Microservice system architecture for data exchange in the AEC industry

Realization of inter-domain model-based data exchange in the AEC industry has not yet managed to fully satisfy the end user’s needs. While microservices are getting more present on the market, its application for the data exchange in the building planning process has not been considered. This paper investigates the potential of microservices in realizing the data exchange within planning and construction. System architecture of an existing monolithic software tool is converted to a microservice system architecture with the help of literature review, analysis of Docker system and expert knowledge. The results show multiple possibilities to containerize a monolithic application with diverse advantages, differing in effort to be containerized. While the microservices do not offer a smooth transition of system architectures from the existing data exchange solutions, containerization offers the flexibility for non-standardized processes which could be tailor-made organized and easily replaced. Although the orchestration between the services is not easy to achieve and the implementation requires significant effort and a paradigm shift in the planning process, the advantages of microservices can already be used in the data exchange process.