Ž . Automation in Construction 10 2001 275–289 www.elsevier.comrlocaterautcon REALMEDIA: providing multimedia-based real-estate services through the Internet J. Cao a, ) , Jackie Y.K. Chan a , Heng Li b , Lamine Mahdjoubi c , Peter E.D. Love d a Department of Computing, Hong Kong Polytechnic UniÕersity, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China b Department of Building and Real Estate, Hong Kong Polytechnic UniÕersity, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China c School of Engineering and Built EnÕironment, UniÕersity of WolÕerhampton, UK d School of Architecture and Building, Deakin UniÕersity, Australia Abstract This paper presents the design and implementation of a software system, known as REALMEDIA, which provides Web-based, multimedia real-estate services on the Internet. REALMEDIA is innovative in that it is designed to provide both on-line services to clients and a tool for maintaining the system to real-estate agent. The software consists of a web-based interface,a client side editor and an application serÕer. The web interface is used by both the customer and the real-estate agent to request particular services. When used by a customer, it allows the potential buyer to select and view desired properties, and to make an appointment with agents. Multimedia information, which integrates text, graphics and video clips, are presented to the customer. When used by the agent, the web interface allows the agent to dynamically update the contents of the web page and to manipulate property details through the Client Side Editor. The application server acts as a bridge between the Web Interface and the Client Side Editor. The computational architecture and major components of REALMEDIA as well as its implementation using JAVA, TCPrIP and FTP will be described. q 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. Keywords: REALMEDIA; Real-estate; Internet 1. Introduction Recent developments in Internet technology and related services have led to the explosion of com- mercial activities being available through World Ž . Wide Web WWW . These applications are expand- ing beyond the utilization of the Internet as a com- munication medium to an important view of the wx Internet as a new virtual market 3 . For example, electronic advertising and publishing, market infor- mation distribution, real-time trade inquiry, and on- ) Corresponding author. line stock trading have been made available on the Internet. Businesses have realized that this emerging market can bring many benefits, including higher efficiency, cost savings, and increased market shares. In this paper, we describe the design and imple- mentation of a software system, called REALME- DIA, which provides Web-based multimedia real- estate services through the Internet. There are many real-estate agents in Hong Kong that have their own computer-based information systems, yet most of these systems have restricted access and only textual descriptions of residential properties are available to customers. Motivated by the lack of openly accessi- 0926-5805r01r$ - see front matter q 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. Ž . PII: S0926-5805 99 00033-3