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OntoBPR: An ontological workflow for building permit review
Release: 23.12.2022
- Modified on: 11.12.2025
- Latest version:
- https://w3id.org/ontobpr
- Authors:
- Dr. Judith Fauth, Technical University Munich, Germany✉
- Dr. Philipp Hagedorn, Ruhr University Bochum, Germany✉
- Sebastian Seiss, Bauhaus University Weimar, Germany✉
- Sven Zentgraf, Ruhr University Bochum, Germany✉
- Extended Ontologies:
- OBPA
- isoprops
- Source:
- https://github.com/RUB-Informatik-im-Bauwesen/ontobpr
- See also:
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aei.2025.103369
- Download serialization:
- License:
- Visualization:
- Cite as:
- P. Hagedorn, J. Fauth, S. Zentgraf, S. Seiß, M. König, and I. Brilakis, "OntoBPR: An ontology-based framework for performing building permit reviews using standardized information containers," Advanced Engineering Informatics, July 2025, no. 66, 2025, doi: 10.1016/j.aei.2025.103369.
- DOI:
- Vocabulary maintained at:
- https://github.com/RUB-Informatik-im-Bauwesen/ontobpr
Ontology Specification Draft
Abstract
Building permitting is essential for ensuring the safety, sustainability, and societal alignment of construction projects. Despite interest from both practitioners and researchers, the process remains largely manual and fragmented. Ontologies offer a promising solution by managing complexity and enabling automation through semantic information, though current ontologies in the building permit domain are limited to specific aspects like building code checking. On the process level, the OntoBPR framework integrates multiple domain-specific ontologies for a seamless digital permitting process and provides a workflow to automate the lifecycle of the permit review. Therefore, it suggests integrating the submitted building application using standardized information containers. The paper explores how digital applications can be submitted, reviewed, verified for completeness, and forwarded to authorities, and how permit review results can be gathered to support decision-making and automate notification issuance, and it provides a demonstration in a case study. In conclusion, OntoBPR formalizes a multi-layered ontology that advances and aligns the partitioned building permit process and provides an adaptable framework to harmonize diverse legal, informatics, and procedural aspects.OntoBPR: Description back to ToC
To avoid a digital disruption in planning buildings and structures, this research presents a workflow in which building codes are represented as machine-readable knowledge graphs and ontologies as an integration to the building permit review procedure and the participation process. Therefore, the building permit process was analyzed, and possible applications of ontology-based knowledge representations are explored. An ontology-based building permit review (OntoBPR) is proposed, reusing two existing ontologies for modeling the permit review workflow for representing the building codes. The OntoBPR ontology extends the approach with a connection to Information Containers for linked Document Delivery (ICDD) that are used for submitting the building application, and the Shapes Constraint Language (SHACL) of which rules are generated from the building code knowledge graphs.
Cross-reference for OntoBPR classes, object properties and data properties back to ToC
This section provides details for each class and property defined by OntoBPR.Classes
- (1) Formal review
- (1.1) Completeness check
- (1.2) Review preparation
- (2) Assignment
- (3) Participation
- (4) Content review
- (5) Issuing notification letter
- (5.1) Request review results
- (5.2a) Positive permit decision
- (5.2b) Negative permit decision
- (5.3a) Formulation of condition
- (5.3b) Justification of negative decision
- (5.4) Creating notification letter
- Activity
- Activity
- Building
- Building
- Building Application
- Building application
- Building Authority
- Building authority
- Condition
- Dictionary
- Dictionary
- Document classification
- Justification
- Review checking result
- Review statement
- Review status
- SHACL shapes set
(1) Formal reviewc back to ToC or Class ToC
IRI: https://w3id.org/ontobpr#FormalReview
The Formal review activity
(1.1) Completeness check c back to ToC or Class ToC
IRI: https://w3id.org/ontobpr#CompletenessCheck
the Completeness check activity
- has super-classes
- Activity c
(1.2) Review preparation c back to ToC or Class ToC
IRI: https://w3id.org/ontobpr#ReviewPreparation
the Review preparation activity
- has super-classes
- Activity c
(2) Assignmentc back to ToC or Class ToC
IRI: https://w3id.org/ontobpr#Assignment
the Assignment activity
- has super-classes
- Activity c
(3) Participation c back to ToC or Class ToC
IRI: https://w3id.org/ontobpr#Participation
the Participation activity
- has super-classes
- Activity c
(4) Content review c back to ToC or Class ToC
IRI: https://w3id.org/ontobpr#ContentReview
The Content review activity
- has super-classes
- Activity c
(5) Issuing notification letter c back to ToC or Class ToC
IRI: https://w3id.org/ontobpr#IssuingNotificationLetter
the Issuing notification letter activity
(5.1) Request review results c back to ToC or Class ToC
IRI: https://w3id.org/ontobpr#RequestReviewResults
the Request review results activity
- has super-classes
- Activity c
(5.2a) Positive permit decision c back to ToC or Class ToC
IRI: https://w3id.org/ontobpr#PositivePermitDecision
the Positive permit decision activity
- has super-classes
- Activity c
(5.2b) Negative permit decision c back to ToC or Class ToC
IRI: https://w3id.org/ontobpr#NegativePermitDecision
the Negative permit decision activity
- has super-classes
- Activity c
(5.3a) Formulation of condition c back to ToC or Class ToC
IRI: https://w3id.org/ontobpr#FormulationOfCondition
the Formulation of condition activity
- has super-classes
- Activity c
(5.3b) Justification of negative decision c back to ToC or Class ToC
IRI: https://w3id.org/ontobpr#JustificationOfNegativeDecision
the Justification of negative decision activity
- has super-classes
- Activity c
(5.4) Creating notification letterc back to ToC or Class ToC
IRI: https://w3id.org/ontobpr#CreatingNotificationLetter
The Creating notification letter activity
- has super-classes
- Activity c
Activityc back to ToC or Class ToC
IRI: https://w3id.org/ontobpr#Activity
an Activity executed throughout the building permit review
- has super-classes
- Thing c
- has sub-classes
- (1) Formal review c, (1.1) Completeness check c, (1.2) Review preparation c, (2) Assignment c, (3) Participation c, (4) Content review c, (5) Issuing notification letter c, (5.1) Request review results c, (5.2a) Positive permit decision c, (5.2b) Negative permit decision c, (5.3a) Formulation of condition c, (5.3b) Justification of negative decision c, (5.4) Creating notification letter c
- is in domain of
- after activity op, is completed dp
- is in range of
- after activity op, belongs to activity op, has current activity op
Buildingc back to ToC or Class ToC
IRI: https://w3id.org/ontobpr#Building
The building that is subject of this building application
- has super-classes
- Thing c
- is in domain of
- has building document op
Building Applicationc back to ToC or Class ToC
IRI: https://w3id.org/obpa#BuildingApplication
- is equivalent to
- Building application c
- is in domain of
- applies op
Building applicationc back to ToC or Class ToC
IRI: https://w3id.org/ontobpr#BuildingApplication
the building application that is submitted by an applicant for review
- Is defined by
- https://w3id.org/obpa#BuildingApplication
- has super-classes
- is in domain of
- applies op, has application document op, has building application container op, has checking results op, has current activity op, has document op, has statement op, has status op
Building Authorityc back to ToC or Class ToC
IRI: https://w3id.org/obpa#BuildingAuthority
- is equivalent to
- Building authority c
- is in domain of
- checks op
Building authorityc back to ToC or Class ToC
IRI: https://w3id.org/ontobpr#BuildingAuthority
a building authority that is involved in a building permit review
- Is defined by
- https://w3id.org/obpa#BuildingAuthority
- is in domain of
- checks op
Conditionc back to ToC or Class ToC
IRI: https://w3id.org/ontobpr#Condition
a formulated condition statement of a conditionally accepted application
- has super-classes
- Review statement c
- is disjoint with
- Justification c
Dictionaryc back to ToC or Class ToC
IRI: https://w3id.org/isoprops#Dictionary
- is equivalent to
- Dictionary c
- has super-classes
- is in range of
- applies op, checks op
Dictionaryc back to ToC or Class ToC
IRI: https://w3id.org/ontobpr#BuildingCodeDictionary
A dictionary containing properties and shapes from a building code
- has super-classes
- is in domain of
- has shapes set op
- is in range of
- applies op, checks op
Document classificationc back to ToC or Class ToC
IRI: https://w3id.org/ontobpr#DocumentClassification
The classification of a document in the context of a building application.
- has super-classes
- Thing c
- is in range of
- has document classification op
- has members
- Antragsformular ni, Baubeschreibung ni, Bautechnische Nachweise ni, Bauwerksmodell ni, Bauzeichnung ni, Grundstücksbezogene Planunterlagen ni, Nicht näher klassifiziert ni
Justificationc back to ToC or Class ToC
IRI: https://w3id.org/ontobpr#Justification
justification statement of a negative building permit review decision
- has super-classes
- Review statement c
- is disjoint with
- Condition c
Review checking resultc back to ToC or Class ToC
IRI: https://w3id.org/ontobpr#ReviewResult
the review result of a particular agent incorporating a sh:ValidationReport
- has super-classes
- Error27 c, Error28 c, Thing c
- is in range of
- has checking results op
Review statementc back to ToC or Class ToC
IRI: https://w3id.org/ontobpr#ReviewStatement
a general review statement for logging events during the building permit review
- has super-classes
- Error37 c, Error38 c, Error39 c, Thing c
- has sub-classes
- Condition c, Justification c
- is in domain of
- belongs to activity op
- is in range of
- has statement op
Review statusc back to ToC or Class ToC
IRI: https://w3id.org/ontobpr#ReviewStatus
the status of the building application within the building permit review
- has super-classes
- Thing c
- is in range of
- has status op
- has members
- Accepted ni, Accepted with conditions ni, Rejected ni, Request information ni, Under review ni
SHACL shapes setc back to ToC or Class ToC
IRI: https://w3id.org/ontobpr#ShaclShapesSet
a set of SHACL shapes for validating data at various activities of the building permit review
- has super-classes
- Thing c
- is in domain of
- has shapes op
- is in range of
- has shapes set op
Object Properties
- after activity
- applies
- belongs to activity
- checks
- has application document
- has building application container
- has building document
- has checking results
- has current activity
- has document
- has document classification
- has shapes
- has shapes set
- has statement
- has status
after activityop back to ToC or Object Property ToC
IRI: https://w3id.org/ontobpr#afterActivity
an activity is executed after another activity
has characteristics: transitive
- has super-properties
- top Object Property op
- has domain
- Activity c
- has range
- Activity c
appliesop back to ToC or Object Property ToC
IRI: https://w3id.org/ontobpr#applies
BuildingApplication applies a BuildingCodeDictionary for checking
- has super-properties
- top Object Property op
- has domain
- Building Application c
- Building application c
- has range
- Dictionary c
- Dictionary c
belongs to activityop back to ToC or Object Property ToC
IRI: https://w3id.org/ontobpr#belongsToActivity
a ReviewStatement belongs to a particular Activity
- has super-properties
- top Object Property op
- has domain
- Review statement c
- has range
- Activity c
checksop back to ToC or Object Property ToC
IRI: https://w3id.org/ontobpr#checks
BuildingAuthority checks a building regarding a BuildingCodeDictionary
- has super-properties
- top Object Property op
- has domain
- Building Authority c
- Building authority c
- has range
- Dictionary c
- Dictionary c
has application documentop back to ToC or Object Property ToC
IRI: https://w3id.org/ontobpr#hasApplicationDocument
a BuildingApplication has a respective document (e.g. PDF) representing a human-readable version of the application
- has super-properties
- has document op
- has domain
- Building application c
- has range
- Document c
has building application containerop back to ToC or Object Property ToC
IRI: https://w3id.org/ontobpr#hasBuildingApplicationContainer
the reference from a BuildingApplication to an ICDD container
- has super-properties
- top Object Property op
- has domain
- Building application c
- has range
- Container Description c
has building documentop back to ToC or Object Property ToC
IRI: https://w3id.org/ontobpr#hasBuildingDocument
A Building has a document, which is the IFC representation of this Building
- has super-properties
- has document op
- has domain
- Building c
- has range
- Document c
has checking resultsop back to ToC or Object Property ToC
IRI: https://w3id.org/ontobpr#hasCheckingResults
either a BuildingApplication has ReviewResult or a ReviewResult has sh:ValidationReport
- has super-properties
- top Object Property op
- has domain
- Building application c
- has range
- Review checking result c
has current activityop back to ToC or Object Property ToC
IRI: https://w3id.org/ontobpr#hasCurrentActivity
a BuildingApplication is in the current Activity
- has super-properties
- top Object Property op
- has domain
- Building application c
- has range
- Activity c
has documentop back to ToC or Object Property ToC
IRI: https://w3id.org/ontobpr#hasDocument
abstract property grouping hasApplicationDocument and hasBuildingDocument
- has super-properties
- top Object Property op
- has sub-properties
- has application document op, has building document op
- has domain
- Building application c
- has range
- Document c
has document classificationop back to ToC or Object Property ToC
IRI: https://w3id.org/ontobpr#hasDocumentClassification
The classification of a ct:Document in an ICDD container in the context of a building application.
- has super-properties
- top Object Property op
- has domain
- Document c
- has range
- Document classification c
has shapesop back to ToC or Object Property ToC
IRI: https://w3id.org/ontobpr#hasShapes
ShaclShapesSet has sh:Shape instances
- has super-properties
- top Object Property op
- has domain
- SHACL shapes set c
- has range
- Shape c
has shapes setop back to ToC or Object Property ToC
IRI: https://w3id.org/ontobpr#hasShapesSet
either an Activity or a BuildingCodeDictionary has a ShaclShapesSet
- has super-properties
- top Object Property op
- has domain
- Dictionary c
- has range
- SHACL shapes set c
has statementop back to ToC or Object Property ToC
IRI: https://w3id.org/ontobpr#hasStatement
any ReviewStatement of any reviewer is attached to a BuildingApplication
- has super-properties
- top Object Property op
- has domain
- Building application c
- has range
- Review statement c
has statusop back to ToC or Object Property ToC
IRI: https://w3id.org/ontobpr#hasStatus
the ReviewStatus of a BuildingApplication
- has super-properties
- top Object Property op
- has domain
- Building application c
- has range
- Review status c
Data Properties
is completeddp back to ToC or Data Property ToC
IRI: https://w3id.org/ontobpr#isCompleted
a boolean property indicating whether an activity is completet or not
- has super-properties
- top Data Property dp
- has domain
- Activity c
- has range
- boolean
Named Individuals
- Accepted
- Accepted with conditions
- Antragsformular
- Baubeschreibung
- Bautechnische Nachweise
- Bauwerksmodell
- Bauzeichnung
- Grundstücksbezogene Planunterlagen
- Nicht näher klassifiziert
- Rejected
- Request information
- Under review
Acceptedni back to ToC or Named Individual ToC
IRI: https://w3id.org/ontobpr#Accepted
- belongs to
- Review status c
Accepted with conditionsni back to ToC or Named Individual ToC
IRI: https://w3id.org/ontobpr#AcceptedWithConditions
- belongs to
- Review status c
Antragsformularni back to ToC or Named Individual ToC
IRI: https://w3id.org/ontobpr#ApplicationForm
Das Antragsformular umfasst die Stammdaten des Antrags, z.B. Andressdaten, Kontaktdaten des Entwurfsverfassers, die Verfahrensart, Nachbarbeteiligungen, etc.
- belongs to
- Document classification c
Baubeschreibungni back to ToC or Named Individual ToC
IRI: https://w3id.org/ontobpr#BuildingDescription
Baubeschreibungen umfassen Informationen zur generellen Funktion des Gebäude (Gebäudetyp, Nutzungsart, etc.) und bei betrieblicher oder landwirtschaftlicher Nutzung auch eine betrieblichiche Beschreibung des Gebäude
- belongs to
- Document classification c
Bautechnische Nachweiseni back to ToC or Named Individual ToC
IRI: https://w3id.org/ontobpr#EngineeringProofs
Umfassen üblicherweise Dokumente über spezielle Nachweise, z.B. des Brandschutzes, der Statik, des Schallschutzes oder der Barrierefreiheit.
- belongs to
- Document classification c
Bauwerksmodellni back to ToC or Named Individual ToC
IRI: https://w3id.org/ontobpr#BuildingModel
Umfasst ein oder mehrere Modelle im Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) Format.
- belongs to
- Document classification c
Bauzeichnungni back to ToC or Named Individual ToC
IRI: https://w3id.org/ontobpr#TechnicalDrawing
Umfassen technische Zeichnungen, die das Bauwerk betreffen (Maßstäbe üblicherweise 1:100, seltener auch Detailzeichnungen in Maßstab 1:50 oder kleiner), z.B. Ansichten, Schnitte, Grundrisse
- belongs to
- Document classification c
Grundstücksbezogene Planunterlagenni back to ToC or Named Individual ToC
IRI: https://w3id.org/ontobpr#PlotRelatedPlans
Umfassen Planunterlagen, die das Grundstück und die Lage betreffen (üblicherweise im Maßstab größer als 1:500), z.B. Lageplan, Entwässerungsplan, Abstandsflächenplan
- belongs to
- Document classification c
Nicht näher klassifiziertni back to ToC or Named Individual ToC
IRI: https://w3id.org/ontobpr#Unclassified
- belongs to
- Document classification c
Rejectedni back to ToC or Named Individual ToC
IRI: https://w3id.org/ontobpr#Rejected
- belongs to
- Review status c
Request informationni back to ToC or Named Individual ToC
IRI: https://w3id.org/ontobpr#RequestInformation
- belongs to
- Review status c
Under reviewni back to ToC or Named Individual ToC
IRI: https://w3id.org/ontobpr#UnderReview
- belongs to
- Review status c
Legend back to ToC
c: Classes
op: Object Properties
dp: Data Properties
ni: Named Individuals
op: Object Properties
dp: Data Properties
ni: Named Individuals
References back to ToC
Add your references here. It is recommended to have them as a list.Acknowledgments back to ToC
The authors would like to thank Silvio Peroni for developing LODE, a Live OWL Documentation Environment, which is used for representing the Cross Referencing Section of this document and Daniel Garijo for developing Widoco, the program used to create the template used in this documentation.