Semantic interoperability on IoT: Aligning IFC and Smart Application Reference (SAREF) sensor data models
Ebere Donatus Okonta, Farzad Pour Rahimian, Vladimir Vuković, Sergio Rodríguez · Automation in Construction · 2025
This paper proposes extending the Smart Application Reference (SAREF) ontology to enable sensor modelling based on the Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) standard, enhancing semantic interoperability between IoT (Internet of Things) and Building Information Modelling (BIM). The paper introduces the Information Assigned to Device Based Ontology Matching approach (IADOM) to align saref:Sensor and IfcSensor data models. Leveraging RDF (Resource Definition Framework) Semantic Web technology, the research modelled and visualised sensor data models in the Protégé software environment, exploring basic information that defined the sensor, including class, properties, relations, attributes, geometry, and interaction. Ontology results indicate property and interaction similarities and differences in saref:Sensor and IfcSensor. The extended ontology provides a standardised and interoperable representation of sensor data and their relationships within BIM and proves that SAREF ontology extension can enhance semantic interoperability between IoT devices and BIM systems, facilitating efficient data exchange, enabling advanced analytics and decision-making processes in smart buildings.