Friday 6 June 2025 12:00pm to 1:30pm
Seminar Room, Civil Engineering Building, University of Cambridge
About
We are delighted to welcome Dr Pieter Pauwels, Associate Professor from the Eindhoven Artificial Intelligence Systems Institute at Eindhoven University of Technology to deliver a talk on Providing Access to Building Data on a Global Web Scale: From Past to Future.
Abstract
Buildings, and built infrastructure in general, are notoriously difficult to digitize, mainly because of (1) a diversity of 3D modelling software and techniques, (2) a diversity in data formats (e.g. point clouds, 3D models, pictures, documents, telemetry data), and (3) a diversity of stakeholders with different access rights. As a result, building data is very difficult to retrieve and get access to, let alone in the correct format and quality. In this presentation, an overview will be given of efforts to move these structured data into the world wide web, and enable better building data access. Topics included are the Industry Foundation Classes, ontologies and graph databases, data integration versus system integration, multiple kinds of 3D shape, data spaces, and decentralized access control.
Bio
Dr. Ir.-Arch. Pieter Pauwels (PhD, 2012) works as an Associate Professor in Building Information Modelling at the Department of the Built Environment at TU Eindhoven. He has a wide range of interests in the use of digital technologies for information system support throughout the building life-cycle: architectural design, engineering, construction, building operation. He has a long-standing research track in Building Information Modelling and Linked Building Data, yet is also committed to topics like AI in construction, design thinking, circularity, infrastructure engineering, 3D geometry, parametric modelling, generative AI and semantic web technologies. Besides research and teaching, he is Board member for the European Council for Computing in Construction (EC3) and an Associate Editor for Automation in Construction.