Integration of BIM and Utility Sensor Data for Facilities Management

Building information models are increasingly being integrated with building automation systems for making decisions associated with building performance and facility management and maintenance. Currently, there has also been an increased amount of interest generated towards construction operations building information exchange (COBIE). A data exchange format for facility management data handover, COBIE allows extracting asset information from a BIM model and provides a provision of importing this facility data into a buildings computerized maintenance management system (CMMS). Recent development in sensors and monitoring devices in building controls with wireless connection capabilities offers a huge potential for applications in smart buildings and building maintenance. This paper describes the development of an application that integrates sensor data collected using a wireless sensor network, and reports the data via the virtual model of the building. The application was developed to aid the facility management personnel with early detection of issues and maintenance checks. The data collected from the sensors is integrated with COBIE equipment information affected by this sensor data. The integration of equipment information and sensor data is accessible to onsite personnel and facility managers allowing easy access to field conditions and maintenance information during maintenance checks.