Initiative

CHEK

‘Change toolkit for digital building permit’ (CHEK) will enable the development and uptake of digital methods and tools for building permits, based on standardised and integrated city and building digital data.
A toolkit to support the shift from the traditional paper-based process to a digital one will be provided, considering the different issues related to digitalisation. Standard-based information requirements proposal and templates will be developed for Building Information Models (BIM) and (3D) geoinformation. A modular web APIs-based architecture for managing and processing software will be developed and tested. A roadmap for change within institutions will be developed and supported. Finally, a suitable training will be developed to foster the upskilling of involved operators to the use of the new interoperable digital solutions. The results will be developed and demonstrated in Italy, Portugal and Czech Republic as well as in further interested municipalities involved in the Advisory Board or CHEK community. Modularity and standardisation of solutions will enable replicability in any country and context.

Anyone waiting for a building permit must bring time and even expect an incorrect decision. This is because the application is processed by hand, which involves many sources of error. This can lead to delays and errors in planning, design and construction.

Reliable results would be achieved with a digitized building permit process. But all attempts to introduce this in municipalities have failed so far. This is about to change!

The goal of CHEK is to facilitate the introduction of digital building permit procedures for municipalities. Flexible, adaptable solutions are being developed that take into account all the rules and conditions of the procedure. Geodata as well as the possibility to represent buildings three-dimensionally (BIM) help in this process. The 3D model contains all information about the building’s components, materials and properties. In addition, personnel are to be trained further, processes in the administration are to be renewed and more emphasis is to be placed on technology.

The project “Change toolkit for digital building permit” (CHEK) makes this possible. It provides an innovative package of methodological and technical tools for digitizing building permits and automated compliance checks. CHEK can be applied to building designs and renovations in European cities and regions.

Part of the toolkit are:

  • a modular digital reference process for building permits
  • a virtual assistant for municipalities to implement digital building permits
  • guidelines for data handling; data should be presented in a way that complies with all the rules of the building code. it should clarify how to modify or extend geodata and 3-D models in order to check all requirements of the building law
  • a reference architecture in which different applications and systems can communicate with each other and exchange data. This allows multiple applications to work together and be flexible 
  • new regulatory testing tools based on either geospatial information or building information models; and 
  • a common knowledge framework and technical scientific operational training. 

The results will be demonstrated in Italy, Portugal and the Czech Republic and will be available for testing to all other interested countries in the CHEK community of interest.

CHEK performs:

  • Building permits are issued more efficiently and quickly 
  • processes become more traceable and predictable
  • the quality of testing is better, resulting in fewer errors and inaccuracies. This is made possible by new advanced analyses to support sustainability and climate protection.
  • based on standard procedures, a method will be developed and tested to retrieve all necessary information and develop automation from it. The division into modules and standardization of solutions will allow this system to be applied within agencies in any country and in any context.

With CHEK, the OGC is implementing the goals of digital transformation within the EU. The action plan aims to prepare Europe for the challenges of the digital world and strengthen its competitiveness. One focus is on digital administration: the strategy calls for improved digital administration and greater use of digital technologies in public services. This is intended to improve the efficiency and transparency of administrative procedures, including building permit procedures. CHEK is making a key contribution to this.

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme under Grant Agreement No.101058559