Introduction In previous installments of this series, we tracked the journey of digital twin development from a high-level design philosophy to how to fulfill multi-stakeholders’ demands; design a modularized scoring system to evaluate building performance quantitatively; and implement a sus- tainable data dictionary that integrates the concept of sustainability and its thresholds into the scope of the digital twin. Although there is still no standard definition of the digital twin in the AECO industry, we can create a picture of it that contains: • A digital replica of real-world built assets • An adaptive and flexible data analytics and reporting platform to serve multiple-stakeholders • A comprehensive platform that embraces and evaluates vari - ous aspects of the building • A flow that integrates all data coming from connected data sources for targeted purposes/use cases In short, the ideal digital twin will serve as the center-hub of data inte- gration. This last installment of the series discusses the data integra- tion of related channels, deciphers the end-user-oriented digital twin design approach, and introduces utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) to streamline data integration while providing a better user experience. Before the deep dive, we need to discuss the critical and unavoidable topic that determines the final success of data integration – the Com - mon Data Environment (CDE). Common Data Environment (CDE) The CDE has been primarily defined as the standardized source of information used to manage graphical and non-graphical data for a BIM program/project. In 2020, the series "New Era of BIM Lifecycle Implementation” discussed at length the importance of the CDE. It suggested using a Data Dictionary Management System (DDMS) to host a CDE which would support different stakeholders and enhance accessibility for various parties. Instead of focusing on the traditional scope of CDE highlighting the project delivery stage, it looked at bridging the gap between the Project Information Model (PIM) and Asset Information Model (AIM), or the project delivery and opera - tional phases. These stages from the angle of the digital twin are still very BIM lifecycle-oriented. Next, we are going to enlarge the definition and use cases of CDE to apply to a wider scope. With the expansion of our understanding of the BIM lifecycle and broadening the digital twin concept, we have moved outside the box to better understand the depth and width of a digital twin as the center-hub of data integration. Therefore, CDE use cases are not limited to the BIM project handoff but encompass every THE CENTER-HUB OF DATA INTEGRATION By Dr. Jeff Chen, George Broadbent, and Dr. Eve Lin of Microdesk with Kai Yin, and Jiayi Yan of ZhiuTech
possible connection that may be integrated and collaboratively utilized. Several areas that will benefit from the CDE are presented. Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) A Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) central - izes maintenance information and facilitates the processes of mainte- nance operations. It helps optimize the utilization and productivity of physical equipment/assets. Today, a CMMS has a close collaboration with the BIM lifecycle. In most cases, it utilizes a translated, light- weight model as the 3D representation of its assets. Figure 1 presents an Autodesk Forge®-based model viewer embedded in IBM® Maximo. With the integration of the 3D model viewer, several asset manage - ment/facility management (AM/FM) related records can be correlated directly or indirectly with the BIM model, such as Work Orders, Ser - vice Requests, Asset Meters, Location Meters, Asset Specifications, and problem/cause/remedy (PCR). This enables end users to conve- niently click the view of the desired 3D object to query all connected records, or vice versa. Some of the data could be synced from the BIM model (e.g., manufacturer, serial number, or voltage), while others including work orders and service requests can be generated during the operational stage. However, how and when to collect the necessary data needs to be clearly defined, and then agreed upon, and regulated across the entire project lifecycle. CDE plays a vital role at this point in streamlining the entire process. Without a well-defined and executed CDE that regulates the data framework across the CMMS and BIM, the efficacy of data integration will be compromised. Similarly, space management systems, real estate customer relationship management (CRM) systems, enterprise resource planning (ERP) inventory systems, and other systems that could be implemented with the BIM lifecycle will all benefit from the existence of a predefined CDE. Geographic Information System (GIS) One current trend is the usage of GeoBIM, or BIM and geographic information system (GIS) integration, which is the process of "blend- ing" the BIM model into layers of geospatial context (e.g., ESRI ™or Google Maps™). GeoBIM fuses geographic information and BIM design and construction data to the same platform to perform better tar- geted data analytics and reporting. GeoBIM enables users to smoothly switch between GI and building views to aggregate related data on different levels, to make more precise and practical decisions. Accord- ing to Cory Dippold, Vice President at Mott MacDonald, when GIS is engaged in the scope of the digital twin, CDE is often interpreted
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