Using Dynamo for Model-Based Delivery of Facility Asset Data

Abstract

Large facility owners are becoming increasingly aware of the value and advantage of utilizing design and build teams to capture and deliver facility asset data necessary to populate their Computerized Maintenance and Management System (CMMS) for efficient operation and maintenance of their facilities. Facility asset data can be delivered using various formats including a spreadsheetbased or a model-based deliverable. In a spreadsheet-based deliverable, asset data are captured and stored using a spreadsheet specifically formatted to allow the end user direct linking of the spreadsheet to the CMMS and automatic upload of the data. In a model-based deliverable, asset data is captured and loaded into a BIM model then transferred directly or indirectly from the model to the CMMS using various data exchange methods. This paper discusses the indirect linking of facility asset data captured in a Revit BIM model to the facility management system through exporting the data to an external database. Dynamo, an open-source script-programming tool that works within the Revit environment, is used to extract and export the data from Revit to an external SQL database in a specific format and organizational structure that would allow for uploading of the data to the CMMS. Dynamo script (e.g. Python script) was used to export certain data parameters in a specific order and format. Exported asset data parameters and values are saved to the SQL database and linked to the CMMS to support operations and maintenance. The paper uses a case study approach to illustrate the implementation of Dynamo to a renovation project for a large academic institution. Asset data for the project is captured from project plans and submittals and loaded into a Revit BIM model. The Dynamo script is tested to verify the export of data in the required format. © 2019 The Authors. Published by Budapest University of Technology and Economics & Diamond Congress Ltd. Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the Creative Construction Conference 2019.