A building-code compliance verification system

Abstract

Computer Systems have revolutionized tasks Professionals undertake every day to perform their jobs. The Computer Aided Design, CAD, software, which overtook pen and paper as the tool of choice for Architects and Draftsmen, marks itself as one such innovation in the Construction Industry. CAD software eventually transformed itself into Building Information Modeling Software which can represent more accurately the different properties of a building. However, nowadays these designs still need to be manually verified by overburdened Inspectors for compliance to the Building Codes required by different Jurisdictions. This Dissertation proposes a system that builds upon Open Data Standards used in different Building Information Model Software to automate the process of Building Code Compliance verification. A brief investigation of the mechanisms that will be used in this system that are available or currently being developed is given. Tools are designed that allow the user to create and maintain a Rule Base with the necessary regulations and extract information from the Building Model, stored in different Open Formats. An evaluation of the issues that similar systems need to overcome in order to achieve the required functionality is also provided.