Protocol to manage heritage-building interventions using heritage building information modelling (hbim)

Resumen

Heritage architectural projects involve collaborative work between different stakeholders, e.g. architects, engineers, archaeologists, historians, restorers, managers, etc. Traditionally, each discipline works independently, generating dispersed data. The workflow in historic architecture projects presents problems related to the lack of clarity of processes, dispersion of information, and the use of outdated tools. Different heritage organisations have showed interest in innovative methods to resolve those problems. Building Information Modelling (BIM) has emerged as a suitable computerised system to improve the management of heritage projects. BIM application to historic buildings, named Heritage Building Information Modelling (HBIM), has shown benefits in managing heritage projects. The HBIM literature highlights the need for further research in terms of the overall processes of heritage projects, its practical implementation, the need of simplifying the laborious modelling task, and need for better standards of cultural documentation. This investigation aims to develop a protocol for heritage project processes using HBIM and an online work platform prototype where interdisciplinary stakeholders can unify and synchronise heritage information. Design Science Research (DSR) is adopted to develop this protocol. Research techniques used include documentary analysis, case studies, semi-structured interviews, participative workshop, and focus groups. An analysis of HBIM processes and a study of heritage stakeholders' requirements were performed through documentary analysis and semi structured interviews with stakeholders involved with relevant monuments. HBIM is proposed as the virtual model which will hold heritage data and will articulate processes. As a result, a simple and visual HBIM protocol, BIMlegacy, was developed. It is divided in eight steps and it contemplates all the stakeholders involved. BIMlegacy was applied in the Fixby Hall case study and its results were evaluated in a workshop with interdisciplinary stakeholders. An online work platform prototype, also named BIMlegacy, was developed, where interdisciplinary stakeholders can unify and synchronise heritage information. This innovative in-cloud system connects the intrinsic HBIM software database with heritage documentary databases using a Revit Autodesk Plug-in, a web Application Program Interface, a Structured Query Language server, and a web portal. BIMlegacy is an online platform to facilitate working but also a cultural diffusion web where general visitors can access to the information of the monuments. The BIMlegacy protocol and platform were implemented in two case studies Fixby Hall in Huddersfield (United Kingdom) and San Juan del Hospital in Valencia (Spain). BIMlegacy and the results of San Juan project were revealed in a workshop and in a focus group with external professionals for its evaluation. This research contributes within the theoretical knowledge highlighting modelling issues that were unknown before, benefits of using HBIM (a.e. the use of online platforms, filtering the information in HBIM database systems, the integration of cultural divulgation with HBIM) and needs in terms of implementing HBIM in practice such as the importance to have a simple and intuitive protocol to be useful and that the non-designer stakeholders require specific HBIM training. The practical contributions are the creation of the BIMlegacy protocol with the list of stakeholders and processes, the design of the BIMlegacy platform with the synchronisation of information in real time allowing the non-technical stakeholders to actively participate in HBIM models, the use of HBIM as management system, and the benefit for society and local communities since the rigorous information uploaded by professionals will be accessible to the public.