CH714707B1 - Arrangement for the automated generation of a recommendation for a material order for a construction project. - Google Patents

Abstract

An arrangement for the automated generation of a recommendation for a material order for a construction project comprises a processing server (11) with an input interface (12) for receiving digital planning data of the object of the construction project. The digital plan data include at least information on functional elements that are to be installed as part of the construction project, information on installation locations at which the functional elements are to be installed on the object, information on materials that are to be used for the building and / or space envelopes of the object as well as information on locations where the materials are to be used. The processing server (11) establishes an assignment of at least one of the functional elements to the material on which the functional element is to be installed, based on the installation locations of the functional elements and the application locations of the materials. The arrangement further comprises a product database (16) in which information on products is stored, the information including information on the suitability of the products as functional elements for installation on a material. The arrangement finally comprises a trading server (21) with an output interface (22) for outputting a recommendation for a product to be ordered, the recommended product being a functional element which is suitable for installation on the assigned material. The processing server (11) has access to the product database (15) and, based on the assignment of the material to the functional element, generates the recommendation for the product to be ordered based on the product database (15). The recommendation is then transmitted from the processing server (11) to the trading server (21). The arrangement according to the invention enables a continuous flow of information from planning to material ordering, even if the plan data initially only contains information on functional elements and not references to specific products. The flexibility with regard to usable products is maintained.

Description

Technical area

The invention relates to an arrangement for the automated generation of a recommendation for a product order for a construction project.

State of the art

Construction projects, e.g. B. those in structural engineering such as new buildings or complete renovations of buildings or parts of buildings are usually complex. On the one hand, this is due to the large number of structural elements that have to be processed or installed in a largely predetermined sequence, and on the other hand, due to the large number of parties involved, from the client to architects, engineers, planners and suppliers to the craftsmen. Communication and coordination between the individual parties are of great importance. For example, the work on the property of the construction project can be significantly delayed due to incorrect or at the wrong time delivered components, which leads to a delayed construction completion and additional costs. It is usually not possible to use the waiting time until the correct components arrive, because subsequent steps in the construction process depend on the processing or installation of the elements and because the staggering of the work of different service providers cannot be changed at short notice.

Correspondingly, the comprehensive and correct preparation and planning of the work on the object and the associated deliveries of building material are of great importance. Traditionally, the architect created (2-dimensional) construction plans, possibly with the help of appropriate software applications. These construction plans formed the basis for work on the property. Based on these plans were u. A. Material lists are generated and, based on these material lists, orders are then placed with the relevant suppliers. The entire process was complex and error-prone.

[0004] Recently, integrated approaches, for which the designation Building Information Modeling (BIM) has become established, have been used with increasing frequency. The object of the construction project is modeled digitally, whereby in addition to the three spatial dimensions, the time sequence, costs, energy use and operation (including maintenance and servicing) can be modeled. On the one hand, this also enables a direct geometric visualization of the object, i. H. of the structure. On the other hand, the updating and tracking of information on the construction project (e.g. as regards building elements to be built or installed on the property) is simplified. Basically, BIM enables the construction project to be mapped practically in real time. The BIM system can also continue to be used after the property has been completed, e.g. B. for the upkeep and maintenance of the structure (facility management) and also in the context of dismantling.

It is also known to support the coordination of the upcoming work based on the BIM data or even to automate it to a large extent. Material lists can also be generated fully automatically from the BIM data, provided that the BIM data already contain sufficiently precise information on the products to be used, e.g. B. Brand and type of component to be installed. Appropriate approaches are z. B. in WO 2016/178453 A1 (Doalltech Co., Ltd.).

Such approaches reach their limits when the available BIM data, which for example represent the architect's planning, do not include specific products, but only specify functional elements. So there is a lack of information on the provider and type of a usable product. This is often the case, for example, in the field of electrical installations, where the architect's plan (possibly supplemented by the electrical planner) only indicates where lamp connection points, sockets, switches or other functional elements are to be placed. A specific product is usually not mentioned. This specification is usually made by a subordinate body, usually the electrician, when the material is actually ordered. This procedure is not limited to the field of electrical installations, a similar process takes place - at least partially - also in other areas, e.g. B. the plumbing, air conditioning, heating and ventilation technology or generally other building technology areas instead.

[0007] The subsequent specification of the specific products by a further instance causes additional expenditure. Because this specification is largely “manual”, i. H. by a specialist who, as before, selects suitable products on the basis of the architect's construction plans and the specified functional elements and generates a corresponding list of materials, the process is complex and prone to failure. There is also no direct link between the material list and the BIM data; H. the material list corresponds to the construction project according to the planning status at the time the BIM data was processed. Updating the BIM data has no direct influence on the material list, and updating the material list based on updated BIM data is again time-consuming and requires manual work steps.

Approaches for the automatic specification of information on electrical functional elements are known from another context: DE 197 45 385 A1 (Elektro Ebert) relates to a method for carrying out electrical installation in a building by technically untrained personnel. Based on a construction plan of the building, an execution plan is created with the type and exact location of all installation points as well as the route and length of all pipe sections. With the help of the execution plan, a parts list for the line sections and the components to be mounted at the installation points is created, based on this a kit is then put together, which includes pre-assembled cable sections with connectors and individually pre-assembled connector sockets. There is only one type of connector socket, which can be provided with functional modules as required. The cables and the connector sockets are installed as part of the raw installation, the function modules as part of the fine installation. Accordingly, the elements of the kit are provided in different layers in a container.

This document is intended to enable non-experts to carry out electrical installations. In order to get directly from an execution plan with the specification of functional elements to specific products to be installed, only one standardized product is used per functional element. There is thus easily a one-to-one association between the functional element and the product to be provided, with the use of modular components also being able to minimize the outlay on storage. However, this approach considerably restricts the flexibility of those involved (client, architect and craftsman). It is not possible to choose products that, for example, optimally match the construction project in terms of their quality level or their design. The approach also requires that the entire system is operated from a single source, from a single provider. It is also a prerequisite that the functional elements are sufficiently specified in the implementation plan so that the 1: 1 assignment can be made and the corresponding product definitely meets the requirements for installation at the intended location.

Presentation of the invention

The object of the invention is to create an arrangement belonging to the aforementioned technical field for the automated generation of a recommendation for a product order for a construction project, which, based on plan data of the object of the construction project with the specification of functional elements, enables the identification of usable products and has a high degree of flexibility.

The solution to the problem is defined by the features of claim 1. According to the invention, the arrangement includes <tb> <SEP> a) a processing server with an input interface for receiving digital planning data of the object of the construction project, the digital planning data comprising at least the following: <tb><SEP> <SEP> - information on functional elements that are to be installed as part of the construction project; <tb><SEP> <SEP> - information on installation locations at which the functional elements on the object are to be installed; <tb><SEP> <SEP> - information on materials that are to be used for the building and / or room envelope of the property; <tb><SEP> <SEP> - information on the locations where the materials are to be used; <tb><SEP> <SEP> and to establish an assignment of at least one of the functional elements to the material on which the functional element is to be installed, based on the installation locations of the functional elements and the application locations of the materials; <tb> <SEP> b) a product database in which information on products is stored, the information including information on suitability of the products as a functional element for installation on a material; <tb> <SEP> c) a trading server with an output interface for issuing a recommendation for a product to be ordered, the recommended product being a functional element which is suitable for installation on the assigned material; the processing server having access to the product database and on the basis of the assignment of the material to the functional element, based on the product database, the recommendation for the product to be ordered is generated, and the recommendation generated is transmitted from the processing server to the trading server.

With the arrangement according to the invention, a method for the automated generation of a recommendation for a product order for a construction project can accordingly be carried out, which comprises the following steps: <tb> <SEP> a) Receiving digital planning data of the object of the construction project by a processing server with an input interface, the digital planning data including at least the following: <tb><SEP> <SEP> - information on functional elements that are to be installed as part of the construction project; <tb><SEP> <SEP> - information on installation locations at which the functional elements on the object are to be installed; <tb><SEP> <SEP> - information on materials that are to be used for the building and / or room envelope of the property; <tb><SEP> <SEP> - information on the locations where the materials are to be used; <tb> <SEP> b) using the installation locations of the functional elements and the application locations of the materials, assigning at least one of the functional elements to the material on which the functional element is to be installed; <tb> <SEP> c) based on a product database, based on the assignment of the material to the functional element, generating a recommendation for a product to be ordered by the processing server, the recommendation being transmitted from the processing server to a trading server with an output interface, the recommended product is a functional element which is suitable for installation on the associated material.

The invention is applicable to different building projects in building construction in which components are at least partially specified as functional elements in plan documents and in which at least some of these functional elements are represented by different products depending on a material of the room and / or building envelope. For example, for installation or extension in concrete, brick, plaster of paris, wood or another material, different products may have to be used to provide a given functional element. The invention is particularly applicable to new building projects as well as to far-reaching renovation, conversion and expansion projects of existing buildings.

The term server (processing server, trading server, etc.) denotes a functional group of a data processing system. A “server” in the sense of the present documents can be implemented by a data processing device or several interconnected data processing devices; it is also possible to implement several servers through the same device, e.g. B. through virtualization.

The plan data is in particular BIM data or two- or three-dimensional CAD plan data that represent the construction project. The plan data include in particular the geometric information on the construction project, including z. B. the geometric arrangement of the building and room envelopes (outer and inner walls, ceilings, floors, roofs, etc.) including materialization. The materialization can be characterized, for example, by the following information (greatly simplified): <tb> A <SEP> wall <tb>A.1<SEP> <SEP> solid wall <tb>A.1.1<SEP><SEP><SEP> <SEP> made of masonry <tb>A.1.2<SEP><SEP><SEP> <SEP> made of reinforced concrete <tb>A.1.3<SEP><SEP><SEP> <SEP> made of wood <tb>A.2<SEP> <SEP> lightweight construction wall <tb>A.2.1<SEP><SEP><SEP> <SEP> based on wood <tb>A.2.1.1<SEP><SEP><SEP> <SEP> Planking plasterboard <tb>A.2.1.2<SEP><SEP><SEP> <SEP> Cladding wood fiber board <tb>A.2.2<SEP><SEP> <SEP> based on metal profiles <tb>A.2.2.1<SEP><SEP><SEP> <SEP> Planking plasterboard <tb>A.2.2.2<SEP><SEP><SEP> <SEP> cladding wood fiber board <tb> B <SEP> ceiling <tb>B.1<SEP> <SEP> reinforced concrete <tb> B. 1. 1 <SEP> <SEP> <SEP> raw <tb>B.1.2<SEP><SEP> <SEP> suspended ceiling <tb>B.1.3<SEP><SEP> <SEP> plastered <tb>B.2<SEP> <SEP> wood <tb>B.2.1<SEP><SEP> <SEP> raw <tb>B.2.2<SEP><SEP> <SEP> suspended ceiling <tb>B.2.3<SEP><SEP> <SEP> plastered <tb> C <SEP> soil <tb>C.1<SEP> <SEP> reinforced concrete <tb> C. 1.1 <SEP> <SEP> <SEP> raw <tb>C.1.2<SEP><SEP> <SEP> cast floor <tb>C.1.3<SEP><SEP> <SEP> with floor covering etc.

[0016] Further information can in particular relate to the roof, including the roof skin and roof lining.

[0017] The plan data also include the functional elements and their positioning. In addition to functional elements, certain products can also be specifically specified, e.g. B. if these are explicitly specified by the client or the architect.

The information on the functional elements includes in particular the function of a certain element (e.g. socket outlet), as well as certain requirements that the element should meet (e.g. number of slots, voltage to be made available, maximum current intensity, IP Protection class etc.). It is not necessary to specify the specific provider and type.

The information on the installation locations of the functional elements are usually obtained directly from the plan data in which each element is assigned a location. The invention is characterized in that more detailed information on the installation (insertion in a concrete wall / pulling into the cavity of a lightweight wall, etc.) of the functional elements is not absolutely necessary. The information on the installation locations is preferably derived exclusively from the geometric information in the plan data.

The information on the materials which are to be used for building and / or room envelopes of the construction project, as mentioned above, also emerge from the plan data. This also applies to the locations where these materials are used, which in turn result from the geometric information in the plan data.

In modern CAD systems, the information on the functional elements, on their installation locations, on the materials of the building and / or room envelopes and on their geometry are stored in different layers. An object that is the subject of a construction project is divided into floors, floor components (apartments, offices, etc.). Then symbols are added at the intended locations, which represent the functional elements. The various types of information are stored in different levels of the CAD construction plan.

The processing server according to the invention can now be operated in such a way that it assigns at least one of the functional elements to the material on which it is to be installed based on the installation locations of the functional elements and the application locations of the materials. In the context of the present documents, the term "on a material" means that a functional element is on the material (e.g. surface mounting), in the material (e.g. flush mounting), behind the material (e.g. behind a plasterboard surface of a Cavity wall) or in a combination. A combination exists, for example, when a socket outlet is flush-mounted: The inlet box is usually completely accommodated in the corresponding surface (e.g. by a wall), while the cover plate with the connection openings is arranged on the front of the wall. Pure flush mounting can result, for example, for pure distribution boxes without direct access.

The assignment can be made by comparing the installation locations on the one hand and the usage locations on the other. In principle, it is determined for each affected functional element which material the building and / or room envelope has at the corresponding location.

In the simplest case, the recommendation for the product to be ordered is a list of products and the corresponding numbers to be ordered. However, especially when there is a large range of products in the product database, it is possible (and even probable) that, given the determined combination of functional element and material, several products may be considered for the functional element. In this case, the recommendation for individual (or all) functional elements can include a list of various suitable products, from which the customer can choose in a subsequent step. In cases where a functional element is required several times, it may also be possible to select different products, each with a number to be ordered. If the selection of a certain product for a certain functional element restricts the selection for other functional elements, e.g. B. because the compatibility of the functional elements must be ensured, the lists concerned can be automatically adapted for the other functional elements. Even in cases where it is usually desired that all functional elements of a certain class come from the same provider or belong to the same line of a provider (e.g. to ensure a uniform design), the arrangement according to the invention can provide that after a choice has been made for a first functional element of a certain class, this choice is adopted for the other functional elements of the class. This ensures a high level of flexibility with minimal effort for the customer.

In order to avoid selection lists and / or to prioritize the offered products in the respective selection, various criteria can be used for the selection of a single product or the ranking of the products, e.g. B. the product price, the quality level of the product, a prioritization of the product provider or similar.

The transmission of the recommendation from the processing server to the trading server can be initiated by the processing server (push) or by the trading server (pull).

Based on the product database, in which, in addition to the usual product information, associated information on the construction process is stored, a material list can be generated automatically despite the abstract nature of the plan data. The arrangement according to the invention thus enables a continuous flow of information from planning to material ordering, even if the plan data initially only contains information on functional elements and not references to specific products. The flexibility with regard to usable products is maintained.

The functional elements preferably include components that can be attached in or on a wall, ceiling and / or floor, and the information on materials relates to walls, ceilings and / or floors of the construction project. Particularly in the case of components that are integrated in some way into a wall, ceiling or floor, the type of integration depends largely on the material of the wall, ceiling or floor. Depending on the material, there are different installation methods, and different components or different mounting accessories are required for a component.

Alternatively or additionally, the functional elements comprise components that are to be installed at other installation locations, e.g. B. on elements such as stairs, railings or on fixed installations or devices (e.g. built-in furniture, large kitchen appliances, washing machines and tumble dryers, heating systems, air conditioning systems, ventilation systems, etc.). It is not imperative here that all of the components covered by the arrangement according to the invention require a material-dependent product selection, but rather, in addition to the material-dependent functional elements, also material-independent functional elements can easily be processed.

[0030] The functional elements advantageously include connection points of an electrical installation. These can be sockets, consumer connections (e.g. for lamps, devices or other consumers) and / or switches. In particular when planning electrical installations, very often only functional elements are specified, so that the use of the arrangement according to the invention results in a considerable increase in efficiency. Further functional elements of an electrical installation relate in particular to lines, conduits (including protective tubes), distribution boxes, electricity meters and, if applicable, consumers. Individual components can already be included in the construction plans by specifying the specific product, while others are defined as functional elements and a recommendation for specific products is only generated within the scope of the arrangement according to the invention.

The invention is also applicable to other components used in a building project, which are implemented by different products depending on the material of the building and / or room envelope.

A recommendation can preferably be generated for a plurality of existing products, in particular for all products of a predetermined functional element class to be ordered. A functional element class includes, for example, all connection points (sockets, lamp and other consumer connections) of an electrical installation, but it can also be broader and also include switches or even cables. It is advantageous if the functional elements to be processed do not have to be selected individually (or functional elements not to be processed individually deselected), but rather a whole class can be selected or deselected depending on the properties recorded in the plan data. The selection or deselection can also take place automatically in the processing server, e.g. B. so that only functional element classes are taken into account which the operator of the processing server or the connected supplier offers. An electrical wholesaler will, for example, only take into account those functional elements that belong to the electrical installation, not for example also elements of the sanitary installation.

Advantageously, a selection of the functional elements to be taken into account is thus made by the user and / or in the course of the processing, and a recommendation is then generated for all of these functional elements. In exceptional cases - if, for example, the product database does not contain suitable products or a functional element was recorded with an incorrect functional class - a recommendation for a specific functional element can be an empty selection.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, different material lists can be created for different functional element classes. The user or operator of the processing server can then pass this on to various suppliers (e.g. electrical, plumbing, etc.).

[0035] The arrangement according to the invention preferably comprises a sequence database in which information relating to the function element and / or product relating to installation work is stored. In the processing server, using the information in the process database and based on the assignment of the materials to the functional elements, the products to be ordered can then be assigned to the recommendation of one of several construction phases, the assigned construction phase indicating when the corresponding product is to be installed in the construction process.

Functional element-related information applies to all products that represent a specific functional element. For example, all sockets require a power supply. Product-related information only applies to certain products that represent a functional element. For example, there are switches available that work in a wired manner and thus require a feed line, as well as switches that work wirelessly and accordingly do not require a feed line. In addition to the need for a supply line, the information can also relate, in particular, to the required recording space (e.g. for flush-mounted as opposed to surface-mounted installations), required additional elements (e.g. protective tubes) or generally on the positioning in the construction process (e.g. before or after applying the plaster). Since the processing server has both the information on the functional elements and on the (recommended) products, it can automatically assign the relevant information on installation work to each component.

Based on the information in the process database, the processing server can then determine at what point in time a (recommended) product must be installed. This can certainly result in several points in time (e.g. for an inlet box and for the socket or switch incorporated therein). The point in time or points in time are then assigned to the recommended product.

The construction phases can be divided as follows, for example in the case of a reinforced concrete-based structure: <tb> <SEP> - laying (concreting); <tb> <SEP> - shell construction; <tb> <SEP> - final expansion.

However, finer gradations are also possible. Other construction phases result in other construction methods.

A separate recommendation can advantageously be generated for each of the several construction phases, the corresponding recommendation comprising the products assigned to the respective construction phase. The user thus automatically receives a compilation of the recommended products, which is broken down by construction phase and thus by delivery time or delivery period. If different parts of the building are designed with a differently materialized building or room envelope, the same products may be included in the recommendations for different construction phases. (Of course, this also applies to products that are generally used independently of construction phases or in several construction phases.)

[0041] After receipt of an approval from a customer for the recommendation generated by the trading server, an order for the recommended products can preferably be triggered. The user can thus initiate the order of the products at the push of a button, if necessary after manual adjustments or a manual selection from several recommended products. If the recommendations are broken down according to construction phase, the order can include several corresponding delivery times.

It is usually not desirable that material for the construction project is delivered early and then has to be stored on the construction site or in warehouses of the processing company until it is used. For this reason, it is also an advantage if the deliveries for an order can be broken down into construction phases. Even if this does not happen, the delivery is usually only terminated at a time when the products are (at the earliest) required.

This means that between the ordering process and the delivery (or the individual deliveries) some time passes, often several months. As a result, if the plan is changed, the order - and thus the delivery - no longer corresponds to the latest planning status. Returns and subsequent deliveries are therefore often necessary. This can delay the construction process if it is not noticed until a late stage that required products are missing. In the context of the arrangement according to the invention, it can therefore be advantageous if an automated update of an order can take place on the basis of changed plan data. The following approaches are particularly suitable: <tb> <SEP> a) When a plan is changed, the changed plan data is transferred to the processing server. This compares the changed plan data with the original or most recently received plan data and, based on this, determines which functional elements are additionally required and which functional elements are no longer required. The products that are assigned to functional elements that are no longer required in an order are removed from this order. As with the processing of the original plan data, a recommendation is generated for the additional functional elements. This approach minimizes the processing effort, but has the consequence that the operator of the processing server has to keep the last processed plan data, which can be undesirable. <tb> <SEP> b) When a plan is changed, the changed plan data is transferred to the processing server. As with the processing of the original plan data, this generates a recommendation for the products to be ordered. Selections made by the purchaser in the first process can, if necessary, be adopted at product level. The new recommendation is compared with the previous recommendation to determine which products are additionally required or which products are no longer required, and the order is adjusted accordingly. This approach has the advantage that the previous plan data is no longer required by the processing server. However, a new selection by the customer may also be necessary for functional elements to which a product has already been assigned. <tb> <SEP> c) The processing server has permanent access to the plan data and periodically checks whether changes have taken place and whether these could lead to a change in the order. Changes can be ascertained by comparing them with the planned data, but a corresponding change or addition date is preferably evaluated, which is usually available in the case of digitally kept planning data. The determination of whether a change to an order is necessary is then carried out according to one of the approaches under point a) or b). This procedure has the advantage that the orders are always up to date and incorrect deliveries or returns are avoided wherever possible. It does, however, require that the customer is willing to grant permanent access to the plan data.

[0044] The following detailed description and the entirety of the patent claims result in further advantageous embodiments and combinations of features of the invention.

Brief description of the drawings

The drawings used to explain the exemplary embodiment show: <tb> Fig. 1 <SEP> a schematic representation of an arrangement according to the invention for the automated generation of a recommendation for a product order for a construction project; <tb> Fig. 2 <SEP> a plan representation of plan data of the construction project; <tb> Fig. 3 <SEP> the level of the geometry data of the plan display; <tb> Fig. 4 <SEP> the level of the material data of the plan display; <tb> Fig. 5 <SEP> the level of the functional element data of the plan display; and <tb> Fig. 6 <SEP> a flow diagram of a method for the automated generation of a recommendation for a product order for a construction project.

In principle, the same parts are provided with the same reference symbols in the figures.

Ways of Carrying Out the Invention

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of an arrangement according to the invention for the automated generation of a recommendation for a product order for a construction project. The arrangement 10 comprises a processing server 11 with an input interface 12. The processing server 11 is coupled to a terminal 1 of a user via the input interface 12 and receives plan data that are converted by the input interface 12 into a format that can be processed by the processing server 11 as required. The connection between the user's terminal 1 and the processing server 11 is in particular a secure Internet connection (TLS). The interface is designed in particular as a web-based interface. The user can, for example, upload his files generated with a (CAD) planning program, whereupon these are checked by the input interface 12 and converted if necessary. The interaction with the user takes place via a web interface, whereby the user has an account with the operator of the processing server and logs on to the server with his account details before using the service.

The plan data are then - to the extent that they are required for the method - stored in a structured manner on the processing server 11. In particular, they are stored according to the structure of the object (building, floors, rooms), which is described by the plan data. As described in more detail below, the plan data stored on the server comprise several levels, in particular with information on the geometry of the object, the materialization of building and room shells and functional elements and their placement in the object. If necessary, the user has the option of specifying the scope of the plan data to be processed, e.g. B. with regard to the functional element class and / or the parts of the object to be considered, to be specified via the web interface.

The processing server 11 has access to a product database 15 and a process database 16. One or both databases 15, 16 can be arranged locally, at the server location, or access is via a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN) , e.g. B. based on the Internet.

The product database 15 includes information on products that can be used in the context of construction projects. In addition to the usual product information (manufacturer, type, price, characterizing parameters such as dimensions, connection values, etc.), the product database 15 also contains information on which functional element it represents for each product (e.g. "switch", "switch / socket combination" , "Distribution box" etc.), at a level that corresponds to the level of detail of the usual plan data. Each product is also assigned 15 possible types of installation in the product database (e.g. flush-mounted, surface-mounted, ceiling mounting, floor mounting, etc.). The additional data on the function and the types of routing can be stored in the same database as the usual product data or they are stored in a separate database and linked with the usual product data.

The processing server 11 communicates further with a trading server 21. This interacts via an output interface with the terminal 1 of the user. The trading server 21 can be operated by the same service provider as the processing server or by a third party, namely a dealer who offers suitable products. It is possible that the processing server 11 communicates with several trading servers in order to e.g. B. to make products of different functional element classes (e.g. electrical installation, plumbing, HVAC, etc.) and / or different providers or manufacturers available

FIG. 2 is a plan representation of plan data for the construction project. For the sake of an improved overview, the representation is simplified compared to a real example with regard to the number and degree of detail of the elements shown. The plan view shows an essentially square floor plan of a building floor with a circumferential outer wall 30 which is broken through several times by windows 31.1 ... 31.8. Enclosed by the outer wall 30 and adjoining it, several inner walls 35.1 ... 35.6 run. A staircase 36 from a lower floor is arranged between two of the inner walls 35.1, 35.2. A first space 37.1 is formed between the two inner walls 35.2, 35.3, a second space 37.2 between the inner walls 35.3, 35.4, a third space 37.3 between the inner walls 35.4, 35.5 and a fourth space 37.4 between the inner walls 35.6, 35.1. A storage chamber 37.5 is also formed between the inner walls 35.5, 35.6.

The stairs 36 and the four rooms 37.1 ... 4 and the storage chamber 37.5 are connected to one another by a hallway 38; this is essentially limited by two inner walls 35.2, 35.5. Three of the rooms 37.2, 37.3, 37.4 have doors opening into the interior of the room; the first room 37.1 adjoins the hallway 38 without a door.

In the fourth space 37.4, a front wall 39 is also arranged along the inner wall 35.1.

The elements described so far are stored in a “geometry data” level of the plan data. FIG. 3 shows a plan view in which only the geometry data are shown.

The “material data” level is also included in the plan data. These are shown in FIG. 4 and can also be seen from the overall overview in FIG. From the material data it can be seen that the outer wall 30 is a reinforced concrete wall (closely hatched), that the inner walls 35.1 ... 6 are lightweight walls, formed from metal studs with plasterboard paneling (with wide hatching) and that the Front wall 39 is formed by a wooden structure with wood planking (horizontal dashed lines). The material data also includes the fact that the ceiling is a reinforced concrete ceiling.

The plan data also contains the “functional elements” level. The corresponding functional elements are shown in the overall view according to FIG. 2 and in the plan view according to FIG. 5 (the outlines of the outer wall and the inner walls, which do not belong to the “functional elements” level, are shown in dashed lines for orientation). The functional elements include a number of switch / socket outlet combinations 41.1 ... 41.5, which are each arranged next to a door or an entrance to one of the rooms 37.1 ... 5 on the respective inner wall 35.1 ... 35.6. Another switch / socket combination 41.6 is arranged on the outer wall 30 in space 37.1. Next, the functional elements include a number of sockets 42.1 ... 42.8, the z. T. on inner walls 35.3, 35.5, z. T. on the outer wall 30 and z. T. are arranged on the front wall 39. Lamp connections 43.1 ... 43.4 are also arranged in the ceiling (reinforced concrete). Finally, a motion detector 44 is arranged on the ceiling of the hallway 38 and a ceiling connection box 45 in the area of the front wall 39.

The “functional elements” level does not say anything about the specific products to be used. The functional elements only indicate which function is required at a particular location.

Finally, the “Products” level is contained in the plan data. In the simplified example shown, this just includes the washing machine 51. It is therefore not shown in a separate figure, but only shown in the overview according to FIG.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart of a method for the automated generation of a recommendation for a product order for a construction project.

First, the plan data are received from the processing server (step 101). This is done in particular via a web interface to which the processing server is connected and to which the user has access. Access is password-protected and the connection between the user and the web interface is secured (e.g. using TLS). The plan data is converted if necessary and then (temporarily) stored on the processing server. The user has the option of entering additional information via the web interface. If the data cannot be read or is incomplete, a corresponding message is displayed to the user so that missing information can be supplied or the data can be uploaded in a readable format.

Next, the assignment between the functional elements and the material on, on or in which they are to be installed takes place in the processing server. For this purpose, the information of the "functional elements" and "material data" levels are linked with one another. Specifically, for each functional element contained in the “functional elements” level, the assignment to the material specified in the “material data” level is established based on its position (step 102). In the illustrated embodiment, the following assignment results: <tb> Function element <SEP> type <SEP> component <SEP> material <tb> 41.1 <SEP> switch / socket <SEP> inner wall 35.2 <SEP> lightweight construction <tb> 41.2 <SEP> switch / socket <SEP> inner wall 35.3 <SEP> lightweight construction <tb> 41.3 <SEP> switch / socket <SEP> inner wall 35.5 <SEP> lightweight construction <tb> 41.4 <SEP> switch / socket <SEP> inner wall 35.6 <SEP> lightweight construction <tb> 41.5 <SEP> switch / socket <SEP> inner wall 35.6 <SEP> lightweight construction <tb> 41.6 <SEP> switch / socket <SEP> outer wall 30 <SEP> reinforced concrete <tb> 42.1 <SEP> socket <SEP> outer wall 30 <SEP> reinforced concrete <tb> 42.2 <SEP> socket <SEP> outer wall 30 <SEP> reinforced concrete <tb> 42.3 <SEP> socket <SEP> inner wall 35.3 <SEP> lightweight construction <tb> 42.4 <SEP> socket <SEP> inner wall 35.3 <SEP> lightweight construction <tb> 42.5 <SEP> socket <SEP> outer wall 30 <SEP> reinforced concrete <tb> 42.6 <SEP> socket <SEP> inner wall 35.5 <SEP> lightweight construction <tb> 42.7 <SEP> socket <SEP> outer wall 30 <SEP> reinforced concrete <tb> 42.8 <SEP> socket <SEP> front wall 39 <SEP> wooden construction <tb> 43.1 <SEP> lamp connection <SEP> ceiling <SEP> reinforced concrete <tb> 43.2 <SEP> lamp connection <SEP> ceiling <SEP> reinforced concrete <tb> 43.3 <SEP> lamp connection <SEP> ceiling <SEP> reinforced concrete <tb> 43.4 <SEP> lamp connection <SEP> ceiling <SEP> reinforced concrete <tb> 44 <SEP> motion detector <SEP> ceiling <SEP> reinforced concrete <tb> 45 <SEP> ceiling junction box <SEP> ceiling <SEP> reinforced concrete

A query is next made in the product database for the first identified functional element 41.1 (step 103). This results in a list of corresponding products (switch / socket) that are suitable for mounting on the corresponding material (lightweight wall as described above). Should the material data be ambiguous with regard to the material specification at a certain installation location, all products will be listed which are suitable for any installation types that come into question at this location.

It is now checked whether the list is empty, comprises a single entry or a plurality of entries (decision 104). If the list is empty, it is noted for the corresponding functional element 41.1 that no corresponding product is available. If the list comprises several entries, a ranking is made according to predetermined criteria (e.g. ascending price, quality level, manufacturer, selections already made by the user), then a selection query is made to the user via the web interface. He can select the desired product from the ranked list (step 106). He can also already choose that the same selection should be made automatically for corresponding future queries (identical combination of functional element and material).

If the list comprises only one entry or, after a product has been selected, a construction phase is assigned to this product on the basis of the process database (step 107). In the case of the switch / socket outlet combination 41.1 that is to be built into a lightweight wall, this is the final stage.

The product and the construction phase or the information that no product is available is then stored in a material list (step 109).

It is next checked whether further functional elements are to be processed (decision 110). If this is the case, the method is continued from step 103 for the next functional element.

If no further functional elements are to be processed, the definitive material list is generated from the material list (step 111). In particular, several products that are required in the same construction phase are combined.

Products that are already specified in the plan data (for example the washing machine 51) can be automatically transferred to the material list if they correspond to the functional element classes taken into account.

The material list is then sorted and displayed according to construction phases (step 112) and the user is asked whether a corresponding order should be triggered (step 113). At this point, the user has the option of adding to the material list by hand, moving products from one construction phase to another, or entering the desired delivery data immediately. For this purpose, the material list can be displayed, filtered and sorted in different views. If the user triggers an order (decision 114), this is forwarded to the trade server (step 115). If not, the material list is temporarily saved so that the user can call it up again at a later point in time.

The material lists and / or the definitive orders with the corresponding product information can be fed back to the user via an interface. They can thus be included in the plan data. The planning data (if necessary) and the product-related information can also be stored on the processing server or a connected database. If a replacement part for a defective or worn part has to be procured at a later point in time, the user can simply specify the installation location (and, if applicable, the functional element type) to order the same item, after which the processing server accesses the product information stored depending on the installation location.

The material lists or initiated orders can be linked to an on-site project database in which a timeline is stored that is continuously updated with the construction progress and the planned work. If a job is postponed, the delivery date for the associated products is automatically adjusted so that the required components are delivered to the construction site at the right time.

The invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiment. It can also be used to order additional items, e.g. B. for lines, use. It can also be used not only on components for electrical installation, but is also suitable for various components that are laid depending on the material.

The processing and user guidance can take place in a different way. Instead of asking the user to make a selection for each multi-valued product list, the entire material list can first be compiled (with some points being designed as selection points). Only in the next step are the necessary selections made by the user from the entire material list.

Instead of directly triggering the order (s) based on the - possibly adapted - material list, a shopping cart solution can also be used, for example. The entire material list, the partial list for a construction phase and / or individual products can then be placed in the shopping cart by the user via a web interface, in particular on the trading server.

In summary, it can be stated that the invention creates an arrangement for the automated generation of a recommendation for a product order for a construction project, which based on plan data of the object of the construction project with the specification of functional elements enables the identification of usable products and has a high degree of flexibility.

Claims (7)

1. An arrangement for the automated generation of a recommendation for a product order for a construction project, comprising a) a processing server with an input interface for receiving digital planning data of the object of the construction project, the digital planning data comprising at least the following: - Information on functional elements to be installed as part of the construction project; - Information on installation locations at which the functional elements are to be installed on the object; - Information on materials which are to be used for the building and / or room envelope of the property; - Information on the locations where the materials are to be used; and for establishing an association of at least one of the functional elements with the material on which the functional element is to be installed, based on the installation locations of the functional elements and the application locations of the materials; b) a product database in which information on products is stored, the information including information on suitability of the products as functional elements for installation on a material; c) a trading server with an output interface for outputting a recommendation for a product to be ordered, the recommended product being a functional element which is suitable for installation on the assigned material; wherein the processing server has access to the product database and is controlled in such a way that it generates the recommendation for the product to be ordered based on the product database based on the assignment of the material to the functional element, and the processing server is controlled to transmit the generated recommendation to the trading server. 2. Arrangement according to 1, characterized in that the functional elements comprise components which can be attached in or on a wall, ceiling and / or floor and that the information on materials relates to walls, ceilings and / or floors of the object. 3. Arrangement according to claim 2, characterized in that the functional elements comprise connection points, in particular sockets, lamp and other consumer connections, and / or switches of an electrical installation. 4. Arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a recommendation for a plurality of products to be ordered can be generated in the processing server, in particular for all products to be ordered of a given function element class. 5. The arrangement according to claim 4, characterized by a process database in which functional element and / or product-related information on installation work is stored, the products to be ordered in the processing server based on the information in the process database and based on the assignment of the materials to the functional elements Recommendation can be assigned to one of several construction phases, whereby the assigned construction phase indicates when the corresponding product is to be installed in the construction process. 6. Arrangement according to claim 5, characterized in that a separate recommendation can be generated for each of the several construction phases, the corresponding recommendation comprising the products assigned to the respective construction phase. 7. Arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that after receipt of an approval from a customer for the recommendation generated by the trade server, an order for the recommended products can be triggered.