Data Modeling Issues in Simulating the Dynamic Processes in Life Cycle Analysis of Buildings

Typically, in simulating the dynamic processes in buildings, data modelling efforts require the modellingof the building geometry, its components and the relationship between these components, as well asthe modelling of the process that is under study. For example, in simulating the life cycle of a building,one must simulate the flow of materials as well as the flow of information as part of the processmodelling, while a component model is needed to represent the building as an artifact. A third aspect ofthis modelling effort constitutes the simulation of human intervention, i.e. the decision process that mightaffect the nature of the building itself as well as the process that acts upon it. For example, the decisionto remodel a certain component clearly affects both the component itself as well as the process ofaging, when life cycle of buildings is simulated. This paper looks at the data modelling requirements ofthe simulation of building life cycle within the context of the three parameters mentioned above: datamodel for buildings, process models and decision models. Temporal issues in data modelling, such asversioning for components, keeping track of data that are related to change and remodelling, andbuildings as temporal-spatial entities for life cycle analysis purposes are also addressed