Systematic development of data models for blockchain-enabled procurement and management of building services systems: ProcuTrust

Procurement and Management (P&M) issues in Building Services Systems (BSS) lead to significant delays and inefficiencies in construction projects. Blockchain Technology (BT) has emerged as a viable solution for issues related to trust, transparency, collaboration, data manipulation and security. Despite considerable research on the application of blockchain in construction, there is a lack of studies that specifically focus on trustworthy P&M operations in BSS. As a solution, a blockchain-based system, ProcuTrust, is introduced, built upon data models developed and evaluated in the study. Data models discussed in this study include use case diagrams, entity relationship diagrams, and data flow diagrams for procurement and management of BSS. The study followed the design science research methodology, and the data models were evaluated using a Delphi-based expert forum with 19 expert interviews. The finalised data models used to develop ProcuTrust were presented as the findings of the study. ProcuTrust demonstrates the technological feasibility of a single source of truth for procurement and management of BSS. Core functionalities of ProcuTrust include the initiation of smart contracts, creating, updating and verifying BSS-related transactions, and minimising manual interventions. The data models serve as a guide for system developers to understand the domain of procurement and management of BSS. This system development process provides a replicable model for future blockchain technology-based built environment applications.