The trouble with 'HIM': new challenges and old misconceptions in human information modelling

Abstract

(keine deutsche Kurzfassung) Building performance simulation is not just about buildings' geometry, construction, and systems. It has become increasingly clear that simulation models need also to more systematically address occupants' presence and behaviour in buildings. To put it somewhat stentatiously, it is not just about 'BIM' (Building Information Modelling), but also 'HIM' (Human Information Modelling). To this end, a balance must be found between representational formalisms and representational content. The former concerns finding the right algorithmic expressions, the latter requires empirical knowledge. Exploring algorithmic formalisms can be exciting, but if lopsided, may fail to recognize the complexity of human perception and behaviour. Therefore, it may be instructive to discuss similar instances of past lop-sided formalism-centric approaches. The present position paper underlines the importance of domain knowledge on occupants' perceptual and behavioural processes and its inclusion in the computational representation of occupant agents in building information modelling and building performance assessment.

Building performance simulation is not just about buildings' geometry, construction, and systems. It has become increasingly clear that simulation models need also to more systematically address occupants' presence and behaviour in buildings. To put it somewhat stentatiously, it is not just about 'BIM' (Building Information Modelling), but also 'HIM' (Human Information Modelling). To this end, a balance must be found between representational formalisms and representational content. The former concerns finding the right algorithmic expressions, the latter requires empirical knowledge. Exploring algorithmic formalisms can be exciting, but if lopsided, may fail to recognize the complexity of human perception and behaviour. Therefore, it may be instructive to discuss similar instances of past lop-sided formalism-centric approaches. The present position paper underlines the importance of domain knowledge on occupants' perceptual and behavioural processes and its inclusion in the computational representation of occupant agents in building information modelling and building performance assessment.