Interoperability – Digital collaboration for the built environment

For the built environment sector to take advantage of the opportunities offered by digitalization, we need to strengthen our ability to work effectively together. We need to become better at exchanging information to achieve the societal benefits expected from digitalization. Systems and organizations must understand each other's data, information, and processes.

Only then will the conditions be created for more efficient use of the data volumes built up by different actors and used in applications such as digital twins, connected facilities and analysis tools. It also enables the efficient recycling and reuse of materials and increases the ability to develop a robust model for digital governance and data security.

The ability to function and communicate with each other, both between systems and between organizations, is called interoperability. In Sweden, the term "digital collaboration" is sometimes used synonymously with interoperability, especially in the public sector and collaboration between authorities. In the project "Interoperability - Digital collaboration for the built environment", we increase the ability of the civil engineering sector to collaborate digitally in order to achieve more efficient construction and management.

Today, there is no common view and application in the construction sector and the built environment for digital collaboration at national and international level.

The project intends to develop a framework for digital collaboration for the built environment and for actors in the spatial planning process based on the structure and division that exists in the European Interoperability Framework, EIF, and the Swedish framework for digital collaboration 1.3 developed by the Swedish Agency for Digital Government, Digg.

The "Framework for Digital Interaction for the Built Environment" will go deeper and more detailed in the issues related to the built environment and provide concrete recommendations on, for example, the choice of standards, forms of cooperation and technical solutions.

Much of what will be addressed in the framework is being developed and worked on in other projects, both nationally within the strategic innovation program Smart Built Environment and in international bodies such as ISO and buildingSMART International (bSI). The purpose of the framework is to compile and point out the standards, classification systems, etc. that are relevant and where there is a consensus that increased use is of benefit to the built environment sector.

The project will also implement and demonstrate a concept for a technical framework for interoperability based on linked data and semantic web. Both the EIF and the Swedish framework for digital collaboration point to these standardized methods and technologies for working with interoperability. It provides an open and standardized platform, based on international standards.

The project will most likely propose that the National Guidelines service receives and manages the project deliverables.