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The Application of Intelligent Knowledge Based Systems
in Building Design
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Professor J A Clarke
Energy Simulation Research Unit
University of Strathclyde

SERC Grant GR/E/18018
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At the present time several powerful simulation models
exist for the assessment of building environmental performance
at the design stage. Against the prospect of increasing
professional use, such emerging design tools
suffer from several fundamental limitations. Typically they
address only the performance appraisal aspect of the problem,
failing to tackle the problematic issues surrounding
data preparation in the face of uncertainty. Invariably models 
are functionally orientated, containing little knowledge
of the application domain. This means that they cannot direct a users' line of enquiry.
Instead, the user must be expert enough to devise an
appropriate performance assessment methodology
and to coordinate model operation against this.
These are the issues being addressed within a collaborative
project involving the Energy Simulation Research Unit at
the University of Strathclyde
and the Informatics Group at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory.
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The objective is the design of an Intelligent Front-End (IFE)
which can act as an expert consultant, to
help in the preparation of the building description and
to commission the required performance simulations.
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The IFE is an intricate synthesis of
user modelling, human-computer interaction techniques, contextual knowledge 
and the interface to the range of performance models at its back-end.
It is built from cooperating modules
organised around a communications module,
the 'blackboard', to facilitate multiple use of information.
Several other modules exist and can examine this blackboard
for information, posting results back to it.
The figure shows the software modules which
comprise the IFE. These include
.IP -
A \fIUser Model\fR to track the user's progress
and ensure the system responds in an appropriate manner.
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A \fIDialogue Handler\fR to converse with the user 
in a manner which is tailored to her/his
conceptual class and level of experience.
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A \fIPlan Recognition\fR module to identify
the user's performance appraisal wishes.
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A \fIPlanner\fR to determines the
most appropriate appraisal methodology.
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A \fIBuilding Model\fR to create, from the information supplied by the user
and the knowledge base, the data structure which describes 
the building under consideration in terms of its
geometry, construction, occupancy and systems.
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A \fIBack-End Handler\fR to drive the required appraisal package,
feeding it the necessary data. This module is the only one
specifically tailored to a given program.
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And a \fIKnowledge Handler\fR to
manipulate the knowledge concerning the application (building design),
the domain (energy modelling for example), the appraisal software
and the user class.
.PP
The functions to be handled by the IFE therefore include
conversing with the user in the appropriate terminology,
planning how to use the simulation package to achieve the user's objectives,
collecting and organising the description of the building,
generating the necessary data and control input for the package
and storing the domain knowledge.
