Integrating Building-Scale and Geospatial Tools

elementslab developed methods for converting building models from multiple different software formats into the CityGML standard, and examined the implications of CityGML’s levels of detail (LOD) for building and urban energy simulation.

Project Profile

Sponsor
Natural Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC)
Esri Canada

elementsLab Team
Sheryl Staub-French
Ronald Kellett
Jon Salter
Victor Ngo
Yunpiao Bai
Nicole Sylvia
Daniel Espinosa

Esri Canada Team
Brent Hall
Krista Amolins
Michael Luubert

In the built environment, planning for sustainability requires integration of multiple disciplines across phases (from project initiation to deconstruction) and scales (from building systems to whole cities). The IDEASS project developed conceptual frameworks and methods for this integration. This NSERC Engage project, in partnership with Esri Canada, more narrowly focused on the integration of discipline-specific tools for the representation of the built environment.

This project developed methods for converting from multiple representation formats (e.g. BIM, CAD, SketchUp, 3D Studio, GIS) into the CityGML city modeling standard and subsequently into Esri’s 3D City Information Model (3DCIM). The purpose of this integration was to improve the availability of building data at all phases and scales of design, development, construction and operations.

The integration of these tools was explored through a lens of building and urban-scale energy simulation. In particular, the project focused on the relationships between CityGML’s representational Levels of Detail (LOD) and the requirements of different energy simulation tools. This short six-month research project provided a technical basis for subsequent built environment energy and emissions research in both the NSERC Engage Plus and Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions’ Energy Efficiency in the Built Environment projects.