Modeling the building as a system

We define building systems as systems that not only consist of the load bearing building structure and its environment, the service systems (installations), and the control systems, but also include building usage and users. Our ultimate goal is a virtual building labo- ratory for the concurrent simulation of all components of such building systems. This will be an extension of performance simulators. In this paper we focus on an efficient modeling process for deriving object-orient- ed structural models for virtual building laboratories, with the specialization towards the development, test, and maintenance of integrated control systems. We also focus on control systems that support individual user environments and that can easily be adapted to changes in the use of building systems. For the purpose of efficient modeling, we divide the building sys- tem domain into five domains, called building, service, control, functional unit, and user role domain. We present corresponding domain models that pre- define domain dependent modeling primitives for project specific building system models. All models are based on the notion of space and matter. In each domain, spaces have special semantics and build ag- gregation hierarchies, which we call “backbones”. The backbones of the domain models are linked by require- ment and spatial relations, thus composing one integrated building system model.