Platform for verifiable and traceable building data
In the digital age, access to reliable and tamper-proof building data is crucial for sustainable planning, efficient maintenance and well-founded decisions. The CASPAR research project is developing an innovative platform that securely bundles building data and makes it accessible via open standards - for anyone looking for transparency and efficiency throughout the entire life cycle of their projects.
CASPAR in a nutshell
Technological innovations for reliable building data
The CASPAR research project is pursuing a novel approach to making digital building data usable efficiently and tamper-proof. The aim is to make data from a wide variety of sources available centrally, securely and interoperably - whether for research, planning, maintenance or documentation.
Why is this important?
In many projects, relevant data is distributed in different formats and systems. CASPAR creates a solution to bundle this information in a structured way and make it usable in the long term. The so-called Asset Administration Shell (AAS) plays a central role here: it ensures that data is organized and accessible in a standardized way.
Innovations in the project
A key innovation in the CASPAR project is the introduction of the AAS standard version 3.0. The previous standard defined how information from a digital twin is stored and provided in a structured manner. However, it was not very flexible and was limited to basic use cases.
The new version 3.0 extends this approach and enables:
- Modularity and flexibility: The content of the administration shell has been divided into smaller, clearly structured components to support versatile applications along the entire value chain.
- Increased security and interoperability: Improved interfaces and security mechanisms facilitate the secure exchange of data between different systems.
The project also developed a demonstrator that uses real building data to illustrate how the platform works in practice - from data collection to secure storage and provision.
These developments make building data more reliable and promote seamless collaboration on projects by simplifying the exchange between systems and providing access to consistent, unbiased information.
Development of a future-proof platform
objective partner is intensively involved in the implementation of the platform as a technology partner. The focus is on software development and the integration of key components:
Development of a comprehensive data catalog to describe relevant data formats and uses.
Implementation of standardized interfaces (APIs) to enable data exchange between systems:
- REST API: Web-based access to data.
- MQTT: Efficient protocol for fast transmission of measurement data.
- OPC UA: Industry standard for secure data communication.
Implementation of security mechanisms, including
- Data encryption and digital signatures to ensure data integrity.
- User and rights management to ensure secure access.
Development of a prototype that uses real building data to show how CASPAR collects, stores and makes data available.
Support in project management through regular coordination within the consortium, organization of the exchange between the partners and preparation and dissemination of the project results.
One focus of the research project is the legally secure storage of data. The underlying technology used for this task is blockchain.
A "blockchain" is a type of decentralized, digital database that stores information in blocks that are chained together. The basic concepts are briefly described below:
Legally compliant data storage
Traditional databases are managed centrally on servers that are controlled by an organization or authority. With a blockchain, however, there is no central authority. It is managed by a network of computers (nodes), each of which has a copy of the entire blockchain.
As every transaction is stored publicly in the blockchain, anyone in the network can view the information. Every change is traceable and permanent, which increases trust and security.
Once data has been entered into the blockchain, it can no longer be changed or deleted without the consent of the majority of the network. This makes the blockchain resistant to manipulation and fraud.
Information is stored in blocks. Each block contains a list of transactions and a "hash" (a cryptographic checksum) of the previous block. This creates a chain of blocks, which maintains the integrity of the data.
As there is no central authority, the participants in the network must reach a consensus on which transactions should be included in the blockchain. Well-known mechanisms for this are the "proof of work" (as with Bitcoin) or "proof of stake".
Efficient data management throughout the entire project life cycle
Would you like to find out more about CASPAR?
Contact
Prof. Dr. Stephan Schäfer
Expert Industrial Solutions
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