Periodic Reporting for period 1 - DigiChecks (Digital environment for management of permits and compliance in building and construction)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2022-06-01 al 2023-11-30
The aim of DigiChecks is creating and demonstrating a new Digital Framework that allows interoperability and communication between platforms, based on technologies and international initiatives to facilitate the management of construction permits, including compliance checks.
DigiChecks proposes to build a digital framework that implements the following steps to overcome the challenges mentioned and pave the way to a more streamlined approach to manage and process permits:
- Step 1: Standardized Permit Ontology. The first step is to create a shared language for permitting. This language, formalized in a permit ontology, enables the framework to map data from various sources into a common structure and make it processable by a computer in a repeatable manner.
- Step 2: Digitizing Permit Processes. To deal with the many different actors and their respective processes for permitting, DigiChecks proposes to develop a tool, based on OMG standards, where these actors can model their processes into DigiChecks. These process models can be updated and or removed when the processes change.
- Step 3: Building Permit Rules. DigiChecks’ proposed solution contains the ability for permitting authorities to build you’re their own ‘rules’. These rules are used as a base for an automated compliancy checker.
- Step 4: Integration of the previous steps into a Permit Service (API). To transform the solution into a service, DigiChecks combines steps one (Permit Ontology), two (Permit Process) and three (Permit Rules) into a service offered through an (Open) API.
The ultimate objective of the solution is to provide flexibility, ease-of-use and efficiency to the permit validation and approval system in the construction project environments. A solution framework is thus required that allows - regardless of the country, region or municipality -, an easy interoperability with the tools commonly used in construction. The use of the DigiChecks framework does not imply a change in the processes, but rather effectively implements a new form of exchanging information between the different actors involved in a permit procedure.
With the development of this framework and the validation of a pre-defined business case (platform), configured on it for 3 different pilots in collaboration with the stakeholders of the Consortium, it is expected to give rise to applications capable of revolutionizing digitalization of permits and compliance in construction and speeding-up regulatory changes that will ease their implementation in large scale construction sites in the European Union
The achievement of the DigiChecks’ objectives, in combination with dissemination and exploitation activities and a clear path to market introduction impact, will lead make feasible the easy integration of digital permits and compliance checks within the construction processes, enhancing the use of digital technologies under a non-intrusive perspective. This flexibility of the DigiChecks Framework, focused on agnostic but standardized and controlled data exchange is the key to the project’ contribution for supporting the transformation of the sector and its growth, improving efficiency of construction.
DigiChecks proposes to build a digital framework that implements the following steps to overcome the challenges mentioned and pave the way to a more streamlined approach to manage and process permits:
- Step 1: Standardized Permit Ontology. The first step is to create a shared language for permitting. This language, formalized in a permit ontology, enables the framework to map data from various sources into a common structure and make it processable by a computer in a repeatable manner.
- Step 2: Digitizing Permit Processes. To deal with the many different actors and their respective processes for permitting, DigiChecks proposes to develop a tool, based on OMG standards, where these actors can model their processes into DigiChecks. These process models can be updated and or removed when the processes change.
- Step 3: Building Permit Rules. DigiChecks’ proposed solution contains the ability for permitting authorities to build you’re their own ‘rules’. These rules are used as a base for an automated compliancy checker.
- Step 4: Integration of the previous steps into a Permit Service (API). To transform the solution into a service, DigiChecks combines steps one (Permit Ontology), two (Permit Process) and three (Permit Rules) into a service offered through an (Open) API.
The ultimate objective of the solution is to provide flexibility, ease-of-use and efficiency to the permit validation and approval system in the construction project environments. A solution framework is thus required that allows - regardless of the country, region or municipality -, an easy interoperability with the tools commonly used in construction. The use of the DigiChecks framework does not imply a change in the processes, but rather effectively implements a new form of exchanging information between the different actors involved in a permit procedure.
With the development of this framework and the validation of a pre-defined business case (platform), configured on it for 3 different pilots in collaboration with the stakeholders of the Consortium, it is expected to give rise to applications capable of revolutionizing digitalization of permits and compliance in construction and speeding-up regulatory changes that will ease their implementation in large scale construction sites in the European Union
The achievement of the DigiChecks’ objectives, in combination with dissemination and exploitation activities and a clear path to market introduction impact, will lead make feasible the easy integration of digital permits and compliance checks within the construction processes, enhancing the use of digital technologies under a non-intrusive perspective. This flexibility of the DigiChecks Framework, focused on agnostic but standardized and controlled data exchange is the key to the project’ contribution for supporting the transformation of the sector and its growth, improving efficiency of construction.
The main achievements of the project are the definition of the standard framework and the design of the framework, which have been completed.
For the definition of the standard framework, several permitting processes in different European Countries have been analyzed, in order to converge on common patterns for its use in the rest of the project. Then the main categories of data/information involved in the process were identified, helping to the final definition of the requirements considered for the design and development of the DigiChecks’ framework.
About the design of the framework, the work has been focused on the design of the framework architecture and the interfaces between the main components, besides the design of the compliance checks’ automatization, the definition of the compliancy engine and the definition and design of the AI functionalities and models to be integrated in the permit building processes.
Other important works carried out are:
- The design of the first version of the permit ontology, ensuring that the framework is built with complete semantic interoperability in mind, being able to integrate the developed services with other platforms or systems.
- The privacy metrics development and the design of the privacy protocols, with subsequent design of the cloud infrastructure for DataSpace cloud principles.
- It has started the work about the development of the DigiChecks framework, beginning with the configuration of the cloud infrastructure, achieving important advancements in the set-up of the environment and the virtual machines needed for the DigiChecks machines provision.
- The development and THE demonstration of the business case have recently started, having completed the summary of the design of the subprocesses for the actors involved in the pilot projects, and starting other tasks such as the integration of the different components, the integration of BIM data/models within the DTwin platform, and the definition of the KPIs expected for the Wales Pilot Project.
For the definition of the standard framework, several permitting processes in different European Countries have been analyzed, in order to converge on common patterns for its use in the rest of the project. Then the main categories of data/information involved in the process were identified, helping to the final definition of the requirements considered for the design and development of the DigiChecks’ framework.
About the design of the framework, the work has been focused on the design of the framework architecture and the interfaces between the main components, besides the design of the compliance checks’ automatization, the definition of the compliancy engine and the definition and design of the AI functionalities and models to be integrated in the permit building processes.
Other important works carried out are:
- The design of the first version of the permit ontology, ensuring that the framework is built with complete semantic interoperability in mind, being able to integrate the developed services with other platforms or systems.
- The privacy metrics development and the design of the privacy protocols, with subsequent design of the cloud infrastructure for DataSpace cloud principles.
- It has started the work about the development of the DigiChecks framework, beginning with the configuration of the cloud infrastructure, achieving important advancements in the set-up of the environment and the virtual machines needed for the DigiChecks machines provision.
- The development and THE demonstration of the business case have recently started, having completed the summary of the design of the subprocesses for the actors involved in the pilot projects, and starting other tasks such as the integration of the different components, the integration of BIM data/models within the DTwin platform, and the definition of the KPIs expected for the Wales Pilot Project.
The Key Exploitable Results will be obtained during the next Periodic Report, where it will be analysed the further needs to ensure the further uptake and success.
During the development of the Work Package where the validation of the business case takes place, the pilots deployment shall provide the different KPIs to achieve which are directly related to the European Building Permits. The tasks related with each pilot validation will produce these KPIs in accordance with the permits that are working.
The strategy to generate these outcomes involved the different stakeholders. Interviews with applicants and approvers describing the actual problems and challenges for their Building Permits will give DigiChecks a first approach of the KPIs to achieve.
Once DigiChecks is developed in the pilot project, stakeholders will check the platform and validate the KPIs described in the early stage. DigiChecks shall accomplish with the outcomes proposed.
During the development of the Work Package where the validation of the business case takes place, the pilots deployment shall provide the different KPIs to achieve which are directly related to the European Building Permits. The tasks related with each pilot validation will produce these KPIs in accordance with the permits that are working.
The strategy to generate these outcomes involved the different stakeholders. Interviews with applicants and approvers describing the actual problems and challenges for their Building Permits will give DigiChecks a first approach of the KPIs to achieve.
Once DigiChecks is developed in the pilot project, stakeholders will check the platform and validate the KPIs described in the early stage. DigiChecks shall accomplish with the outcomes proposed.