Transaction ontology in the domain of infrastructure management

Information exchange processes (referred to as transactions) in the AEC/FM (architecture, engineering, construction and facility management) industry are mostly manual and performed on an ad hoc basis. There is a growing trend towards computer-based exchange of information. This allows for more extensive, rapid, and error-free exchange of information, but it requires more formal specifications and agreements to govern these data exchanges. This research focuses on the development of an ontology-supported protocol for formalizing these data exchanges. As part of the development effort, this paper describes a taxonomy of transactions and messages. The knowledge represented in the ontology is evaluated and potential areas of application of the ontology are identified using an industry IT survey.