Artificial intelligence determination of building smoke and indoor air quality management
Methods and apparatus operative to quantify building metrics using artificial intelligence analysis of a design plan and apply the quantified building metrics to smoke control practices. A design plan is represented using multiple dynamic components. Each dynamic component may include a parameter changeable via the user interactive interface. The dynamic components may be arranged in a user interactive interface to form a first set of boundaries, including a respective length and area, and defining at least a portion of a first unit. AI may determine a longest path of egress and a supportable occupancy load that may be used to determine compliance with parameters of a given code. The AI may assess whether a building described in the design plans complies with a relevant code set forth by an authority having jurisdiction. Codes may include, for example, codes relating to smoke control and fire safety.
1. A method for efficiently managing smoke aspects within a building based upon artificial intelligence analysis of a design plan, the method comprising the steps of:
a. receiving into a controller the design plan of at least a portion of the building;
b. representing at least a portion of the design plan as multiple dynamic components;
c. generating a first user interactive interface comprising at least some of the multiple dynamic components representing the at least a portion of the design plan, each of the multiple dynamic components including a parameter changeable via the first user interactive interface;
d. arranging the multiple dynamic components included in the first user interactive interface to form a first set of boundaries, the first set of boundaries comprising a respective first length and first area, and said first set of boundaries defining at least a portion of a first unit;
e. generating a dominance relationship between the first unit and a second area separated from the first unit by the first set of boundaries;
f. referencing the dominance relationship, allocating a portion of a third area included in the first set of boundaries to the first area of the first unit;
g. generating a value for the first area of the first unit based upon the first set of boundaries and the portion of the third area included in the first set of boundaries that is allocated to the first unit;
h. calculating an occupancy load describing a maximum number of people anticipated to occupy the first area for the first unit based upon the first area of the first unit in which the portion of the third area has been allocated to, referencing the dominance relationship;
i. identifying a point of egress in the design plan;
j. with the controller, referencing the first length of the first set of boundaries and calculating a travel distance to the point of egress from a designated point included in the first unit;
k. receiving a respective reference value for each of a maximum occupancy load and a maximum travel distance from the designated point to the point of egress in order to be in compliance with a set of conditions relating to smoke control code requirements for the building;
l. referencing the maximum occupancy load, the maximum travel distance, the calculated occupancy load for the first unit based upon the first area of the first unit, and the calculated travel distance to the point of egress from the designated point included in the first unit, determining if the building is in compliance with the set of conditions relating to the smoke control code requirements for the building;
m. indicating, in the first user interactive interface, whether the building is in compliance with the set of conditions relating to the smoke control code requirements for the building, or not in compliance with the set of conditions;
n. providing, in the first user interactive interface, at least one automated revision suggestion to the design plan if the building is not in compliance with the set of conditions relating to the smoke control code requirements for the building based on the determination in step l; and
o. calculating a furthest point included in the first unit navigable by an occupant from the point of egress; calculating a travel distance to the point of egress from the furthest point included in the first unit; and referencing the maximum occupancy load of the first unit and the calculated travel distance to the point of egress from the furthest point within the first unit, determining if the building is in compliance with the set of conditions,
wherein based upon the first area of the first unit having a higher dominance rank in the dominance relationship between the first unit and the second area separated from the first unit, the first unit is recommended to remain unchanged by the at least one automated revision suggestion besides being in compliance with the set of conditions.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising a step of repeating steps 1.d. through 1.j. for multiple units included in the design plan in addition to the first unit.
3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising a step of aggregating areas of the multiple units included in the design plan and determining an occupancy load for the multiple units.
4. The method of claim 3 , additionally comprising a step of determining an occupancy load for an entire building based upon: an aggregated area of the multiple units; common paths of egress; and stairwells.
5. The method of claim 2 , additionally comprising the steps of determining a geopolitical locality and an authority having jurisdiction over a situs of the building; and including in the set of conditions, conditions specified by a building code adopted by the authority having jurisdiction over the situs of the building.
6. The method of claim 5 , additionally comprising a step of generating a path of egress comprising a distance internal to the first unit, and a distance via a common path external to the first unit.
7. The method of claim 1 , additionally comprising determining a scale of the multiple dynamic components included in the design plan.
8. The method of claim 1 , additionally comprising a step of: with the controller, referencing the multiple dynamic components, and determining a width of a path of egress.
9. The method of claim 8 , additionally comprising a step of determining a width of one or both of a doorway and a stairwell.
10. The method of claim 6 , additionally comprising a step of generating a user interface comprising user interactive areas operative to change at least one of: a size and shape of at least one of the multiple dynamic components thereby changing at least one of: the first area of the first unit and a length of the path of egress; and based upon the changing of the at least one of: the first area of the first unit and the length of the path of egress, placing the building in compliance with the set of conditions.
11. The method of claim 8 , wherein at least one of the multiple dynamic components comprises a polygon and the method further comprises the steps of: receiving an instruction via the first user interactive interface to modify a parameter of the polygon; modifying the parameter of the polygon based upon the instruction received via the first user interactive interface; changing the first area of the first unit based upon the modifying the parameter of the polygon; and repeating steps 1.I. and 1.m. after the modification to the parameter of the polygon.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the modified parameter comprises an area of the polygon.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the modified parameter comprises a shape of the polygon.
14. The method of claim 8 , wherein at least one of the multiple dynamic components comprises a line segment and the method further comprises the steps of: receiving an instruction via the first user interactive interface to modify a parameter of the line segment; modifying the parameter of the line segment based upon the instruction received via the first user interactive interface; changing a length of the path of egress based upon the modifying the parameter of the line segment; and repeating steps 1.l. and 1.m. after the modification of the parameter of the line segment.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the parameter of the line segment comprises a length of the line segment and the method additionally comprises a step of modifying a length of a wall based upon the modifying the length of the line segment.
16. The method of claim 5 , additionally comprising the steps of determining that a longest path of egress includes a dead end; and modifying a component of the design plan to shorten the dead end included in the longest path of egress.
17. The method of claim 16 , additionally comprising a step of displaying in the first user interactive interface an action that may be taken to place the building in compliance with the building code adopted by the authority having jurisdiction over the situs of the building.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the action that may be taken to place the building in compliance comprises at least one of: shortening the longest path of egress and widening the longest path of egress.
19. The method of claim 8 , additionally comprising a step of training an AI engine via a human identifying portions of the design plan to comprise a boundary.
20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the set of building codes comprising at least one of: a maximum allowable occupancy load, a maximum allowable travel distance to the point of egress, a maximum defined time required to navigate the maximum allowable travel distance, a width of egress path, a width of stairwell, an internal egress path length, an external egress path length, a width of stair in a vertical opening, a width of ramps for individuals with disabilities, a width of doonNays for individuals with disabilities, a length of a dead end path, a length of a common path, a width of a dead end path, a width of a common path, an egress capacity, number of smoke barriers, placements of smoke barriers, fire extinguisher placements and a maximum exit separation.
21. The method of claim 1 , wherein the compliance of the design plan of the building is determined for emergency evacuation of the building in case of an emergency event.
22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the emergency event comprises at least one of a fire event and an earthquake.
23. The method of claim 1 , further comprising a step of displaying on the user interface at least one automated revision suggestion to the design plan if the design plan is not in compliance with the set of building codes as determined in step 1.n,
wherein the area for at least one portion of the building having a higher dominance rank in a dominance relationship between the area for the at least one portion of the building and another area separated from the at least one portion is recommended to remain unchanged by the at least one automated revision suggestion besides being in compliance with the set of building codes.
24. The method of claim 1 , further comprising a step of integrating an API to access the set of building codes from an authority having jurisdiction over a situs of the building.
25. The method of claim 1 , further comprising a step of integrating a BIM or CAD design system so that compliance of the design plan can be assessed during early stages of designing the design plan.
26. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the compliance of the design plan of the building comprises determining the compliance based on an artificial intelligence analysis of the design plan by the AI engine.
27. The method of claim 26 , further comprising a step of training the AI engine through at least one of: based on human inputs, based on thousands of design plans, and previous compliance analysis of design plans.