Richard N. Wright

Expressing standards for computer-aided building design☆

Abstract This article discusses a set of techniques for expressing and organizing the contents of building design standards, and suggests that application of these techniques, in conjunction with a restructuring of data flow strategies within CABD (computer-aided building design) software systems, are needed to reduce the effort and cost required to maintain CABD systems applicable and current. The article stresses application of these techniques to analysing the clarity, consistency, and completeness of existing building design standards, and to developing new standards. The SASE (Standards Analysis, Synthesis, and Expression) software system, a convenient implementation of the techniques, is presented. The method of use of standards represented by these techniques within a CABD environment is discussed as are implications of the logical expression of standards for constructing expert systems for the building process.

Standards media and methods

The global marketplace and advances in information technologies are leading to great changes in standards. These include growing reliance on international standards, new standards-development techniques, and new media and environments in which standards are expressed. Both general and project-specific information are being stored in and accessed from distributed, electronic, object-oriented databases. Standards available from general-purpose information systems will be capable of accessing and processing data to evaluate compliance with their provisions. Such standards will be convenient and efficient: input data will be accessed automatically from pertinent fields of the general and project-specific databases; results of evaluations will be recorded automatically in the project-specific database and used in decisions affecting design, construction or operation of constructed facilities. Major uses of standards will be associated with computer-aided systems and major revenues from uses of standards will accrue to systems developers and users. Standards-developing organizations should respond to this marketplace by themselves producing standards in the form of executable objects. Computer aids can assist in the formulation and expression of standards that are complete in coverage of the intended scope, consistent and unambiguous in their logic, and correct in reproducing the intent of the formulators.

Computers in buildings, building and building research

Advances in technologies of electronic computation are revolutionising practices in all phases of building including design, on-site construction and end use. These advances have potential for increasing the usefulness, safety and economy of buildings. However, vigorous, well-focused research is required to achieve these potential benefits and to avoid potential problems. Some current research, development and applications are cited to illustrate the advances in building practices that electronic computation can provide. Expectations are presented for computer-integrated building practices. Research, in traditional and in new areas, required to realise these expectations is described. The International Council for Building Research, Studies and Documentation can help the worldwide building community realise the potential of electronic computation for the improvement of buildings and building practices.