DATABASE USAGE IN A KNOWLEDGEBASE ENVIRONMENT FOR BUILDING DESIGN

The Computer Aided Design (CAD) Research Unit of the Design Institute at Cal Poly is engaged in a long term development of an Intelligent Computer Aided Design System (ICADS). The system is intended to become a valuable assistant to the designer throughout the entire design activity. Currently a working prototype, called DEMO2, provides a subset of the necessary assistance. DEMO2 is a distributive system that can run with a variety of hardware processors in a Unix environment. It includes an Expert Design Advisor that has six knowledge base systems working as domain experts, a blackboard coordination expert, a CAD drawing system, a custom graphics interface for user interactions and several databases. The system concurrently monitors an evolving floorplan as if is being drawn by a designer. Currently this review is limited to the viewpoints of experts in the domains of Access, Climate(thermal), Cost, Lighting Sound(acoustics), and Structure. It functions primarily to help realize a design that is free from conflicts in the six areas listed. This paper describes the development and use of databases in the ICADS working model. Specifically, it shows how the building design prototype information is organized and referenced to derive a design program for a particular project. In addition it discusses how another database of reference information is integrated into the design activity.