An integrated framework for automatic green building evaluation: A case study of China

With the burgeoning emphasis on sustainable construction practices in China, the demand for green building assessment has significantly escalated. The overall evaluation process comprises two key components: The acquisition of evaluation data and the evaluation of green scores, both of which entail considerable time and effort. Previous research predominantly concentrated on automating the latter process, often neglecting the exploration of automating the former in accordance with the Chinese green building assessment system. Furthermore, there is a pressing requirement for more streamlined management of structured standard knowledge to facilitate broader dissemination. In response to these challenges, this paper presents a conceptual framework that integrates building information modeling, ontology, and web map services to augment the efficiency of the overall evaluation process and the management of standard knowledge. More specifically, in accordance with the Assessment Standard for Green Building (GBT 50378-2019) in China, this study innovatively employs visual programming software, Dynamo in Autodesk Revit, and the application programming interface of web map services to expedite the acquisition of essential architectural data and geographic information for green building assessment. Subsequently, ontology technology is harnessed to visualize the management of standard knowledge related to green building assessment and to enable the derivation of green scores through logical reasoning. Ultimately, a residential building is employed as a case study to validate the theoretical and technical feasibility of the developed automated evaluation conceptual framework for green buildings. The research findings hold valuable utility in providing a self-assessment method for applicants in the field.