm. In this presentation we will give an overview of the state of the art on existing ontologies in the domain of LCA, and how we have started to create a mapping between them and existing BIM ontologies. The presentation will include the results from our design of a data pipeline that, starting with a semantic BIM Model, leads to the calculation of different LCIA scores. The pipeline extracts information from the BIM model, transforms it into suitable inputs for the LCI, creates the LCI and executes LCIA. Pre-existing databases are needed to build the LCI. In this presentation we will provide a return on experience on the different resources required to be able to use the ecoinvent 3.7.1 database in the pipeline. The presentation will also include a comparison of a model built by an LCA practitioner using the information from the BIM model and the one built with the pipeline.