Development and Application of an Integrated BIM-GIS System for the Energy Management of Buildings

Abstract

Urban planning and land cover management represent crucial challenges in the design and sustainable development of cities from the perspective of energy management. This article presents a methodology for integrating Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) as an advanced tool for building energy management, allowing to combine detailed information about the physical aspects of the building with geospatial and environmental data. While BIM enables the integrated design, construction, and management of buildings and infrastructure, GIS provides spatial analysis based on geographical data. However, integrating these two approaches is complex, particularly regarding data formats, scale, and accuracy. This study, therefore, presents the application of a new integration environment, Autodesk InfraWorks, which combines Autodesk Revit and ArcGIS for a complete visualization of models in a GIS context. Illustrating the implementation of this approach in an energy efficiency project in the Municipality of Reggio Calabria (Italy), this article demonstrates how the convergence of BIM and GIS can improve urban planning and land cover management, promoting sustainable development practices in the city. This integration has the potential to significantly benefit urban power systems by offering a holistic view of building energy management within a broader urban context. It enables urban planners to make informed decisions that consider energy efficiency, environmental sustainability, and overall urban development, leading to a more efficient and resilient power system.