BI & Data Science for architects. ‘The Building Data Library’: an online platform to share and analyse building data

Abstract

Data-driven design processes have been increasingly implemented in the training of new generations of architects and have been focused on BIM (Building Information Modeling) both to create and manage building documentation and in parametric design tools to generate complex geometries. At the same time the ability to collect data across the building life-cycle is exponentially growing but, although this digital data management could improve the design quality of buildings in terms of operational performance and user experience, there is still a lack of architects trained in integration and data analytics. 'The Building Data Library', an online platform of analytical 3D models of buildings, tries to solve this issue by applying Business Intelligence (BI) and Data Science (DS) tools to promote digital data management in order to make informed decisions beyond our own expertise and intuition. These kinds of databases will play a paramount role in a near future where Machine Learning (ML) will lead to the automation of many design processes.