Computer-implemented building design and modeling and project cost estimation and scheduling system

Abstract

A computer-implemented building design and modeling system and method are provided. In one embodiment, the system comprises a spatial database; means for defining a plurality of parametric objects, each of the parametric objects representing a construction component of at least a portion of a building being modeled and including an interface through which the parametric object communicates information with other ones of the parametric objects; a cost database containing, for each of parametric objects, cost information associated with the parametric object; means for assembling a model of the building utilizing the parametric objects, wherein each of the parametric objects is created in the spatial database; and means for generating in real-time a cost-estimate for the building model based on the cost information associated with the parametric objects as the parametric objects are created in the spatial database.

1 . A method for a computer-implemented building design and modeling system comprising: 
 defining a plurality of parametric objects, each of the parametric objects representing a construction component of at least a portion of a building being modeled and including an interface through which the parametric object communicates information with other ones of the parametric objects;    assembling a model for the building utilizing the parametric objects, wherein each of the parametric objects is created in the spatial database, wherein the assembling a model is performed for each of a plurality of values for a selected building constraint;    saving results of the assembling; and    providing the saved results to a user.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the assembling is performed for each of the plurality of values simultaneously.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the assembling is performed for each of the plurality of values sequentially.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the providing the saved results to a user comprises presenting the saved results to a user in the form of a graph.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the providing the saved results to a user comprise presenting the saved results to a user in the form of data.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the plurality of values is defined by a user.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein each of the plurality of values is defined by a user.  
   
   
       8 . A method for a computer-implemented building design and modeling system comprising: 
 defining a plurality of parametric objects, each of the parametric objects representing a construction component of at least a portion of a building being modeled and including an interface through which the parametric object communicates information with other ones of the parametric objects;    assembling a model for the building utilizing the parametric objects, wherein each of the parametric objects is created in the spatial database, wherein the assembling a model is performed using an initial value for a selected building constraint;    saving results of the assembling;    incrementing the initial value for the selected building constraint by a predetermined amount;    repeating the assembling, saving, and incrementing until a value of the selected building constraint is equal to a final value; and    providing the saved results to a user.    
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the providing the saved results to a user comprises presenting the saved results to a user in the form of a graph.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the providing the saved results to a user comprise presenting the saved results to a user in the form of data.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 8  wherein at least one of the initial value, the predetermined amount, and the final value, is defined by a user.  
   
   
       12 . A computer program product comprising a computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of instructions for execution by at least one computer processor, the instructions comprising instructions for causing the computer to: 
 define a plurality of parametric objects, each of the parametric objects representing a construction component of at least a portion of a building being modeled and including an interface through which the parametric object communicates information with other ones of the parametric objects;    assemble a model for the building utilizing the parametric objects, wherein each of the parametric objects is created in the spatial database, wherein the assembling a model is performed for each of a plurality of values for a selected building constraint;    save results of the assembling; and    provide the saved results to a user.    
   
   
       13 . The computer program product of  claim 12  wherein the assembling is performed for each of the plurality of values simultaneously.  
   
   
       14 . The computer program product of  claim 12  wherein the assembling is performed for each of the plurality of values sequentially.  
   
   
       15 . The computer program product of  claim 12  wherein the providing the saved results to a user comprises presenting the saved results to a user in the form of a graph.  
   
   
       16 . The computer program product of  claim 12  wherein the providing the saved results to a user comprise presenting the saved results to a user in the form of data.  
   
   
       17 . The computer program product of  claim 12  wherein at least one of the plurality of values is defined by a user.  
   
   
       18 . The computer program product of  claim 12  wherein each of the plurality of values is defined by a user.  
   
   
       19 . A computer program product comprising a computer-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of instructions for execution by at least one computer processor, the instructions comprising instructions for causing the computer to: 
 define a plurality of parametric objects, each of the parametric objects representing a construction component of at least a portion of a building being modeled and including an interface through which the parametric object communicates information with other ones of the parametric objects;    assemble a model for the building utilizing the parametric objects, wherein each of the parametric objects is created in the spatial database, wherein the assembling a model is performed using an initial value for a selected building constraint;    save results of the assembling;    increment the initial value for the selected building constraint by a predetermined amount;    repeat the assembling, saving, and incrementing until a value of the selected building constraint is equal to a final value; and    provide the saved results to a user.    
   
   
       20 . The computer program product of  claim 19  wherein the providing the saved results to a user comprises presenting the saved results to a user in the form of a graph.  
   
   
       21 . The computer program product of  claim 19  wherein the providing the saved results to a user comprise presenting the saved results to a user in the form of data.  
   
   
       22 . The computer program product of  claim 19  wherein at least one of the initial value, the predetermined amount, and the final value, is defined by a user.  
   
   
       23 . A computer-implemented building design and modeling system comprising: 
 means for defining a plurality of parametric objects, each of the parametric objects representing a construction component of at least a portion of a building being modeled and including an interface through which the parametric object communicates information with other ones of the parametric objects;    means for assembling a model for the building utilizing the parametric objects, wherein each of the parametric objects is created in the spatial database, wherein the assembling a model is performed for each of a plurality of values for a selected building constraint;    means for saving results of the assembling; and    means for providing the saved results to a user.    
   
   
       24 . The system of  claim 23  wherein the assembling is performed for each of the plurality of values simultaneously.  
   
   
       25 . The system of  claim 23  wherein the assembling is performed for each of the plurality of values sequentially.  
   
   
       26 . The system of  claim 23  wherein the means for providing the saved results to a user comprises means for presenting the saved results to a user in the form of a graph.  
   
   
       27 . The system of  claim 23  wherein the means for providing the saved results to a user comprise means for presenting the saved results to a user in the form of data.  
   
   
       28 . The system of  claim 23  wherein at least one of the plurality of values is defined by a user.  
   
   
       29 . The system of  claim 23  wherein each of the plurality of values is defined by a user.  
   
   
       30 . A computer-implemented building design and modeling system comprising: 
 a spatial database;    means for defining a plurality of parametric objects, each of the parametric objects representing a construction component of at least a portion of a building being modeled and including an interface through which the parametric object communicates information with other ones of the parametric objects;    means for assembling a model for the building utilizing the parametric objects, wherein each of the parametric objects is created in the spatial database, wherein the assembling a model is performed using an initial value for a selected building constraint;    means for saving results of the assembling;    means for incrementing the initial value for the selected building constraint by a predetermined amount;    means for repeating the assembling, saving, and incrementing until a value of the selected building constraint is equal to a final value; and    means for providing the saved results to a user.    
   
   
       31 . The system of  claim 30  wherein the means for providing the saved results to a user comprises means for presenting the saved results to a user in the form of a graph.  
   
   
       32 . The system of  claim 30  wherein the means for providing the saved results to a user comprise means for presenting the saved results to a user in the form of data.  
   
   
       33 . The system of  claim 30  wherein at least one of the initial value, the predetermined amount, and the final value, is defined by a user.  
   
   
       34 . A computer program product, comprising a computer program processable by a computer system for causing the computer system to: 
 create instances of parametric objects in a spatial database, wherein each of said parametric objects represents a construction component of a structure to be modeled and includes a user interface for enabling a user to input design data to said parametric object; and    initiate automatic assembly of said parametric objects to create a building model, wherein said objects comprise ordinary elements and massing elements, said massing elements being capable of placing instances of other objects into the spatial database and subsequently passing data thereto and receiving data therefrom;    wherein the automatic assembly is performed for each of a number of values for at least one selected parameter of the structure, the computer program further causing the computer to: 
 save results of each said assembly; and  
 provide said saved results to a user.  
   
   
   
       35 . A method of implementing a computer-implemented automated building design and modeling system, the method comprising: 
 defining parametric objects wherein each of the parametric objects represents a construction component of a building being modeled and together the parametric objects describe information sufficient for assembly of a complete building model for the building's construction as constrained by the input of selected client requirements, and further wherein each of the parametric objects includes an interface through which the parametric object communicates information with other parametric objects;    inputting selected client requirements to specify a configuration of the building model; and    automatically assembling the building model utilizing the defined parametric objects, whereby the parametric objects for the building model are created in a spatial database and customized based upon the inputted client requirements; and whereby the parametric objects communicate information via their interfaces to assemble the building model, wherein said objects comprise ordinary elements and massing elements, the method further comprising said massing elements placing instances of other objects into the spatial database and subsequently passing data thereto and receiving data therefrom and wherein the automatically assembling is performed for each of a number of values for at least one selected parameter of the building;    generating a comparison representation of selected information pertaining to variations of the assembled building model, wherein said comparison representation is created by: 
 saving results of each instance of the automatically assembling; and  
 presenting the saved results to a user.