Changfeng Fu

The development of an IFC‐based lifecycle costing prototype tool for building construction and maintenance: Integrating lifecycle costing to nD modelling

Purpose – This paper intends to focus on interoperability issues in IT‐based the lifecycle costing (LCC) applications and on improving LCC decision making based on cost performances of various options of constructing techniques and materials, excluding energy calculations.Design/methodology/approach – This project mainly is an IT development project based on industry foundation classes (IFC) models. The LCC tool is fully compliant with the system architecture of the nD modelling tool, and is based on the integrated nD modelling interfaces, which are IFC compliant and integrated with an interactive virtual reality environment. The functions of the LCC tool also provide integrated costs, database management and automatic calculations of some complicated LCC algorithms.Findings – The advantages identified are as follows: First, this IFC‐based LCC tool demonstrates the interoperable delivery of building design information across different CAD systems. Second, the development techniques adopted in this case ar...

An IFC‐based space analysis for building accessibility layout for all users

An accessible or inclusive building design does not disable any user; it should enable the independent and equal use of a facility by all. With the introduction of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA), the consideration of issues such as access and inclusive design become even more important. Space analysis is an important aspect of the current accessibility assessment. Existing space analysis techniques, such as space syntax, have tackled the local and global accessibility of a building layout using graph theory. However, there are difficulties in the automatic transfer of design information from architectural drawings into a space analysis tool. With the recent development of the building information model and Industry Foundation Classes (IFCs), it is now possible to automate the transfer process. This paper demonstrates the automation process and how it can be used in accessibility analysis.