The Development of the HVAC Product Data Templates Suitable for 5D BIM software platforms Gozde Unkaya, Exergy Ltd, The Technocentre, Coventry University Technology Park, Puma Way, Coventry, CV1 2TT, UK Dr. Ljiljana Marjanovic-‐Halburd (corresponding author), Bartlett School of Graduate Studies, UCL, Gower Street, London, UK WC1E 6BT, email: l.marjanovic-‐[email protected], phone: +44(0)2031089045 Abstract Through an extensive research on HVAC design parameters, operation and maintenance requirements, and relevant legislation and standards, the key attributes required for 5D BIM* software products were identified and a data-‐collection framework was developed. In order to assist stakeholders to define characteristics of a product, analyze operational performance specifications and financial risks, and to identify the required conditions, services, and equipment at any stage of a development, developed data templates reflect the information need in product selection, replacement, procurement, installment, maintenance and decommissioning processes in a typical development project. Data attributes were categorized within four main categories: •
•
•
•
Legislation & Regulations
Performance
Environment & Sustainability
Financial Cost
Each of the attributes was in turn associated with the following utilization categories: definition, analysis and coordination. The developed framework insures that databases contain attributes playing a key role in the decision-‐making process compatible with current and emerging industry standards. Keywords: BIM*, HVAC, product templates, data management *
Building Information Modelling (BIM) 1. Introduction According to the National BIM Standard [1], BIM is “a digital representation of physical and functional characteristics of a facility and a shared knowledge resource for information about a facility forming a reliable basis for decisions during its life-‐cycle; defined as existing from earliest conception to demolition”. It is primarily used by project stakeholders to virtually construct a building, extend the analysis, examine the possibilities of design options, detect possible collisions, analyze constructability and plan the deconstruction of a building and manage and maintain a building [2]. It provides key product and asset data and a geometrical model, which is used for effective information management throughout a project lifecycle. The nature, type, of a product and asset data stored within BIM solution will determine so called dimension of BIM solution. So call 4D BIM supports time and allows for scheduling whilst 5D data also support costing processes. 5D BIM software tools include cost estimation and scheduling features, and have capability to provide accurate and automated quantification and assist in significantly reducing variability in cost estimates [3]. According to Muzvimwe [4], 5D BIM technology will enable managers, planners and quantity surveyors to offer the opportunity to explore various scenarios, and provide stakeholders with resource loaded schedules, accurate cash-‐flow casts, and project risk analyses. In the context of HVAC equipment, 5D BIM platform can support not only the optimization of spatial solutions (clearance, mounting, arrangement) but embed technical information such as efficiency, outputs, warranties, service and maintenance requirements, etc. The interoperability of the BIM solution defines its level. Up until now the industry was using mainly BIM level 2 where data is attached to different tools and integration and information sharing at best happens via proprietary interfaces or bespoke middleware. BIM level 3 or or iBIM on the other hand assumes data integration by web services and compliant with IFC/IFD standards. According to the UK Government Softlandings scheme, progressively using BIM as a data management tool will assist the briefing process and ultimately, reduce cost and improve performance of asset delivery and operation [5]. However, many different research studies 2 [6,7,8,9,10] have drawn attention to the industry-‐wide problem, ‘performance gap’, whereas the operational energy use in buildings was determined to be significantly greater than design stage estimates. Techincal problems, poor management, commissioning and communication problems, and lack of fine-‐tuning of control settings were listed as of the common problems causing the ‘performance gap’ between design and operation stages. According to Brown et al [11], as the degree of specialisation increases within the project, the total number independent parties involved also increases. This in turn creates a challenge for stakeholders to complete the project as intended and increases the need for integrated design and management tools. According to Jordani [12] “Accurate information is a key factor in decision making. It’s not easy to synthesize the impacts from a stack of spreadsheets but good data married to 3D BIM makes the information actionable”. The provision of an accurate and complete dataset is required in any type of management and modelling tool supporting decision-‐making related to capital and operational expenditure [13]. Although product manufacturers have significant data about their products, this information is currently available in a variety of different formats, which creates a challenge for stakeholders [14]. Additionally, the type of information available in industry is often product-‐driven and almost completely lacking process-‐driven specifications. Since lack of accurate and reliable information may lead to ineffective maintenance and a significant reduction in product operational efficiency, BIM requires a system that can capture all relevant product and process driven information in a standard and structured manner [15]. Therefore, the main aim of this study is to develop a data-‐collection framework by identifying main attributes of various Heating, Ventilation and Air-‐Conditioning (HVAC) components, and assist industry practitioners to create a product database suitable for 5D BIM software solutions and reflecting current technology and standards. The potential outcomes of utilizing a product-‐specific, process-‐driven database can be listed as: Ø Increased accuracy of design stage assumptions Ø Information support for reliable and accurate commissioning and maintenance plans Ø Reduced financial risk through provision of reliable and accurate cost estimations Ø Enhance quick decision-‐making process and minimize project delivery time 3 Ø Minimized communication gaps within the project lifecycle and enhanced coordination among stakeholders 2. Development of the data-‐collection framework The proposed framework is created considering the key factors impacting the decision-‐
making process throughout the project lifecycle, including planning and design, installment, commissioning, operation and maintenance, and decommissioning stages. The framework is developed according to the project-‐based needs of stakeholders including clients, design teams, managers and contractors (see Figure 1). The project-‐based BIM perspective adapted to this study is further explained in the study of Jung and Joo [16]. The data attributes aim to insure the creation of the database with the following main characteristics: Ø Practical: To maximize its functional quality and efficiency Ø Comprehensive: To effectively share objectives of the product data-‐collection task and minimize and minimize error-‐prone data entry Ø Normalized: To provide transparency between performance specifications and testing standards of a product, and maximize reliability of the database Ø Concise: To ease the process of data collection and enable users to quickly identify the information provided Ø Structured: To ease the information management and analysis processes and maximize the functional quality As part of data base development process, a comprehensive survey of available resources was executed and the relationship between product specifications and processes were identified. The main resources that were reviewed include manufacturer literature, legislation and standards (including the requirements related to health and safety, environment, construction, commissioning and energy efficiency), various types of case studies published by organizations such as CIBSE, ASHRAE, BIM Task Group, BSRIA and UK Green Building Council, and state of the art relevant research outputs. 4 F IGURE 1 H VAC D ATA T EMPLATE D EVELOPMENT F RAMEWORK 5 2.1. Key attributes of data-‐collection framework The key attributes reflect the adopted holistic approach towards HVAC components impact and performance throughout asset’s life-‐cycle and are divided into four main impact categories: •
legislation and regulations, •
technical performance, •
environmental impact, and •
financial cost, as shown in Figure 2. Each category consists of different variables depending on the function of a product. Legislamon & Technical Regulamons Performance Env. impact Financial Cost F IGURE 1 U NIVERSAL D ATA A TTRIBUTES C ATEGORIES Some of the attributes will be relevant for more than one type of product’s impact. For example seasonal boiler efficiency, NOx emission rate, CO/CO2 ratio and control features will obviously describe its technical performance which in turn affects its environmental impact and can also be the subject of relevant legislations. In those situations, the attribute was assigned to a category where it has the most direct impact and/or had to comply with statutory requirements (see Appendix for the complete list of boiler attributes). 6 2.1.1 Legislation and Regulations The first attribute group, ‘Legislation and Regulations’, enables the collection of relevant information as set out by legislative requirements for environmental, financial and operational performance factors and, as shown in Figure 3. This attribute group is further is divided into three different sub-‐categories corresponding to different legislative levels: model-‐based, building-‐based and product-‐based. Model-‐based regulations are the requirements that are based on the format and structure of the database. The main idea behind model-‐based standards is to encourage the use of a common set of construction objects and classifications, and to provide an interoperable view of the critical information. Since different stakeholders use different kinds of software, model-‐based requirements enhance exchange of data in a particular format, and create the opportunity to use the software product of their choice. In the UK, data format should be structured as specified in British Standard 8541:2012 ‘Library for Architecture, Engineering and Construction’, and the Construction Operations Building Information Exchange (COBie) [17] currently sets the minimum requirements for data interoperability standards. It provides a standard data-‐collection method to be implemented throughout the design and construction process, as part of the deliverable package to the owner during commissioning and handover [18]. Main variables required by COBie format include manufacturer details, cost and environmental impact, operations and maintenance, and nominal performance details. The product specific requirements are currently available at COBie 2012 Template Repository of the UK BIM Task Group and are included in the data templates developed as part of this study.
7 F IGURE 3 T HE F RAMEWORK F OR A TTRIBUTES S ELECTION U NDER T HE C ATEGORY ‘ L EGISLATION A ND R EGULATIONS ’ The second category, ‘Building-‐based’, legislative attributes sub-‐category is driven by taking into account of the product-‐specific requirements that can only be met at the building-‐
scale. If stakeholders fail to comply with building regulations or to show evidence of relevant information at design stage, local authority will have enforcement powers to require alter the work [19]. For instance, according to Approved Document Part L [20], existing and new buildings should meet certain rating of energy efficiency at the design stage. Provision of variables such as product energy ratings, operational capacity and efficiency can enable stakeholders to complete a quick building-‐based compliance check, and minimize the amount of work carried out to specify the technical characteristics of installed products. Note that, installation and operation of building services systems are relatively complex processes. Failure to comply with statutory requirements might expose occupants and workers to the hazardous situations and might result in instances of severe injury and even loss of life [21]. Due to increasing volume of regulations and standards, the product database has a limited ability to cover all the requirements. However, the most critical statutory and legislative data variables that have tendency to impact the product selection and design process, and that can be declared by manufacturers are included in the data collection templates. For instance, Approved Part L Document sets minimum standards for seasonal boiler efficiency, which should 8 not be less than 82% in new buildings. Specification of the ‘Seasonal boiler efficiency (in accordance with National Calculation Method)’ can provide the opportunity to check compliance with Building Regulations and ease the process of ‘evidence-‐showing’ to Local Authorities and to any other third parties. The third category under ‘Legislation and Regulations’ covers the product-‐based requirements, which are based on sourcing of product materials and manufacturing processes, and which should be met by manufacturers. Similar to model-‐based requirements, these requirements are not considered as part of a typical project delivery process. However, in order to minimize the risk for health and safety problems, stakeholders are expected to choose the products that meet relevant standards. For example, according to Directive 93/68/EEC, the CE marking is a mandatory marking for certain products sold within the European Economic Area. This marking states that the product is able to meet safety, health and environmental protection standards [22]. The products requiring CE markings include but are not limited to: energy related products, boilers, pressure equipment, and simple pressure vessels. In other words, the majority of MEP products that are commonly used in buildings require CE marking. Similarly, as part of F-‐Gas Regulations [23], companies that receive supplies of f-‐gases (e.g. R134a, R407C, R410A etc) should be certified and all installed systems should have a label indicating the type of F-‐gas and the total quantity of F-‐gas installed in the unit. It is therefore essential to provide information related to manufacturing standards and certificates, which can show evidence of quality assurance and responsible sourcing of materials. However, as there is a large variety in types of HVAC products and manufacturing standards, this variable is included in the data templates with an ‘open-‐ended’ question format. Therefore, it will be expected from manufacturers to list all relevant standards that a particular product meets. 2.1.2. Performance Performance, a manner or quality of functioning, is based on two main categories: product characteristics and operating conditions. Whereas product related variables are subject to change depending on the function of a product, operating conditions always include the variables of operating limits, installation and commissioning specifications and as well as, 9 operation and maintenance specifications. As shown in Figure 4, ‘product characteristics’ includes variables such as thermal, acoustic and motor performance. These variables are likely to be utilized as part of a product selection process, while providing an opportunity to check if the particular product can meet all the design and operation requirements throughout the project lifetime. Thermal performance Product Characterismcs Acousmc performance Motor performance Performance Operamng limits Operamng Condimons Installamon and Commissioning speciﬁcamons Operamon and Maintenance speciﬁcamons F IGURE 4 T HE F RAMEWORK F OR A TTRIBUTES S ELECTION U NDER T HE C ATEGORY ‘ P ERFORMANCE ’ Note that product-‐testing conditions may vary depending on the manufacturer. According to Maykot et al [24], a fair performance comparison among different technologies is a relatively complex task. However, by identifying the boundary conditions, this comparison can become more realistic and reliable. In other words, the provision of testing conditions and standards -‐when applicable-‐ is essential to develop a normalized product database and to eliminate inaccuracies caused by the differences in manufacturer declarations. It is here recommended that HVAC data attributes for 5D BIM solutions contain optimum operating conditions (such as ambient air temperature, relative humidity etc). The provision of those type of attributes can maximize efficiency and service lifetime of a product, can also be included in the database in a structured format. While performance parameters can be used to examine operational performance of a system, variables of operational conditions can be 10 utilized to identify the suitable conditions required for optimum efficiency. As nominal output capacity of a product is dependent on operating conditions, nominal performance outputs are not likely to be achieved when certain product-‐specific operating conditions are not met (see Figure 5). For instance, in order for an active chilled beam to operate at its nominal conditions, a certain static pressure at the supply air inlet and a certain hydraulic pressure should be achieved. This type of information is not only relevant during ductwork and water flow system design, but it is equally important for commissioning and maintenance operations once the asset is in use. In other words, the provision of operating conditions of a particular product allows different stakeholders to minimize the risk through better understanding of operation conditions and existence of accurate process driven information. Idenmﬁcamon of product capacity and operamng condimons that are required Ensure that technical performance requirements wthin a system are met Ensure that the technical performance speciﬁcamons within a building are met Ensure that performance, cost and Mme targets are achieved throughout the project lifecyle F IGURE 5 D IFFERENT L EVELS A ND A SSOCIATED B ENEFITS I N U TILIZATION O F P ERFORMANCE A TTRIBUTES As indicated in a recent research study by Motowa and Almarshad [15], the lack of information and knowledge on operation and maintenance requirements of a product leads to ineffective maintenance, repeated mistakes, inefficient maintenance plan for other building elements. In other words, it prevents stakeholders from providing the operating conditions 11 required for a particular product and decreases overall operational efficiency of a building. In order to assist stakeholders developing accurate and reliable preventive operation and maintenance plans and minimize risk for failure, variables such as recommended maintenance period and services, cleaning method, and inspection period are included in the database. The provision of detailed and structured information on operation and maintenance requirements can help to maximize product service lifetime, and provides the opportunity to minimize the unexpected design and construction alterations that potentially increase the project expenditure and delivery time. 2.1.3. Environment and Sustainability Environmental awareness and sustainability have been becoming increasingly important in architecture, engineering and construction industry which is reflected in recent developments in mandatory and voluntary environmental assessment schemes. To develop a better understanding of environmental impact variables, the key attributes are divided into categories of pre-‐operation, operation and end-‐life, as shown in Figure 6. Pre-‐operamon Sourcing, manufacturing and delivery processes Emissions Environment and Sustainability Operamon Future-‐prooﬁng End-‐life Decommissionning and recycability F IGURE 6 T HE F RAMEWORK F OR A TTRIBUTES S ELECTION U NDER T HE C ATEGORY ‘ E NVIRONMENT A ND S USTAINABILITY ’ The first attribute, ‘Pre-‐operation’, covers all the processes from sourcing of materials until the delivery of the final product to the site. The main variables include material 12 specifications, delivery method, and location of manufacturing site etc. The most commonly used voluntary environmental assessment schemes such as BREEAM and LEED encourage the use of environmentally friendly and locally sourced materials. For instance, product specifications such as ‘global warming potential’, ‘ozone depletion potential’, and ‘manufacturer location’ are commonly requested from stakeholders as part of an environmental assessment application. The proposed integrated approach, where the most common environmental assessment requirements are embedded into the database without following any particular assessment scheme, increases the degree to which environmental parameters are important in the decision-‐making process. For instance, in such cases where BREEAM does not apply, global warming potential of a product can still be available in the database and increase its potential impact on the product selection process. This approach can provide knowledge pull from manufacturer-‐side and increase awareness of common environmental assessment parameters. The second category, ‘Operation’, includes the variables commonly relevant in the operational phase and performance specifications of a product with a particular focus on its environmental impact. When in operation, some HVAC products release various types of gases creating both short and long term impacts to indoor and outdoor environment. In order to enable different stakeholders to identify any unexpected changes in gas emission rates during the operational stage, nominal gas emission rate variables are included in the templates. This can enable the product database to provide a baseline where the test results can be compared with nominal values. For HVAC products using refrigerants, direct environmental impact variables, which are based on the characteristics of a particular product or refrigerant and can be declared by manufacturers, are also included in the templates. These variables can be listed as estimated annual leakage rate, refrigerant content and recycling factor of refrigerant. This reflects the fact that systems utilizing refrigerants have relatively high risk of leakage and of greater impact to environment and well-‐being of occupants. Another important attribute type in this category is related to ‘Future-‐proofing’ which generally covers risk and uncertainty management and issues related to lifecycle [25,26]. In this study, ‘future-‐proofing’ is only related to compatibility and design flexibility features of a 13 product. HVAC systems are designed according to certain assumptions made at design stage regarding building use and external factors such as climate, energy prices, etc. However, it is likely that some of these conditions will change over time making initial design stage assumptions invalid and potentially decreasing the efficiency of the implemented solutions. Therefore, the provision of attributes which describe product’s compatibility with other HVAC equipment types and its design flexibility can allow stakeholders to consider the range of feasible and practical solutions when faced with unforeseen changes in operating conditions. For example, a gas-‐fired hot water boiler is compatible with solar hot water heating systems, CHP systems and Building Management Systems. If the operating conditions considerably divert from the initial design requirements, instead of completely removing the whole HVAC system, providing solutions that are driven by taking into account compatibility features of individual HVAC elements can maximize the overall system service lifetime and reduce its lifecycle cost. The third attribute category is based on end-‐life specifications of a product. These attributes are there to provide relevant information on product recyclability, reusability and decommissioning requirements that should be met at the end of its service lifetime. The provision of end-‐life specifications is also essential to draw attention to potential risks of hazards related decommissioning process and to reduce amount of waste sent to landfills. 2.1.4. Financial cost The attributes related to financial cost consist of two main categories: life-‐cycle cost variables and financial incentives, which are available to owners upon purchasing a particular product (see Figure 7). The whole-‐life cycle costing is a process whereby the true-‐asset value can be assessed over its service life, and where judgments are not distorted by a short-‐term view about reducing initial capital cost [27]. Considering the fact that public sector purchasers are required to move towards whole-‐life cost based procurement, provision of key financial attributes in product database is critical to meet the needs of stakeholders. These financial variables include purchasing price of a product, installation and commissioning cost, maintenance cost, residual cost, availability of a product, and service lifetime. Due to the critical role of the financial factors in the decision-‐making process and 5D BIM software tool 14 requirements, it is absolutely essential to insure that databases cater for these type of attributes. Currently, there are only a few sources available for the typical maintenance costs [28]. Some variables of life cycle costs for specific systems cannot be accurately predicted and certain assumptions will likely to be made by manufacturers. Provision of unreliable cost assumptions might increase uncertainties and decrease database reliability. The current availability of exact attribute values and their reliability is beyond the scope of this paper. F IGURE 7 T HE F RAMEWORK F OR A TTRIBUTES S ELECTION U NDER T HE C ATEGORY ‘ F INANCIAL C OST ’ The second main attribute of this category covers the financial incentives provided by the government and/or manufacturers. Incentive schemes available in the industry provide various tax benefits and operation and maintenance services for eligible HVAC products. For example, the Enhanced Capital Allowances (ECA) developed by the government enables businesses to claim a 100% first year capital allowance on investments in certain energy saving equipment, against the taxable profits of the period of investment [29]. Similarly, the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme encourages uptake of renewable heat technologies [30]. This scheme supports certain air source heat pumps, biomass systems, ground source heat pumps and solar thermal technologies, whereas support rates vary depending on the technology installed. 15 Apart from the government-‐based incentives, manufacturers also provide certain incentives with respect to potential savings that can be made throughout the service lifetime of a product. These financial incentives provided by third bodies are likely to reduce payback time and therefore, impact the viability of investments. The attributes which could feature in contractual agreements are obviously relevant for BIM 5D solution. It should be noted that the BIM database has a limited capability to include contractual details of agreements, since there is a large variety in contractual variables and is relatively difficult to develop a standardized format. However, manufacturer URLs, reference numbers, agreement names can enable users to connect with external sources, where required information can be found. 3. Utilization of Data In order to develop a structured data collection framework, the main utilization variables that are associated with key attributes are identified. The a recent study of Jung and Joo [16] have identified the key utilization variables from project, organization and industry perspectives. Building upon their findings, in this study we specified the utilization of HVAC product data from a project-‐based standpoint. As shown in Figure 8, main utilization variables are divided into three main categories: 1. Definition, 2. Analysis, and 3. Coordination. The variables belonging to ‘definition’ category are used to describe the nature, properties and essential qualities of a component. This includes variables such as product dimensions, shape, type of materials, internal components, reference numbers etc. In other words, data fields classified as ‘definition’ enable users to quickly identify a product by simply determining its essential properties, and as well as to ease the product/component replacement process at the operation stage. 16 DeﬁniMon e.g: Product charaterismcs: Reference number, materials, dimensions, main components etc. Analysis CoordinaMon e.g: Performance speciﬁcamons: Thermal performance, acousmc performance, motor performance etc. e.g: Installamon and operamon requirements, contact informamon: Simng and installamon requirements, manufacturer details, emergency and safety speciﬁcamons F IGURE 8 A TTRIBUTES ’ U TILIZATION C ATEGORIES The second variable type ‘analysis’ is defined as the detailed examination of a component that separates a whole into its parts to discover their function. In this study, variable of ‘analysis’ enables project teams to assess performance of a product and to determine if certain requirements can be met throughout the project lifetime. For instance, thermal and acoustic performance parameters are utilized to examine operational performance of a product while they are not as critical to specify its essential characteristics. The third variable type, ‘coordination’, is defined as the organization of the different elements of a complex body or activity so as to enable them to work together effectively. Exchanging critical information within different disciplines (structural, architectural, construction, electrical engineering etc.) plays a key role in project delivery process. This category therefore aims at enabling users to establish effective communication with external and internal parties. Main coordination variables can be listed as installation and maintenance requirements, financial details, legislative requirements, manufacturer’s contact details etc. For instance, providing information on installment requirements of a particular product can help project teams to supply all the necessary equipment on time and on budget, and minimize risk for management clashes. 17 T ABLE 1 T HE P OTENTIAL R ELATIONSHIP B ETWEEN T HE K EY A TTRIBUTES A ND U TILIZATION C ATEGORIES However, it should be noted that significant differences in competence of stakeholders are seen as a barrier preventing from the effective transfer of information in a project development process [31]. In order to enable BIM database to enhance collaboration within different parties, it should show evidence of simplicity and transparency between its objectives and outcomes. Clear and concise description of each data field can help increasing the level of consistency and as well as, increasing efficiency of BIM tools. Jung and Joo [16] have developed a BIM framework focusing on the issues of practicability for real-‐word projects with considering attributes such as property, relation, standards, and utilization across different construction business functions throughout project, organization, and industry perspectives. In their study, utilization is divided into three main categories: maturity, morphology and implementation. While maturity consists of supply chain integration, analysis, coordination and visualization; implementation consists of strategy, policy, procedure, and manual, which are independent of each other. Considering the fact that in this study, the framework is developed from project-‐based standpoint with a particular focus on building services systems, the relationship between utilization variables and the key 18 attributes is determined to be dependent on project requirements and objectives. For example, in such cases where voluntary environmental assessment schemes apply, environmental performance requirements are utilized to assess operational performance of a component (analysis) and to provide evidence to external parties (coordination). On the other hand, when environmental assessment schemes are not considered as part of the development process, environmental performance variables are simply utilized to analyze the performance of a particular component/system. In other words, boundaries of utilization sub-‐variables are subject to change depending on the project brief and legislative requirements that apply. 4. Conclusion In this study, a data-‐collection framework compatible with BIM 5D software products requirements was developed from a project-‐based standpoint with a particular focus on building services systems. The main aim was to enable professional and research community to create a product database suitable for 5D BIM software tools. The selections of key attribute reflect the adopted holistic approach towards HVAC components impact and performance throughout asset’s life-‐cycle. The attributes are divided into four main impact categories: •
legislation and regulations, •
technical performance, •
environmental impact, and •
financial cost. The first attribute group, ‘Legislation and Regulations’, enables the collection of relevant information as set out by legislative requirements for environmental, financial and operational performance factors and, as shown in Figure 3. This attribute group is further is divided into three different sub-‐categories corresponding to different legislative levels: model-‐based, building-‐based and product-‐based. Model-‐based regulations are the requirements that are based on the format and structure of the database. The second category, ‘Building-‐based’, legislative attributes sub-‐category is driven by taking into account of the product-‐specific requirements that can only be met at the building-‐scale. The third category under ‘Legislation 19 and Regulations’ covers the product-‐based requirements, which are based on sourcing of product materials and manufacturing processes, and which should be met by manufacturers. Performance, a manner or quality of functioning, is based on two main categories: product characteristics and operating conditions. Whereas product related variables are subject to change depending on the function of a product, operating conditions always include the variables of operating limits, installation and commissioning specifications and as well as, operation and maintenance specifications. Environmental awareness and sustainability have been becoming increasingly important in architecture, engineering and construction industry which is reflected in recent developments in mandatory and voluntary environmental assessment schemes. The attributes related to financial cost consist of two main categories: life-‐cycle cost variables and financial incentives, which are available to owners upon purchasing a particular product. In order to develop a structured data collection framework, the main utilization variables that are associated with key attributes are identified as Definition, Analysis, and Coordination. The variables belonging to ‘definition’ category are used to describe the nature, properties and essential qualities of a component. This includes variables such as product dimensions, shape, type of materials, internal components, reference numbers etc. The second variable type ‘analysis’ is defined as the detailed examination of a component that separates a whole into its parts to discover their function. In this study, variable of ‘analysis’ enables project teams to assess performance of a product and to determine if certain requirements can be met throughout the project lifetime. For instance, thermal and acoustic performance parameters are utilized to examine operational performance of a product while they are not as critical to specify its essential characteristics. The third variable type, ‘coordination’, is defined as the organization of the different elements of a complex body or activity so as to enable them to work together effectively. Exchanging critical information within different disciplines (structural, architectural, construction, electrical engineering etc.) plays a key role in project delivery process. This category therefore aims at enabling users to establish effective communication with external and internal parties. Main coordination variables can be listed as 20 installation and maintenance requirements, financial details, legislative requirements, manufacturer’s contact details etc. The developed framework provides a standard product data collection format and covers attributes related to legislation and regulations, performance, environment and sustainability, and financial cost. The implementation of this framework can minimize the problems caused by the large variety in product-‐specific data and ultimately, to increase accuracy and reliability of datasets incorporated within BIM tools. The implementation of a structured and standard data collection framework, can allow stakeholders to provide all the necessary product specific information when needed, and minimize performance and knowledge gaps. The examples of developed attributes for the Passive chilled Beam Gas Boiler are presented in the Appendix. Acknowledgments The authors acknowledge support given by Amtech through Technology Strategy Board Innovation Voucher scheme. 21 Appendix: A sample data-‐collection template T ABLE 2 S CHEDULE O F P ASSIVE C HILLED B EAM Product Characteristics System Type Model Reference number Standard CE Registration Sustainability Standard Code Performance Grade IP Code Insulation Standard Class Heating/Cooling medium Controlled medium Type of water control system Integrated Lighting? Dimensions Limiting dimensions L x W x H Weight Limiting operating weight Weight when empty Water connection Pipe Connection Valve types Water -‐ Inlet size Water -‐ Outlet size Components Coil Type of the heating exchanger Coil length Coil width Number of rows Number of sections Water content -‐ Heating (If applicable) Water content -‐ Cooling Plenum Box Type of plenum box Model Dimensions Air Inlet Type of air inlet Model Dimensions L x H x W Air outlet Type Model Dimensions L x H x W mm kg kg mm mm mm mm l l mm mm 22 Utilization Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Angle of discharge Materials ° Casing Plenum Coil Condensate tray Insulation Inlet Outlet Finish Performance Thermal Performance Nominal Conditions Cooling @Entering water temperature @Leaving water temperature @Entering air temperature @Entering air wet bulb temperature @Water flow rate Heating -‐ If applicable @Entering water temperature @Leaving water temperature @Entering air dry bulb temperature @Water flow rate Power Maximum cooling output Minimum cooling output Maximum sensible cooling output Minimum sensible cooling output If applicable: Maximum heating output Minimum heating output Temperature Maximum supplied air temperature -‐ Cooling Minimum supplied air temperature -‐ Cooling Minimum surface temperature of beam If applicable: Maximum supplied air temperature -‐ Heating Minimum supplied air temperature -‐ Heating Maximum surface temperature of beam Pressure Nominal static pressure at air outlet Nominal hydraulic pressure drop Air Flow Rate Maximum air flow rate Minimum air flow rate Accuracy Acoustic Performance Noise rating NR Maximum sound power level Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Analysis Analysis Analysis Analysis Analysis Analysis Analysis Analysis Analysis Analysis Analysis Analysis Analysis Analysis Analysis Analysis Analysis Analysis Analysis °C °C °C °C l/s °C °C °C l/s kW kW kW kW kW kW °C °C °C °C °C °C Pa Pa m3/hr m3/hr % dBA 23 Analysis Analysis Analysis Analysis Analysis Analysis Analysis Analysis Analysis Analysis Type of sound attenuators Operating Conditions Safety controls Maximum air temperature Minimum air temperature Maximum relative humidity Minimum relative humidity Maximum entering water temperature Minimum entering water temperature Maximum water flow rate (Heating & Cooling) Minimum water flow rate (Heating & Cooling) Maximum working pressure of the coil Minimum working pressure of the coil Electrical Details Start current-‐maximum Run current-‐maximum (Full-‐Load) Frequency Phase Angle Phase reference Voltage Number of poles Has protective earth? Global Warming Potential Ozone Depletion Potential Installment Siting Free hanging? Minimum clearance top Minimum clearance bottom Minimum clearance left/right Limiting Ceiling height Estimated installation time On site installation work required by manufacturer Required labour Required installation equipment On site testing work required Required testing equipment O&M Ambient conditions Unfavourable conditions Test Pressure Accessibility Inspection Recommended inspection period Recommended inspection method Cleaning Recommended cleaning period Recommended cleaning method Maintenance services Definition °C °C % % °C °C l/s l/s Pa Pa A A Hz V Y/N GWP ODP mm mm mm m Analysis/Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination bar Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination 24 Coordination Analysis/Coordination Analysis/Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Recommended maintenance period Recommended maintenance method Emergency Alarms, warnings, and remote indicators required Compatibility Compatibility of the unit Controls Control Features End-‐life Decommissioning requirements Recyclable parts of the unit Name of the manufacturer Contact Address Email Address URL Delivery Times Warranty Additional accessories Documents Financial Details Capital Cost Estimated life time Estimated cost per maintenance Estimated lifetime cost of maintenance and services Estimated cost of installment and commissioning Estimated scrap value Financial incentives 25 Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Analysis/Coordination Analysis/Coordination Analysis/ Coordination Analysis/ Coordination Analysis/ Coordination Analysis/ Coordination Analysis/ Coordination T ABLE 3 S CHEDULE O F G AS F IRED B OILER Product Characteristics System Type Model Name Reference number CE Registration Standards Sustainability Standard Code Performance Grade IP Code Insulation Standard Class Primary fuel type Secondary fuel type Primary water content Ignition Internal heat gain from the boiler Shape Colour Dimensions Limiting dimensions (including burner) L x W x H Weight Limiting operating weight Weight when empty Connections Gas connection Water flow/return connections Pressure relief pipe Condensate drain Flue Connection Flue length Components Heat Exchanger Type Model Water content Quantity Burner Type Model Boiler turn down ratio Mode of operation Pump Type Model Available head Fan Type Utilization l kW mm kg kg mm mm mm mm mm m l m 26 Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition/Coordination Definition/Coordination Definition/Coordination Definition/Coordination Definition/Coordination Definition/Coordination Definition/Coordination Definition/Coordination Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Model Impeller type Impeller diameter Expansion vessel Type Model Capacity Condensate trap Type Model Dimensions Materials Casing Heat exchanger Pump Burner Expansion vessel Condense trap Performance Power Maximum output Minimum output Maximum input Nominal input Standby Power Usage Maximum Standing loss at rated output (%) Efficiency Guaranteed full load operating gross efficiency Guaranteed gross efficiency at 30% of maximum heat output Seasonal Boiler Efficiency Temperature Maximum water temperature Minimum water temperature Maximum flue gas temperature Minimum flue gas temperature Pressure Nominal working pressure Nominal primary fuel pressure at inlet Nominal secondary fuel pressure at inlet Flow rate Maximum DHW flow rate Nominal DHW flow rate Nominal gas flow rate Nominal water flow rate Acoustic Performance and Vibration Limiting Noise level Acoustic Shroud required (Yes/No) Anti-‐vibration mountings Operating Conditions mm l Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition Definition kW kW kW kW kW % % Analysis Analysis Analysis Analysis Analysis Analysis Analysis Analysis % Analysis % °C °C °C °C kPa kPa kPa l/m l/m m3/h m3/h dBA Analysis Analysis Analysis Analysis Analysis Analysis Analysis Analysis Analysis Analysis Analysis Analysis Analysis Analysis Analysis Analysis Analysis Analysis Analysis 27 Operating Limits °C °C % % °C °C l/s l/s Pa Pa bar bar bar bar Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination A Coordination Coordination V & Hz Coordination Hz Coordination Phase Angle Coordination Phase reference Coordination Number of poles Coordination Y/N Coordination Coordination mg/kWh ppm % GWP ODP Analysis/Coordination Analysis/Coordination Analysis/Coordination Analysis/Coordination Analysis/Coordination Analysis/Coordination Analysis/Coordination mm mm mm Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Maximum air temperature Minimum air temperature Maximum relative humidity Minimum relative humidity Maximum entering water temperature Minimum entering water temperature Maximum water flow rate Minimum water flow rate Maximum working pressure Minimum working pressure Maximum primary fuel pressure at inlet Minimum primary fuel pressure at inlet Maximum standby fuel pressure at inlet Minimum standby fuel pressure at inlet Electrical Details Run current-‐maximum (Full-‐Load) Phase Voltage Frequency Has protective earth? Burner Control panel door interlocked isolator Emissions and Environment Maximum NOx emission EN 438 NOx Class Maximum CO Level CO2 Percentage (after 5 minutes full load) CO/CO2 Ratio Global Warming Potential Ozone Depletion Potential Installment Siting Minimum clearance top Minimum clearance bottom Minimum clearance left/right On site installation work required by boiler manufacturer Required installation equipment Required labour On site testing work required Required testing equipment Estimated installation time O&M Ambient conditions 28 Unfavourable conditions Controller features Optimum operating hours Hydraulic test pressure Inspection Recommended inspection period Recommended inspection method Cleaning Recommended cleaning period Recommended cleaning method Maintenance Recommended maintenance period bar Recommended maintenance method Emergency Alarms, warnings, and remote indicators required Compatibility BMS interface requirements Warranty Documents provided Additional accessories Financial Details Capital Cost Estimated life time Estimated cost per maintenance Estimated lifetime cost of maintenance and services Estimated cost of installment and commissioning Estimated scrap value Financial incentives Coordination Coordination Coordination Compatibility with renewable systems End-‐life Decommissioning requirements Recyclable parts of boiler Manufacturer Details Name of the manufacturer Contact Address Email URL Delivery Times Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Coordination Analysis/Coordination Analysis/Coordination Analysis/Coordination Analysis/Coordination Analysis/Coordination Analysis/Coordination Analysis/Coordination 29 REFERENCES [1] National BIM Standard-‐US. 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markets-‐equipment.pdf (accessed 04 04, 2014). [24] Maykot, Reinaldo, Gustavo Weber, and Ricard Maciel. "Using the TEWI Methodology to Evaluate Alternative Refrigeration Technologies." Internation Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Conference. Indiana: Purdue University, 2004. 1-‐8. [25] Georgiadou, Christina. "Future-‐proofed Energy Design: Criteria and Application to the Code for Sustainable Homes." CIBSE ASHREA Technical Symposium. London, 2012. [26] Georgiadou, M.C., T. Hacking, and P. Guthrie. "A conceptual framework for future-‐proofing the energy performance of buildings." Energy Policy, 2011: 6608-‐6614. [27] CIBSE. TM30: Improved Lifecycle Performane of Mechanical Ventilation Systems. Norfolk: CIBSE, 2003. [28] CIBSE. Commissioning Code M: Commissioning Management. Norfolk: CIBSE, 2003. [29] DECC. What is the ECA scheme? 2013. etl.decc.gov.uk (accessed 01 12, 2014). [30] Energy Saving Trust. Renewable Heat Incentive. 2013. www.energysavingtrust.org.uk (accessed 01 12, 2014). [31] Jensen, Per Anker. "Design Integration of Facilities Management: A Challenge of Knowledge Transfer." Architectural Engineering and Design Management 5 (2009): 124-‐135. 31