Transforming Smart Campuses into User-Centric Environments by integrating BIM and Environmental Data

Smart cities are gaining momentum as a way to enhance urban living, tackling several challenges from economy, to governance, to mobility. Smart buildings, university campuses in particular, can play a crucial role as testing grounds for smart cities, with Building Information Modeling (BIM) systems being an important part of the picture, easing the work of technical personnel. In our case study, we tried providing environmental data gathered from a BIM system to every building occupant, including non-expert people. AlmaMap Navile, installed on public touch displays at the University of Bologna's Navile campus, integrates real-time sensor data with a comfort algorithm and a simple wayfinding system, providing added value and, eventually, informing decision-making to its users. This initiative marks the first step towards creating a smart campus digital twin, fostering efficiency, satisfaction, and sustainability awareness among campus stakeholders, and transforming a smart campus into a user-friendly, data-driven environment.