Domain-Specific Model Transformation in Building Quantity Take-Off

The two core concepts of model-driven engineering are models and model transformations. Domain-Specific Modelling has become accepted as a powerful means of providing domain experts and end users with the ability to create and manipulate models within the systems that they use. In this paper we argue that there are domains for which it is appropriate to also provide domain experts with the ability to modify and develop model transformations. One such domain is that of quantity surveying, and specifically the taking-off of quantities from a building design. We describe a language for expressing transformations between building models and bills of quantities, and its implementation within an automated quantity take-off tool, reflecting on the commonalities and differences between this language and a general-purpose model transformat ion language/tool.