**BS-8 teleconference minutes - #1**

29 May 2001

Participants: **Vlado Bazjanac** (LBNL, author of these notes),
**Jean‑Pierre Bedrune** (Laurenti), **Martha Brook** (CEC), **Jim
Forester** (Marinsoft), **Krishnan Gowri** (PNNL), **Reijo Hänninen**
(Olof Granlund), **Philip Haves** (LBNL), **Rob Hitchcock** (LBNL),
**Juha Hyvärinen** (VTT), **John Kennedy** (GeoPraxis), **Kent Reed**
(NIST), **Fritz Schmidt** (IKE), **Steve Selkowitz** (LBNL), **PC
Thomas** (UNSW).

**Opening (general discussion).** Vlado outlined the current project
schedule based on currently available funding to support this extension
of the IFC object data model. The work is planned to produce an HVAC
extension to the building services schemata in the IFC data model (with
a corresponding ifcXML schema) in a one-year time frame that will be
implementable by software vendors, acknowledging that much additional
work may be needed later to extend the schemata. The list of tasks
appears complete. Components defined in XML by GeoPraxis will be
included in the extension schemata, with the assistance from GeoPraxis.
The goal is to make Task 3 (HVAC object/attribute/relationship sets) as
comprehensive as possible, and to facilitate all kinds of tools that are
related to HVAC. The "space of HVAC" will be divided among collaborators
according to their interest.

**Task 1 (Connectivity).** Kent spent some time looking at
standardization proposals for connectivity. He will have a proposal
about how to do connectivity in IFCs in another two weeks. **Kent** will
be the lead for this task.

**Task 2 (Time series).** This task needs to include more than what is
already available, and needs to include a general model of time. In
Jean-Pierre's opinion, time series modeling and acquisition of internal
load schedules directly from FM applications is more important than HVAC
modeling itself. IKE has done work in time series and will contribute to
this task. **Vlado** will be the task lead; task team members will
include Jim, IKE and Rob.

**Task 3 (HVAC object/attribute/relationship sets).** BS-7 documents
should set the ground for work on this task. Veijo should circulate
these documents - the IFC BS-7 model may be ready before the summer
holiday in Finland. No work will be duplicated, only improved if
necessary. ASHRAE projects (including the XML initiative) will
significantly affect the work on this task. Since there are many
different ways to describe the same equipment, BS-8 will try to reach
consensus on an orthogonal set of attributes attached to each piece of
equipment; this is likely to attract manufacturers to make their own
contribution. It may also prompt ASHRAE to get involved. A more defined
project scope and results that will show real value to the manufacturers
in North America as well as in Europe, together with ASHRAE's blessing,
may attract a whole field of manufacturers to collaborate with BS-8. The
project's goal will be to get at least one of the major equipment
vendors actively involved. According to Reijo, Halton and ABB will join
if they see value. BS-8 should interface with the IAI libraries project
to emphasize HVAC. It will be difficult to get detailed equipment
performance data from manufacturers. The project objective is to create
a data model that will facilitate exchange of information. Vlado has
tried to contact LINK MCNS project in UK and will try again (with the
help of Jeff Wix). **Phil** will lead this task; task team will include
IKE, VTT, others from LBNL, and others who may decide to contribute in
the future.

**Task 4 (Electrical systems).** Some form of a model of supply of
electricity to HVAC equipment, as well as of electrical lighting in
buildings as related to the simulation of energy performance, is needed.
The model should be small and essential. Use cases may help better
understand the issues - the never completed BS-2 project in UK developed
a few use cases that should be reviewed. An IKE project in Stuttgart
developed an approach to account for electricity - contributions to
internal loads and to cost of operating the building. Project
documentation is available on the web (Vlado will distribute it via the
exploder). **Vlado** will lead the task; task team will include Olof
Granlund and (informally) Jim.

**Task 5 (Controls model).** In general, the modeling of control systems
is way behind the modeling of HVAC equipment. It is a challenge to
specify sequences of operation. Modeling of controls in simulation tools
is typically weak and unrealistic. This task should define all the
necessary controls object/attribute/relationship sets, so software
applications can define particular sequence(s) of operation. All control
object/attribute/relationship sets should be modeled as part of HVAC.
There seems to be a lot of commercial interest, but little controls
modeling work is done in the field. While most people working in the
area are part of BACnet, no formal activity related to controls modeling
is apparent within BACnet. It is not realistic to expect major
achievements in modeling controls within the next 12 months. It would be
more realistic to only create placeholders for control definitions to be
refined in the future. An additional task goal should be to
identify/forge a group working on building controls. **Phil** will lead
this task; Kent will (informally) assist.

**Task 6 (Relationship to BACnet).** BACnet is part of the controls
issue. An early attempt to map BACnet (pushed by Siemens) is still in
the IFC object data model as property sets - Jim will distribute
information on that. Apparently, nobody in Europe knows much about
BACnet and everybody has his or her own standards, although Lonworks
seems to be a de facto standard. No teleconference participants have any
connections to Lonworks people and effort. Engineers in Australia are
aware of BACnet but are not doing anything consistent about it. This
task should merge with the controls modeling task that **Phil** will
lead.

**Task 7 (Integration of BS-7).** Due to the lack of resources, BS-7 is
not as complete as it could have been - no time series are included. IKE
has no resources left for BS-7 (only two man-weeks). Veijo should
provide information about BS-7, then the team should figure out what
needs to be done/added. BS-7 discussion and decisions are deferred until
Veijo is available. In the mean time one should examine the available
project documentation, and review Phil's comments regarding the BS-7
model of last summer.

**Task 8 (EXPRESS model).** Any modeling in EXPRESS will require
completed and compiled spreadsheets. It probably can start about six
months from now. Jim will act as the collector of existing and any newly
developed spreadsheets. ASHRAE TCs have seen the beginnings of
spreadsheets and are apparently enthusiastic to cooperate. This should
be picked up at the next meeting ASHRAE meeting in June. **Jim** will
lead this task; task team will include IKE (after January 1), possibly
VTT, and (informally) Vlado.

**Task 9 (IFC model integration).** The EXPRESS schemata need to be
integrated with the IFC core model. **Jim** will perform the task, with
possible assistance from VTT.

**Task 10 (Early implementation).** Implementation will be based on
modeling extensions, not property sets. Some "in parallel"
implementation will start as soon as sufficient HVAC definitions have
been integrated to make implementation possible and meaningful. The
targets for early implementation are Olof Granlund's BS Pro COM Server
and LBNL's E+ client. Others, like Francois-Xavier Rocca and Batisoft in
France, may join too. **Rob** will lead this task; task team will
include Olof Granlund, Krishnan, and possibly Kent and Francois-Xavier.

**Tasks 11-13 (Coordination and work review).** **Vlado** will provide
the project support (Task 11), including support of the Project Advisory
Group (Task 13). **Phil** and **Mary Ann Piette** (from LBNL) will
provide the coordination with the overall CEC/PIER project. Project
Advisory Group members will be chosen in the next BS-8 teleconference.

**Concluding remarks.** Kent will send the BS-8 exploder list to Vlado
for checking. Vlado will complete the list and send it to all
participants for verification. All project collaborators will put
together a paragraph on what they and their organizations do and send
the information to the exploder so that every project collaborator can
become familiar with his/her colleagues. Task leaders will prepare their
own task work plans and send them to Vlado for compilation and general
distribution before the next BS-8 teleconference.

**Action items**:

-   Vlado will distribute the documentation of the IKE project that
    includes effects of electrical consumption;

-   Jim will distribute information on the existing BACnet-related
    property sets in the IFC object data model;

-   Vlado will complete the BS-8 exploder list and send it to all
    participants for verification;

-   All project collaborators will put together a paragraph on what they
    and their organizations do and send the information to the exploder;

-   Task leaders will prepare their own task work plans and send them to
    Vlado for compilation and general distribution by Sunday, June 10.

The next BS-8 teleconference will take place in two weeks on Tuesday,
June 12. It may start one hour earlier (at 14:30 GMT, which is 7:30 PDT,
10:30 EDT, 16:30 in Germany and France, and 17:30 in Finland) - Vlado
will confirm the starting time via e-mail.