The prototypical application of cybernetic systems in remote intelligent services for buildings and infrastructures

This paper presents the conceptual model of a remote experts system (RES) to support group decision-making in the investigation and diagnosis of buildings and infrastructures in terms of various problems related to energy use, safety and well- being requirements. The model is set up based on the theory of cybernetics and an integrative use of expert system, Internet, system monitoring and control, and multicriteria decisionmaking technologies. The overall objective of this integrative application is to enable traditional expert system for diagnosis by using web-based decision support so as to effectively and efficiently reuse experts' knowledge, with real-time data supply, to resolve various engineering and managerial problems related to making a balance among them. The methodology adopted in this research includes literature review, product modeling, system analysis and development, and experimental case study. The result from this research is the RES product model and a demonstration system, which can be used at either construction or operation stage to diagnose related defects in buildings or infrastructures with supports from remote consultancies. It is expected that the RES can effectively facilitate the process of buildings and infrastructures investigation and diagnosis.