A top-down approach to integrating the building process

Many computer-aided tools have been developed to assist designers, engineers, and managers with specific well-defined functions, yet they are not well integrated. This paper develops the need for an information architecture to integrate the processes and subsequent software used throughout the life of a building. It then defines a process model of the functions required to provide a facility to the end user, namely, managing, planning, designing, constructing, and operating the facility. This process model implies that the proposed information architecture must support the life-cycle process, effectively capture knowledge, and act as an integrator of industry accepted decision-making tools. Finally, a knowledge-based approach to implementing the information architecture is propsed.