The operational phase of a real estate asset accounts for approximately 80% of the overall investment and management costs throughout the entire life cycle of the building, and the activities of space management and monitoring of building components and systems play a crucial role in ensuring the well-being and health of users. The AECO (Architecture, Engineering, Construction, and Operation) industry is transitioning towards a new framework governed by data-driven processes. In this context, Building Information Modeling (BIM) can support the utilization of big data generated throughout different stages of the building's life cycle, thereby establishing itself as a dynamic repository of information at the center of a constellation of systems used by a Facility Management body to achieve specific objectives (such as CAFM, ERP, BMS, etc.). The proposed study aims to define a processing framework for the collection and management of data aimed at the implementation of DT of existing real estate assets, created based on the integration between BIM platforms and IoT technology oriented to subsequent developments of big data analytics and AI applications. The objective is to support in the operational phase of buildings the decisions of the various operators involved in planning scheduled and/or corrective maintenance actions and to generate content, recommendations, best practices by formulating predictive analysis on managed assets. In particular, a critical analysis is made of the various approaches available for the definition of an IT architecture to support IoT reference models, which will find application in the monitoring of some existing assets of the University of Florence's real estate managed by the Building Area, digitally implemented on a BIM platform. The contribution is part of a broader research activity carried out as part of the PNR Project, "BIM2DT. BIM-to-Digital Twin: information management to support decision-making in the building life cycle."
The interoperability of the tools for managing and controlling the design process is one of the themes on which research and innovations are focussed in the field of BIM (Building Information Modelling) systems. A strategic objective of the STREAMER research, co-funded by the European Union within the context of the Seventh Framework Programme, is that of defining the tools and methods of designing hospital buildings that allow for a 50% reduction in energy consumption and emissions in large healthcare districts. Contributing to the achievement of this result is the creation of integrated tools, based on BIM and GIS systems, capable of providing an effective backup to the decisions of the various subjects involved in the project and the management of hospital complexes.
Il piano d’abbattimento delle barriere architettoniche e uno strumento metaprogettuale, necessario ad avviare procedure coordinate, per eseguire gli interventi di “attenuazione” dei conflitti uomo-ambiente. E’ quindi il preludio, la base, sulla quale iniziare tutte quelle azioni di “design urbano” che mirano ad interventi piu o meno dedicati. La metodologia illustrata, ha proprio come obbiettivo generale, quello di produrre conoscenza al fine di poter iniziare concretamente le azioni di progettazione in grado di mirare all’innalzamento della qualita della rete di servizi, tempi e occasioni che la citta offre, partendo dalle necessita di chi maggiormente richiede attenzioni, per giungere a definire risposte, capaci di garantire il quadro associante a cui mira una citta solidale e quindi accessibile. Secondo questa visione, il piano e cosi strumento, trasversale, di analisi e verifica, necessario per alfabetizzare, utenti e gestori della citta ad una cultura dell’accessibilita. Cultura sempre piu necessaria per una citta moderna nel aspetto piu allargato del termine.
I PEBA sono strumenti che servono alle amministrazioni pubbliche per individuare ed eliminare le barriere architettoniche, rendendo gli spazi accessibili a tutti. Anche gli ospedali sono obbligati a dotarsi di questi piani, non solo per rispettare la legge, ma soprattutto per migliorare la qualità dei servizi per gli utenti. In questo caso, l’Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana ha collaborato con l’Università di Firenze per sviluppare un piano di accessibilità per l’ospedale di Cisanello. L’obiettivo non era solo rispettare le norme, ma anche creare un metodo pratico per organizzare e pianificare gli interventi nel tempo. Il progetto è partito dall’analisi della situazione esistente e ha previsto la raccolta di dati, coinvolgendo anche persone con disabilità per avere una valutazione più concreta. Tutte le informazioni sono state poi inserite in una piattaforma digitale, così da poter aggiornare e monitorare gli interventi nel tempo. In sintesi, il progetto serve sia a capire lo stato attuale delle strutture, sia a definire delle linee guida per migliorare quelle future, formando anche persone in grado di gestire questi processi. È organizzato in diverse fasi e aiuta a passare dall’analisi alla realizzazione concreta del piano.
In recent years, Facility Management has undergone significant technological and methodological advancements, primarily driven by Building Information Modelling (BIM), Computer-Aided Facility Management (CAFM), and Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS). These innovations have improved process efficiency and risk management. However, challenges remain in asset management, maintenance, traceability, and transparency. This study investigates the potential of blockchain technology and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) to address these challenges. By referencing international (ISO, BOMA) and European (EN) standards, the research develops an asset management process model incorporating blockchain and NFTs. The methodology includes evaluating the technical and practical aspects of this model and strategies for metadata utilization. The model ensures an immutable record of transactions and maintenance activities, reducing errors and fraud. Smart contracts automate sub-phases like progress validation and milestone-based payments, increasing operational efficiency. The study’s practical implications are significant, offering advanced solutions for transparent, efficient, and secure Facility Management. It lays the groundwork for future research, emphasizing practical implementations and real-world case studies. Additionally, integrating blockchain with emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning could further enhance Facility Management processes.
Building Information Modelling applied to civil infrastructure has opened up interesting scenarios for integrated management of existing infrastructural works. In the last few years Bridge Management System (BMS) have been increasingly used by infrastructure owners, based on different control systems: from stochastic methods, which make it possible to define a condition ratio (CR) starting from periodic inspections of bridges, to sensors for structural monitoring, which can originate a flow of information exchange between real artifacts and the digital model capable of activating effective reactive or planned responses in the operation and maintenance phase of the asset. The paper intends to outline a BIM-oriented process workflow, which from the creation of parametric objects for infrastructural works using Scan-to-BIM acquisition techniques and procedures, arrives at the implementation of information bridge models to manage both static data from scheduled inspections of technicians of defects and their severity according to specific guidelines, and dynamic data from incoming and outgoing sensors placed in the physical asset for real time monitoring towards analysis, supervision and control systems of the facilities owner. The defined process workflow will be applied to some case studies, related to bridges of different characteristics, outlining some directions for future developments. In detail the research showcases the tasks undertaken and the outcomes achieved on four selected bridge case studies, which are real and situated within the geographical area of the Tuscany region, Italy. The studied bridges are all still in use and hold historical significance, as they were constructed between two hundred and one hundred years ago
Hospitals include a variety of different spaces with different requirements and levels of sensitivity to noise but also different activities and equipment that can cause high noise levels. In this article, noise disturbance in hospitals is studied with reference to a case study in a maternity ward. The analysis is carried out by means of sound insulation measurements between bedrooms and between bedroom and corridor. Equivalent sound pressure level measurements were carried out continuously for two days and nights. The number of awakening events is examined for each hour of the two nights. In addition, the results of a questionnaire conducted on more than 100 patients are reported. The results of the study show that the main cause of noise disturbance is activity in the corridors and that this kind of disturbance is usually repeated throughout the night. This is made more critical by the poor acoustic performance of the doors, but also by the habit of keeping doors open or half-open to allow doctors to always control patients. The article proposes some possible solutions to reduce noise intrusion from the corridor to the rooms.
Although noise in indoor environments is considered one of the most important factors affecting health and life quality of users, it is often overlooked during design; several studies highlight how noise pollution in hospitals has increased significantly over the past sixty years, and how exposure to inadequate noise levels causes stress and disturbance for all users.In patients, who represent the most vulnerable group of users within hospitals, excessive noise, especially during the night, is a cause of stress and awakenings that can affect the psychophysical healing process.Interviews conducted with patients highlight that the most disturbing sources of noise that cause awakening during the night are from activities outside the room.In this paper, starting from the typical configuration (two-bed coupled rooms with toilet), different possible configurations of materials and distributive layouts will be shown, in order to contribute to the reduction of noise transmission from the corridor into the patient room.
Il settore delle costruzioni si sta trasformando profondamente sotto la spinta della digitalizzazione del processo edilizio, che nella gestione informativa del ciclo di vita dell’edificio ha trovato nel Building Information Modelling il ‘driver’ fondamentale di sviluppo di efficaci strumenti e metodologie per la gestione di patrimoni immobiliari pubblici e privati. L’implementazione di Asset Information Models (AIM) permette infatti di creare repository strutturati di contenuti informativi, evitando ridondanze e perdita di dati, garantendo la tracciabilità delle procedure di produzione e validazione delle informazioni, migliorando la collaborazione tra gli operatori coinvolti. Il presente studio propone alcuni risultati di una ricerca svolta sul tema della gestione informativa con l’adozione del BIM per il patrimonio immobiliare dell’Università di Firenze nella fase di esercizio. La necessità di integrazione con le piattaforme di Computer Aided Facility Management (CAFM) e Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS), già in uso da parte dell’ente, ha orientato la ricerca verso approcci interoperabili e open BIM per superare i ‘gap’ informativi tra i software di modellazione e quelli di gestione, e per garantire inoltre un agevole workflow verso applicazioni di raccolta dinamica dei dati provenienti da sensoristica IoT per il monitoraggio della qualità ambientale degli edifici. Il contributo intende proporre un framework di lavoro replicabile, scalabile e interopera-bile per la gestione informativa di patrimoni immobiliari pubblici e privati.
Real estate asset operations typically represent around 80% of investment and management costs, with space management and system monitoring being crucial for user well-being.The AECO industry is moving towards a data-driven model, combining various type of data from various sources. In addition, the inclusion of sensor systems in buildings is leading to a shift towards a distributed semantic approach, requiring a deeper understanding of reality and the ability to link different ontologies from various fields. So, the need to address challenges such as data interoperability, integration of different semantic domains, and improvement of information exchange processes has recognized semantic web technologies as a powerful tool for enhancing the value of BIM models by facilitating data integration and enabling the application of complex queries across multiple data sources. The proposed paper aims to analyze the state of art about IoT and semantic web technologies, and their possible integration in a BIM environment to aid decision-making in building maintenance. It will provide a first ongoing approach for the digitalization of the assets managed by the University of Florence's Building Area. The study shows the two different workflows set up to connect BIM models with sensor data. The first one involved the use of DTH22 environmental sensors integrated through Node-Red to the open source platform Snap4City for data management; the second one involved the installation of LORAWAN sensors within a building and the use of a property platform, Niagara Tridium, for data manipulation and sampling to be convolved within a BMS platform. The work is part of a larger EU Next Generation research project titled, "BIM2DT. BIM-to-Digital Twin: information management to support decision-making in the building life cycle".
