Cultural heritage conservation demands interdisciplinary and complex documentation and analysis while facing increasing pressure to adopt sustainable and productive practices. This paper bridges these gaps by proposing a methodology and a set of requirements for Building Information Modeling (BIM) models aligned with European directives for sustainability and productivity in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) sector. Leveraging 3D scanning and intelligent models, we establish information needs specific to conservation, encompassing material properties, historical data, and decay analysis. Interoperability, compatibility with advanced analytical tools, and open-source formats are emphasized for seamless data integration and accessibility. We further introduce two use cases for BIM-enabled heritage conservation, illustrating the application of our proposed methodology in real-world scenarios. These cases exemplify how BIM models cater to the specific needs of cultural heritage sites, from their initial condition assessment to ongoing preservation efforts. Through these examples, we demonstrate the adaptability of BIM technology in capturing and managing the complex information associated with heritage conservation, including structural details, material characteristics, and historical significance. Our work highlights the potential of BIM to revolutionize heritage conservation practices, offering a digital backbone for documentation, analysis, and management that aligns with sustainability and productivity goals.
The rehabilitation of heritage steel bridges raises specific challenges due to their historical significance and structural complexity. These structures, often subjected to ageing, corrosion, and insufficient documentation, require specialized approaches that balance preservation with modern infrastructure demands. In this context, digitalization offers a transformative pathway, enabling more precise maintenance planning, enhanced decision-making, and better alignment with sustainability goals, with Building Information Modelling (BIM) fostering seamless information transfer and integration across project lifecycle. This paper highlights the potential of BIM in predictive maintenance, resource optimization, and strategic rehabilitation planning. It proposes a structured approach for defining and implementing information requirements (IRs), ensuring alignment between organizational objectives, asset-level needs, and project-specific deliverables. A significant contribution of this research is the development of a template for information delivery specification (IDS), providing a robust framework for data exchange and quality control throughout project phases. The IDS supports the integration of technical and historical data into a centralized digital repository, addressing both operational and heritage preservation needs. Finally, the article discusses structural assessment and strengthening strategies within the BIM workflow, emphasizing their role in achieving efficient and sustainable bridge rehabilitation.
The construction industry is one of the most resource-intensive industries and one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions and waste production. Building information modelling (BIM) can help architects and engineers design more energy-efficient buildings with less waste, contractors build more efficiently with fewer errors, and facility managers operate buildings more sustainably while reducing maintenance costs. In addition to the well-established benefits of using BIM in construction projects, adopting an openBIM workflow can further streamline the permitting process, making it more efficient and transparent. Digital building permits (DBPs) are intended to further improve process efficiency by digitalizing and automating conformity and code compliance checking processes of obtaining building permits. Further, by integrating sustainability concepts, DBPs have the potential to revolutionize city planning and urban development by enabling more sustainable construction practices and reducing the environmental impact. This study explores the relationship between BIM and DBP in the context of sustainability presenting the current ongoing activities and implementation challenges and proposes a series of solutions.
1 July 2016 in Journal of Constructional Steel Research
An imperfection sensitivity analysis of cold-formed steel members in compression is presented. The analysis is based on Koiter’s approach and Monte Carlo simulation. If the modes interaction is correctly accounted, than the limit load and the erosion of critical buckling load can be easily evaluated. Thousands of imperfection can be analysed with very low computational cost and an effective statistical evaluation of limit performance can be carried out. The analysis is done on pallet rack uprights in compression, based on an intensive experimental study carried out at the Politehnica University of Timisoara.
The aim of the paper is to identify energy inefficiencies and to propose energy-saving solutions to reduce the carbon footprint of the structures, considering Building Information Modelling—Existing Conditions Model as an enabling tool. The initiative underscores the role of Building Information Modelling—Existing Conditions Model in facilitating data-driven strategies for improving energy efficiency, highlighting its potential to transform the infrastructure and built environment into a paradigm of responsible energy consumption. In this context, the paper presents a comprehensive assessment of the thermal performance of student accommodations using advanced technologies, such as Unmanned Aerial Systems and Terrestrial Laser Scanners equipped with thermal cameras. The findings illustrate potential areas for improvements in thermal efficiency, offering a roadmap for targeted interventions to enhance the energy performance of buildings. The results of the study not only advance the green campus at Politehnica University Timisoara (Romania), but also serve as an educational model that demonstrates the integration of technology to promote sustainability in the built environment.