Periodic Reporting for period 3 - SPHERE (Service Platform to Host and SharE REsidential data)
Reporting period: 2021-11-01 to 2022-10-31
SPHERE is a 4-year H2020 project providing a BIM (Building Information Model) -based Digital Twin Platform to optimise the building lifecycle, reduce costs and improve energy efficiency in buildings.
SPHERE has developed a set of tools and services integrated in a platform based on BIM models facing construction projects (both refurbishment and new construction actions) which are helping to achieve a reduction of both European building sector's construction and operation energy efficiency, reducing overall CO2 emissions as well as costs.
This is a critical issue in achieving European objectives regarding Greenhouse Gases (GHG) emission reductions from 2030 to 2050.
SPHERE project, in a nutshell, has developed and provided the following:
- A Platform as a Service (PaaS): An underlying ICT Systems of Systems infrastructure to allow large scale data, information and knowledge integration and synchronization.
- Vertical process integration: During any building lifecycle phase, different stakeholders are able to interact with this BIM based Digital Twin model and information through a scalable set of different software tools.
- Building specifications and Real Time data: Seamless and efficient updating based on IDDS framework (Integrated Design and Delivery Services), where any action can be analysed in a virtual environment prior to physical implementation and consequent expenses.
- User Centered Design (UCD): To accelerate market uptake and social acceptance in order to help promote standards and policy that paves the way for a more extended use of ICT-tools in building design, construction and operations.
- Integration into a Digital Twin Environment (DTE): Digital Twin with the reality helps significantly in decision-making during each phase of the whole building’s lifespan, increasing collaboration and reducing inefficiencies, while improving the energy efficiency and reducing time and costs.
SPHERE has developed a set of tools and services integrated in a platform based on BIM models facing construction projects (both refurbishment and new construction actions) which are helping to achieve a reduction of both European building sector's construction and operation energy efficiency, reducing overall CO2 emissions as well as costs.
This is a critical issue in achieving European objectives regarding Greenhouse Gases (GHG) emission reductions from 2030 to 2050.
SPHERE project, in a nutshell, has developed and provided the following:
- A Platform as a Service (PaaS): An underlying ICT Systems of Systems infrastructure to allow large scale data, information and knowledge integration and synchronization.
- Vertical process integration: During any building lifecycle phase, different stakeholders are able to interact with this BIM based Digital Twin model and information through a scalable set of different software tools.
- Building specifications and Real Time data: Seamless and efficient updating based on IDDS framework (Integrated Design and Delivery Services), where any action can be analysed in a virtual environment prior to physical implementation and consequent expenses.
- User Centered Design (UCD): To accelerate market uptake and social acceptance in order to help promote standards and policy that paves the way for a more extended use of ICT-tools in building design, construction and operations.
- Integration into a Digital Twin Environment (DTE): Digital Twin with the reality helps significantly in decision-making during each phase of the whole building’s lifespan, increasing collaboration and reducing inefficiencies, while improving the energy efficiency and reducing time and costs.
Work Package “ICT Platform requirements and KPIs” (WP2) described the starting point for the SPHERE project development during the first 1,5 years. It formed the basis for architecture development and platform implementation. Purposes of different tools were identified, user stories described following agile requirements XWIKI, and the User Centred Design (UCD) methodologies.
Work Package on “Design of Data and ICT architecture for Digital Twin implementation” (WP3) provided activities for IT architecture and API for the implementation of the SPHERE ecosystem during the first 3 years. The work described in reports included the description of holistic data security and privacy concept. An underlying principle in ecosystem is integration, the interplay with various SPHERE services and tools is mastered with controlled data exchanged and ontology. Various data exchanges are described following an Interface Agreement process.
Work Package on “Design & Construction Tools Implementation” (WP4) was finalised in the second period of the project including submission of all five work-package deliverables and achievement of the two work-package milestones. The outcome of work-package was to evolve the software tools utilised in the SPHERE project for the design and construction phase in the building life cycle.
Work Package on “ICT Operation Tools Implementation” (WP5) implemented during last two years of the project developed, tested, and implemented core services necessary for managing data from pilot buildings and the development of tools (SPHERE Services) for use and operation period of the life cycle. The tasks combined energy management protocols, predictive maintenance algorithms and detection of patterns from sensor or IoT data from the buildings in live or near real time.
Under Work Package on “Demonstration” (WP6), the SPHERE Digital Twin Environment (DTE) and its services and tools were tested and validated in 4 building pilots. The ecosystem consists of three core services and 16 partner tools that are also called SPHERE Services. The demonstrations included different building types: residential, office, and factory buildings. Two pilots were new construction, while two were refurbishments.
In Work Package on “Market Analysis, Exploitation, Standardisation and Impact Maximisation” (WP7) identified and analysed exploitable results (ERs) for the SPHERE project. Later, a comprehensive PESTLE and market analysis were completed with feedback and contributions from all partners, especially tool developers. The project invested heavily on standardisation. The work begun as discussions towards multiple directions and finally led to founding a new CEN standardization working group for “Digital Twins”.
Work Package “Stakeholder and exploitation-oriented communication, dissemination and training” (WP8) established communication and dissemination activities for various web site and social media based channels. Several videos and recordings were published, together with scientific papers and finally three SPHERE white papers on “Digital Twins” published in English and Spanish.
Work Package on “Design of Data and ICT architecture for Digital Twin implementation” (WP3) provided activities for IT architecture and API for the implementation of the SPHERE ecosystem during the first 3 years. The work described in reports included the description of holistic data security and privacy concept. An underlying principle in ecosystem is integration, the interplay with various SPHERE services and tools is mastered with controlled data exchanged and ontology. Various data exchanges are described following an Interface Agreement process.
Work Package on “Design & Construction Tools Implementation” (WP4) was finalised in the second period of the project including submission of all five work-package deliverables and achievement of the two work-package milestones. The outcome of work-package was to evolve the software tools utilised in the SPHERE project for the design and construction phase in the building life cycle.
Work Package on “ICT Operation Tools Implementation” (WP5) implemented during last two years of the project developed, tested, and implemented core services necessary for managing data from pilot buildings and the development of tools (SPHERE Services) for use and operation period of the life cycle. The tasks combined energy management protocols, predictive maintenance algorithms and detection of patterns from sensor or IoT data from the buildings in live or near real time.
Under Work Package on “Demonstration” (WP6), the SPHERE Digital Twin Environment (DTE) and its services and tools were tested and validated in 4 building pilots. The ecosystem consists of three core services and 16 partner tools that are also called SPHERE Services. The demonstrations included different building types: residential, office, and factory buildings. Two pilots were new construction, while two were refurbishments.
In Work Package on “Market Analysis, Exploitation, Standardisation and Impact Maximisation” (WP7) identified and analysed exploitable results (ERs) for the SPHERE project. Later, a comprehensive PESTLE and market analysis were completed with feedback and contributions from all partners, especially tool developers. The project invested heavily on standardisation. The work begun as discussions towards multiple directions and finally led to founding a new CEN standardization working group for “Digital Twins”.
Work Package “Stakeholder and exploitation-oriented communication, dissemination and training” (WP8) established communication and dissemination activities for various web site and social media based channels. Several videos and recordings were published, together with scientific papers and finally three SPHERE white papers on “Digital Twins” published in English and Spanish.
Through these developments, SPHERE aims to achieve three objectives within the building sector:
- 25% reduction in construction time
- 15% less energy demand during operational phase
- 25% less CO2 and GHG emissions in buildings
This will be achieved by aiming at several specific technical objectives:
1) Development & Integration of the Digital Twin System of Systems Architecture and Ontology and its related process and stakeholders.
2) To integrate circular economy criteria into decision making process (including manufacturing).
3) Development & integration of Technology System Applications to integrate Design & construction phases and smart tenders.
4) Development & Integration of Technology System Applications for the Operational phase in Digital Twin Instances.
5) To demonstrate the Digital Twin Environment and its technologies and tools by deploying SPHERE’s PaaS and SaaS Apps (tools) into the renovation operations of our Pilot Residential Buildings in 3 different climate zones.
6) Scalability & Replication: to use project activities as a vehicle to attain the maximum post-project uptake of the project foreground and impact on the widest possible audience of EU worker and contractors, construction professionals & public.
Finally, SPHERE Project will implement all this within 4 demonstrations across 4 different European countries: 2 new buildings and 2 refurbishment projects in Finland, Luxemburg, Italy and Netherlands, aiming at the following impacts:
Impact 1 – Buildings shortened construction time by 25% compared to current State of the art
Impact 2 – Construction cost reductions of at least 15% compared to current situation
Impact 3 – Reduction of the gap between predicted and actual energy consumption
Impact 4 – Reduction of CO2 by up to 25% of total life cycle
Impact 5 – Improved indoor environment
Impact 6 – Significantly improved integration of the value chain
Impact 7 – Contribution to new standards and regulations
Impact 8 – Demonstration of large-scale replicability potential
Socio-economic impact and wider societal impacts so far:
1. Providing integrated solutions to users, that earlier were isolated and out of reach due to technical complexity because Digital Twin enables better utilisation of data from various sources.
2. Improving the quality of life through wellbeing of inhabitants and employees through indoor environmental quality improvement.
- 25% reduction in construction time
- 15% less energy demand during operational phase
- 25% less CO2 and GHG emissions in buildings
This will be achieved by aiming at several specific technical objectives:
1) Development & Integration of the Digital Twin System of Systems Architecture and Ontology and its related process and stakeholders.
2) To integrate circular economy criteria into decision making process (including manufacturing).
3) Development & integration of Technology System Applications to integrate Design & construction phases and smart tenders.
4) Development & Integration of Technology System Applications for the Operational phase in Digital Twin Instances.
5) To demonstrate the Digital Twin Environment and its technologies and tools by deploying SPHERE’s PaaS and SaaS Apps (tools) into the renovation operations of our Pilot Residential Buildings in 3 different climate zones.
6) Scalability & Replication: to use project activities as a vehicle to attain the maximum post-project uptake of the project foreground and impact on the widest possible audience of EU worker and contractors, construction professionals & public.
Finally, SPHERE Project will implement all this within 4 demonstrations across 4 different European countries: 2 new buildings and 2 refurbishment projects in Finland, Luxemburg, Italy and Netherlands, aiming at the following impacts:
Impact 1 – Buildings shortened construction time by 25% compared to current State of the art
Impact 2 – Construction cost reductions of at least 15% compared to current situation
Impact 3 – Reduction of the gap between predicted and actual energy consumption
Impact 4 – Reduction of CO2 by up to 25% of total life cycle
Impact 5 – Improved indoor environment
Impact 6 – Significantly improved integration of the value chain
Impact 7 – Contribution to new standards and regulations
Impact 8 – Demonstration of large-scale replicability potential
Socio-economic impact and wider societal impacts so far:
1. Providing integrated solutions to users, that earlier were isolated and out of reach due to technical complexity because Digital Twin enables better utilisation of data from various sources.
2. Improving the quality of life through wellbeing of inhabitants and employees through indoor environmental quality improvement.