The Establishment of A Territory-
wide BIM Data Repository
Mr. CHANG Kwok-fai
Assistant Director / Survey and Mapping
Survey and Mapping Office
Lands Department
HKIS BIM Conference 2020
11 December 2020
Hong Kong
Smart City
Blueprint
• Under Smart Government, it recommended the adoption of BIM, development of Common
Spatial Data Infrastructure, and creation of 3D Digital Map
2
Current Problems
• More and more quality BIM Data are available at government and private
development projects, but they are not easy to exploit in a broader context
• Fragmentation in sharing of BIM Data
• Problems of identifying, accessing or using data
• Gaps in standard BIM Data
• Those problems hinder the sharing of BIM data across Bureaux and
Departments (B/Ds) as well as integration of BIM Data and 3D Map of Lands
Department
Survey and Mapping Office
Lands Department
3
Conceptual Diagram of the
BIM Data Repository Solution
GIS Data
3D Web Viewer
(BIM + GIS)
Data Conversion
Engine
BIM Portal
BIM Models from
Works Departments BIM Data Repository
(Native Format / IFC /
CityGML)
BIM Web Service
Survey and Mapping Office
Lands Department
4
Timeline of Development of BIM Data Repository
Phases of
Development
BIM Data Phase 1 – Cloud- Phase 2 – Phase 3 –
Repository based BIM Data Creation of 3D Development
Consultancy Repository Map with BIM of BIM API
Study
(6 months)
Timeline
2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Survey and Mapping Office
Lands Department
5
BIM Data Repository Consultancy
• Define Development Roadmap of BIM Data Repository
System
• Recommend Data Formats
• Provide functional requirements
• Develop a Proof-of-Concept application of BIM/GIS
integration
Survey and Mapping Office
Lands Department
6
BIM Data Repository Consultancy to Define the Roadmap
Survey and Mapping Office
Lands Department
7
Implementation Roadmap
• Phase 1 – Establish a Cloud-based BIM Data Repository for centralized management
and sharing of BIM information across Works Departments
• Phase 2 – Extend the BIM Data Repository to support 3D map data creation
• Phase 3 – Develop open web APIs for BIM Data Repository to facilitate use of BIM data
and provide different applications
Survey and Mapping Office
Lands Department
8
Data Model Recommendation
Efficient
Geometry Transactions
Tessellation Update User
per Object Semantic
BIM Server
IFC Geometry
Update
Semantic
User
• Object-based approach
• Model change tracking compatible with IFC schema
• Store and manage BIM models in both native and open IFC format
• 3D GIS model in open CityGML format
• Open data approach supports and encourages development of software-independent
applications
Survey and Mapping Office
Lands Department
9
Key Functional Requirements of BIM DR
• Support data management, sharing and exchange of the design and as-built BIM
models among Works Departments
• Provide a centralized platform to store and manage BIM Models
• Develop a web application to facilitate searching, viewing and locating all available
BIM data
• Administrative and monitoring tools for BIM data conversion
• Provide open APIs to facilitate system interfacing and integration
Survey and Mapping Office
Lands Department
10
Development of PoC Application City-Level 4D Application on
Open BIM + Open GIS
Platform
Survey and Mapping Office
Lands Department
11
4D Decision Support
• Visualizes different
scenarios along
with metrics
2010 2015
• Simulating,
predicting, testing
• Provide insights to
policy makers with
deeper
considerations and
2025 2020
analysis on
different factors to
help formulate
strategies
Reference: Conceptual research prototype developed in 2015 for QEZ in Doha, Qatar
Survey and Mapping Office
Lands Department
12
Current Status of PoC – 4D Simulation
Purpose of the PoC
• Common repository integrating BIM and GIS based on Open BIM and Open GIS
• Demonstrate the technical feasibility of combining BIM data and 3D GIS
information into a single application
• Dynamic interface that can be used to visually simulate different scenarios of
urban planning
• Simulate and predict mid- to long-term metrics that can support the decisions of
the government leaders.
• Improve public engagement with the provision of rich 3D geographical web
interface for better handling of enquiries from public
Survey and Mapping Office
Lands Department
14
Phase 1 – Cloud-based BIM
Data Repository
• Implement a Cloud-based BIM Data Repository System
• Establish scalable and sustainable system infrastructure
• Facilitate BIM data sharing and collaboration
• Provide a centralized platform for managing BIM data in Object-
based approach
• Support integrating BIM and GIS data in a single environment
Survey and Mapping Office
Lands Department
15
Conversion of BIM Models • The System will store the data in its
Native & IFC format
• IFC will be converted to CityGML
Survey and Mapping Office
Lands Department
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Prototype of the BIM Data Repository
Integrating BIM and 3D Spatial Data Line-of-sight Analysis
Viewshed Analysis Walking through the BIM model
Survey and Mapping Office
Lands Department
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BIM Data Repository Prototype
Survey and Mapping Office
Lands Department
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Phase 2 – Creation of 3D Map with BIM
• Extract BIM model elements for 3D Map creation and
updating
• Automate and streamline the workflow from BIM to GIS
• Enrich the 3D Map features and analytical capabilities
Survey and Mapping Office
Lands Department
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3D Digital Map to Be Delivered in 2023
Territory-wide 3D
3D Indoor Map of Territory-wide 3D
Visualization Map with
1,250 buildings Pedestrian Network
Individualized Buildings
Survey and Mapping Office
Lands Department
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BIM Data Provides Rich 3D Content for 3D Map
LOD 2 LOD 3
LOD 4
OPEN BIM OPEN GIS
Extract Floor Plan
Note: LOD = Level of Detail
Survey and Mapping Office
Lands Department
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Enrichment of 3D Map using BIM Models
Generic
Models Door
Door
Plumbing Wall
Wall Fixtures
Top View
Top View
Window
Window
Window Grill AC Platform Laundry Rack Simplified BIM for
Source BIM indoor mapping purpose
BIM helps to enrich 3D Maps
Survey and Mapping Office
Lands Department
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3D Digital Map Streamlines the Construction Life Cycle
Feasibility Study Inspection with
Optimum route finding in different indoor 3D map
development stages with Intelligent
Re-development Study Pedestrian Network
Planning & Design Construction
Operation &
Maintenance
Design Options
Progress monitoring with IoT and
UAV integration
Efficient asset locates for on-going
Visualisation / Simulation maintenance
Survey and Mapping Office
Lands Department
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Phase 3 – Development of BIM API
• Share BIM elements with open standard web services
Application Programming Interface (API)
• Enhance the BIM data adoption and integration
• Provide BIM analytical features
• Access rich BIM context without the need of BIM software
• Simplify system integration with BIM
Survey and Mapping Office
Lands Department
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Provide Flexibility of Accessing BIM Data
Walls
IFC Data import & export
IFC geometry
Web API IFC data query
IFC data extraction
Floors
IFC data management
Database of BIM
Data Repository
Curtain Walls Panels
Stairs Doors
Survey and Mapping Office
Lands Department
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Potential Use Cases of BIM API
Smart Indoor Service Facilitates Management Environmental Impact Assessment
Energy Consumption Analysis Workforce Management Underground Utilities Management
And more…
Survey and Mapping Office
Lands Department
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3 Phases Connected To
Create Digital Twin of
Hong Kong
Survey and Mapping Office
Lands Department
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Benefits of the Our Works
• Establish a centralized and sustainable digital infrastructure for managing BIM
data across government departments
• Provide a single source of BIM data access on the cloud
• BIM data are harmonized in an open format, eliminate dependency on BIM
software and version
• Open APIs provide ease of access and integration to the BIM data. No BIM
software is necessary
• Enrich the context of 3D Map to better support Smart City development
Survey and Mapping Office
Lands Department
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