Interoperability

Interoperability is original form computer world and it describes the extent to which systems and devices can exchange data, and interpret that shared data. For two systems to be interoperable, they must be able to exchange data and subsequently present that data such that it can be understood by a user. No single computer application can support all of the tasks associated with building design and production. Interoperability depicts the need to pass data between applications, allowing multiple types of experts and applications to contribute to the work at hand.

For intelligent building, the design and construction of a building is a team activity and increasingly, each activity and each type of specially is support and augmented by its own computer applications. in order to analysis those issues such structural and energy analyses and material layout, the interoperability identifies the need to pass data between applications, and for multiple applications to jointly contribute to the work at hand. Interoperability also eliminates the need to replicate data input that has already been generated, and facilitates smooth workflows and automation. In the same way that architecture and construction are collaborative activities, so too are the tools that support them. in the same time, the interoperability shorten the duration to generate another set of data instead of interoperating other existing database. 

the principle of interoperability is data exchange and share. Data exchanges between two applications are typically carried out in one of the four main ways. 1. direct, proprietary links between specific BIM tools. 2. proprietary file exchange formats, primarily dealing with geometry. 3. public product data model exchange formats. 4. XML-based exchange formats.

in building or bridge industry, the interoperability is an common concept and terminology. Through its Building Technologies Office (BTO), the United States Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (DOE-EERE) is sponsoring an effort to advance interoperability for the integration of intelligent buildings equipment and automation systems, understanding the importance of integration frameworks and product ecosystems to this cause. This is important to BTO’s mission to enhance energy efficiency and save energy for economic and environmental purposes. For connected buildings ecosystems of products and services from various manufacturers to flourish, the ICT aspects of the equipment need to integrate and operate simply and reliably. Within the concepts of interoperability lie the specification, development, and certification of equipment with standards-based interfaces that connect and work. Beyond this, a healthy community of stakeholders that contribute to and use interoperability work products must be developed.

As intelligent building, it should have certain communication to the surrounding environment. such as how this building will affect the whole society and how surrounding population contributed to the buildings. no different than those techniques like 3D printing and robotic construction. 3D printing is advanced science that using automation and programming technique. also, the robotic control require advanced program and controlling. if engineers can combine these two techniques and use for construction application which is progressing, it is a such evolution for construction field. 

Although interoperability goals and objectives are highly dependent upon the requirements of specific connectivity interfaces, general characteristics or indicators of highly interoperable connectivity have been identified by the GWAC’s IMM. For intelligent building field, there are some general interoperability goals. for example, technical goals that correspond the structure and format of information exchange are define and management of a network between interacting parties is aligned. also, the operation and performance goal incorporate common understanding of quality of service, time, and scheduling exists. moreover, performance and reliability expectation are defined within operation and performance goal.

http://bgintegration.pnnl.gov/pdf/BuildingLandscapeReport.pdf

Eastman, Charles M. BIM handbook: a guide to building information modeling for owners, managers, designers, engineers and contractors. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2011. Web. 19 Jan. 2017.

Peer Comments:
https://ae-410-510-ay16-17.blogspot.com/2017/01/b2-group-b-week-2-blog-post-chris-sager.html

1. Chris talked about the interoperability in the computer language field such as EXPRESS language and the design software such Autodesk and 3D geometry model. also, he brought the BIM handbook to introduced and discussed the topic of interoperability. it is good include all the parties such as owners, engineers and contractor. it is very important to share the different perspectives from different stand points. it is a really implication of interoperability in the really world.

https://ae-410-510-ay16-17.blogspot.com/2017/01/b2-interoperability-paulina-gawor.html
2. in Paulina's blog post, she covered three topic which are introduction of interoperability, consequence of poor interoperability costs and challenges in achieving interoperability. however, there are some limited information about the application and benefit about the interoperability. she focused on more about the theory side instead of real world application. in really word construction , the interoperability plays the vital role about sharing the information. the as-built data is very necessary information for similar construction. for example, it save plenty of time to run again the geotechnical investigation for the soil condition for foundation. the contractor could use previous investigation for surrounding building.