Using HBIM for Energy Efficiency Analysis of Historical Buildings: An Example as a Case Study from Ermenek/Karaman

Abstract

In today’s construction industry, Building Information Modeling (BIM) can be seen as the next step beyond computer-aided design (CAD) systems (Eastman et al., 2008). BIM platform emerged with the development of parametric modeling in computer-aided design. Unlike simple 3D representations, the models used in BIM are data-rich and constitute a graphical representation linked to a database (Federman, 2017). Within the BIM environment, a project can contain all the information related to a building's construction and usage. BIM offers a systematic approach for managing all the data of a structure, from its concept to its usage and fostering organized collaboration (Feriel et al. 2018). Consequently, BIM can be utilized as a different source of information at each stage of the building's life cycle, eliminating incorrect data flow and redundancies (Bynum et al., 2013; Arayici, 2008). The structure is represented in the virtual environment with its object components and properties, which are then separated and defined semantically (Osello et al., 2018). In a BIM environment, constructional information about building elements can include geometry related to the project, geographic positioning coordinates, material quantities, cost estimates, material details, project schedules, energy, and structural information. The relationship between resources and properties of various elements related to the building can be observed even before its construction by allowing performance evaluation (Smith & Tardif, 2009). BIM facilitates swift and accurate updates to changes, reducing the effort required to create spatial programs (Linderoth, 2010). The advantages of BIM extend to designers, constructors, contractors, and subcontractors, including benefits such as automated assembly, improved design, controlled costs, environmental data, quality production, and enhanced customer service (Dossick & Neff, 2010; Alshawi & Faraj, 2002). Applications in the construction sector for cultural heritage require interdisciplinary collaboration between spatial, geometrical, historical, thematic, and temporal disciplines. While architectural cultural heritage shares fundamental construction techniques, its historical construction stages are diverse due to the evolution of architectural typologies (Green & Dixon, 2016). Managing and storing this multi-input information is significantly facilitated by information systems. HBIM can be defined as a valuable information system to enrich data about an existing building and allow data management. This study aims to develop an information management approach that encourages the preservation and evaluation of Traditional Turkish Houses through Historical Building Information Modeling (HBIM). A sustainable analysis of a traditional Turkish house has been conducted using HBIM as an illustrative case study. During its sustainability analysis, results from various local and international analysis methods have been compared. The analysis covers different assessments, such as sunlight exposure, location, orientation, heating and cooling loads, thermal properties of materials, ventilation, and daylight analysis. The study establishes an exemplary use of digital documentation techniques for the shared use of HBIM and introduces a novel approach to popularize this usage.