Data Ontology Assessment To Support Smart And Ongoing Commissioning Of Buildings

Abstract

To achieve Canada’s GHG reduction targets, building performance must be improved. Enabling buildings with Smart and Ongoing Commissioning (SOCx) applications will help to achieve peak performance in energy use and improved occupant health and comfort, at minimum cost. A comprehensive literature review highlighted the viability of Brick and Project Haystack ontologies, prompting a quantitative comparison of completeness and expressiveness using a case study with an industry ontology as the baseline for comparison. Additionally, a qualitative comparison was completed using key ontology qualities outlined in literature. A recommendation of Brick is made based on results. Brick achieved higher assessment values in completeness and expressiveness achieving 59% and 100% respectively, as compared to Haystacks 43% and 96%. Additionally, Brick exhibited five of six desirable qualities, where Haystack exhibited only three. If used by SOCx applications, the appropriate ontology permits the optimization of building performance. The recommendation of the appropriate ontology forms the basis for longer- term SOCx prototype development, which will support innovative approaches to sustainability in building operations across scale, as well as next- generation building controls and automation strategies.