ProFlow

Prototype for Products’ Information Flow

Introduction

The construct sector is fundamental for the environmental sustainability, and particularly during the manufacturing and operational phases. The Circular Economy model can be successfully applied to the sector business model, but the full capacity of its impact cannot be reached if the I4.0 revolution doesn’t overwhelm entirely the sector. In particular, the manufacturing industry is a crucial actor for in the products’ information exchange shared from the early design to the product reuse or re-cycling. Despite the sector attempts toward an increased digitalization, self-made solutions, that often disregard rules, lows, and standards, are contributing to a fragmented, and therefore inefficient, digitalization process. Previous research proves the possibilities that could be enabled and the benefits the entire construction sector could receive from web-based solutions for information exchanged based on SW, LD, and machine learning. Therefore, the project aims to investigate the information exchange between the manufacturing industry and operation, maintenance, and refurbishment (renovation) of buildings by using technology advanced digital technologies such as LD, SW, digital twins-based and to investigate how those technologies can facilitate a circular economy business model for the construction sector. ProFlow will be conducted by a team of researchers employed at the School of Engineering, Jönköping University and it is co-funded by Vinnova, Fagerhult Belysning, Informationsbyggarna and Plan B.

Purpose

ProFlow aims to improve the information exchange between the manufacturing industry and operation, maintenance, and refurbishment (renovation) of buildings by using advanced digital technologies such as Linked Data and Digital Twins, and to investigate how those technologies can facilitate a circular economy.

Planning and Execution

For three years, a team of senior researchers and a Ph.D. candidate will work in close collaboration with the partner companies. This project will follow the Design Research Methodology’s steps: Research clarification, Descriptive study 1, Prescriptive study (that includes the prototype implementation stages: Requirements’ analysis, Design, development, User evaluation and Optimization), Descriptive study 2, Results dissemination (in conferences, scientific journals, workshops with sector’s relevant actors, informative sector’s magazines).

Impact of the Project

The Swedish construction industry aims to reduce time, cost, and the environmental impact. Digitalization is a key factor to achieve the goals. ProFlow will improve the information exchange with the manufacturing industry and the result could be implemented and immediately used in both industries and contribute to their mutual, ongoing, digitalization process. In the project, technical solutions will be tested and developed, methods and organizational procedures revised.

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