Diagnosing window problems: Building an expert system

AT IRC we have built an expert system, called WINDEKS, for diagnosing problems with windows. The program remains a research tool to discover and document knowledge based system (KBS) development methods particular to building science. The window diagnostic system illustrates many of the characteristics of expert system development for the building industry, from knowledge acquisition through knowledge representation to final verification of the knowledge-base and deployment. This system was developed on a specialized computer, but was ported to a micro-computer environment. This paper describes the possible forms and applications of expert systems in the construction indstry, and illustrates the development of a knowledge-based system using WINDEKS as an example.A l'IRC, nous avons concu un syst\ue8me expert, appel\ue9 WINDEKS, pour diagnostiquer les probl\ue8mes reli\ue9s aux fen\ueatres. Le programme demeure un outil de recherche visant \ue0 d\ue9couvrir et documenter des m\ue9thodes d'\ue9laboration de syst\ue8mes \ue0 base de connaissances adapt\ue9s \ue0 la science du b\ue2timent. Le syst\ue8me de diagnostic des probl\ue8mes de fen\ueatres illustre nombre de caract\ue9ristiques d'\ue9laboration d'un syst\ue8me expert pour l'industrie du b\ue2timent, de la saisie des donn\ue9es jusqu'\ue0 l'implantation en passant par la repr\ue9sentation des connaissances et la v\ue9rification finale de la base de donn\ue9es. Ce syst\ue8me a \ue9t\ue9 \ue9labor\ue9 sur un ordinateur sp\ue9cialis\ue9 mais a \ue9t\ue9 adapt\ue9 \ue0 un micro-ordinateur. Ce document d\ue9crit les formes et applications possibles des syst\ue8mes experts dans l'industrie de la construction, ainsi que l'\ue9laboration d'un syst\ue8me \ue0 base de connaissances utilisant WINDEKS comme mod\ue8le.Peer reviewed: YesNRC publication: Ye