BIM-based automated rule-checking in the AECO industry: Learning from semiconductor manufacturing

The Architecture, Engineering, Construction and Owner-operated (AECO) industry faces an array of productivity challenges, in part stemming from limited interoperability and suboptimal management of building information across project lifecycles. This paper investigates the application of rule-based systems from the manufacturing industry, especially as used in the semiconductor manufacturing sector, to improve productivity in the AECO industry. A comparative methodology is employed, examining processes in both the manufacturing and AECO industries. The results indicate that methodologies from semiconductor mask manufacturing can be effectively adapted for use in the AECO industry, particularly in design for buildability and standardized rule application. This paper includes the implementation of a Proof-of-Concept (POC) for Manufacturing Rule Check (MRC) in the AECO industry, focusing on Prefabricated Bathroom Units (PBU) production. The MRC developed for the POC could be integrated into the Model Checker platform of Singapore's CORENET X regulatory approval system, as well as deployed as a specialized application in the cloud that facilitates ease of collaboration among the design to fabrication players in the construction process.