OS to support Singapore as a smart technology world leader

The two-year project will address the automation challenge of converting IFC-BIM, which is building and construction industry data, into CityGML, an open standardised data model and exchange format that stores digital 3D models of cities and landscapes.

The automated conversion to be developed in this project is expected to reduce costs in creating and updating semantically enriched 3D city models. The primary objective is the development of a methodology and algorithms that automate the conversion of IFC-BIM models into CityGML building models while ensuring complete and near-lossless mapping.

James Crawford, Ordnance Survey Technical Product Manager, will be based in Singapore working on the project. He says: “This is an exciting opportunity to help Singapore with its status as one of the places in the world to live and do business. To help achieve this vision, ever increasing levels of collaboration across government agencies, private companies and citizens will be necessary. One of the first steps towards achieving that vision is through the continued investment and development of digital standards.

“Standards play an important piece of this puzzle, because standards are an effective means to removing ‘barriers’ – i.e. they enable and support a common understanding across domain groups, industry sectors and organisations. Without first establishing a common set of tools, language and technologies, the actors in these different systems cannot collaborate (i.e. cross those ‘barriers’) or at least to a level that will be necessary in order to achieve this vision.”

Associate professor at the National University of Singapore (NUS) Department of Architecture, Patrick Janssen, says: “We have a close relationship with Ordnance Survey International, and know how they work from previous projects. They have the skillset and experience in data processing, as well as access to a talented and committed development community. They also have a thorough understanding and considered approach to consultancy and collaboration, and that will be crucial to the successful delivery of this project. We are very much looking forward to working with them again.”