Semantic data exchange in BIM to BEM workflows using IFC and SQL-based mapping

Optimising the energy performance of buildings requires integrated design strategies to reduce energy consumption and improve efficiency. The Building Energy Model (BEM) is a fundamental tool for the analytical assessment of energy performance, but its generation is often disconnected from the design phase and requires significant manual intervention, limiting the efficiency of the process. In recent years, the BIM-to-BEM methodology has established itself as an approach to automate the transfer of information from the Building Information Model (BIM) to the energy model, leveraging data already present in the digital building model. However, differences in languages and representations between the two domains, as well as variability in information, pose significant interoperability challenges. The adoption of open and neutral formats, such as Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) and Green Building Extensible Markup Language (gbXML), is a key strategy for facilitating communication between domains, but it does not completely solve the problems related to semantic consistency and data completeness. This study proposes a new methodology for BIM-to-BEM information exchange based on the IFC data model and enhanced by conversion to SQL language. This strategy allows the analysis, reorganisation and integration of BIM model information into a relational structure compatible with energy simulation software, improving semantic consistency and data exchange. The methodology involves detailed mapping between BIM entities and properties and the corresponding BEM energy variables, drastically reducing the need for manual intervention and enabling the automated generation of energy models.