# Presentation: 731991

## Introduction to XML for Building Data Management

- Frank Olken
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

- XML Intro for Bldg DM  - F. Olken

- June 16, 2000

## Overview

- What is XML?
- Why use XML?
- What is a DTD or Schema?
- Why use a schema?
- Content Standards Needed

- XML Intro for Bldg DM  - F. Olken

- June 16, 2000

## Example of XML

- <car_for_sale>
- <make> Volvo </make>
- <model> 245 Station Wagon </model>
- <year> 1975 </year>
- <color> orange </color>
- <price currency=“USD”>  700 </price>
- <phone> 510-486-5891 </phone>
- </car_for_sale>

- XML Intro for Bldg DM  - F. Olken

- June 16, 2000

## Another example of XML

- <article>
- <title> Clinton Impeached </title>
- <author> Daniel Schorr </author>
- <body>
- 	<p> Clinton was impeached today ....	</p>
- 	<p> The Republican Congress voted  .... </p>
- <body>
- </article>

- XML Intro for Bldg DM  - F. Olken

- June 16, 2000

## What is XML?

- XML is a markup metalanguage
- Markup language:
- means of marking up documents and/or data exchange, a.k.a. tagging
- markup = delimit fields, document structure
- Metalanguage:
- Designer can specify application-specific set of tags

- XML Intro for Bldg DM  - F. Olken

- June 16, 2000

## Tagging (Markup)

- To delimit structure of documents:
- author, title, heading, paragraph, section, citation, footnote
- To delimit fields in data exchange records, e.g., in purchase order:
- date, shipping address, billing address, quantity, description, price

- XML Intro for Bldg DM  - F. Olken

- June 16, 2000

## What is a DTD or XML Schema?

- DTD = Document Type Definition
- DTD specifies elements (tags), attributes, order and nesting of elements (tags)
- XML Schema (new) also specifies data types: integer, floating point numbers, dates, times, strings, URLs, ...
- Provide grammar for document tags

- XML Intro for Bldg DM  - F. Olken

- June 16, 2000

## Why use XML Schema ?

- To facilitate data validation
- Validating parser can check:
- correct syntax
- correct data types (integer, float, date, string)
- Avoids need to write custom data validators

- XML Intro for Bldg DM  - F. Olken

- June 16, 2000

## Why use XML?

- Technical advantages:
- Human readable, flexible, extensible, typed, ...
- Social advantages:
- IBM, Microsoft, Oracle, Sun, et al. agree
- Many software tools:
- parsers, editors, DB loaders/unloaders, query engines, formatters, translators, ....
- Becoming lingua franca for data exchange

- XML Intro for Bldg DM  - F. Olken

- June 16, 2000

## Advantages of XML Usage

- For documents:
- single source file - multiple media (paper, Web)
- more precise information retrieval
- distinguish Washington as state, city, person, univ.
- For data exchange:
- more flexible than traditional EDI
- less error prone than traditional EDI or comma separated variable (CSV) formats
- many more software tools

- XML Intro for Bldg DM  - F. Olken

- June 16, 2000

## Applications for Buildings

- Design Phase
- analysis tools: energy efficiency, structural, ...
- cost estimation tools
- automated checking of building codes
- Construction and Operations Phases
- purchasing building materials
- facilities management, insurance, leasing, ...
- emergency response (fire, earthquake, ...)

- XML Intro for Bldg DM  - F. Olken

- June 16, 2000

## Why not use EDI, STEP, ...??

- Existing EDI is obscure, inflexible, often vague, error prone, ...
- EDI = Electronic Data Interchange (X12)
- STEP Express Part 21 design data exchange
- STEP (std for the exchange of product data)
- has limited vendor support (expensive)
- unsuited to documents
- unpopular for e-commerce transactions

- XML Intro for Bldg DM  - F. Olken

- June 16, 2000

## Content Standards Needed

- XML is pure syntax
- What tag sets to use?
- What to they mean?
- Need content standards:
- tags, definitions, ...
- Current status:  Tower of Babel
- many, many ill-specified content standards

- XML Intro for Bldg DM  - F. Olken

- June 16, 2000

## It is the semantics, stupid !!

- Semantic specification is hard.
- Often, unwitting misunderstandings
- Currently rely on English definitions
- Trans-lingual semantic specifications??
- Measurement units often unclear.
- Need authoritative citations for semantics:
- legislation, regulations, contracts, standards, ...

- XML Intro for Bldg DM  - F. Olken

- June 16, 2000

## IAI Data Modeling 

- Content modeling for AEC industry
- Semantics of building data
- Requires:
- subject area (AEC) expertise
- data modeling expertise
- Lengthy, expensive development

- XML Intro for Bldg DM  - F. Olken

- June 16, 2000

## Acknowledgements

- XML Standards work is supported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- XML Standards work is joint work with John L. McCarthy (LBNL).

- XML Intro for Bldg DM  - F. Olken

- June 16, 2000

## Contact Information

- Frank Olken
- olken@lbl.gov
- http://www.lbl.gov/~olken
- Tel: 510-486-5891
- Fax: 510-486-4004
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory,          1 Cyclotron Road, Mailstop 50B-3238,         Berkeley, CA 94720

- XML Intro for Bldg DM  - F. Olken

- June 16, 2000