Sam Norledge, Head of Smart Buildings at LMG, recently shared some insights on how digital twins can be used to break down data silos in construction. This can be done by connecting digital construction and digital operations, which will lead to more sustainable, efficient, and safer building environments.
With insights from Norledge in PBC Today, let’s look at how using digital twins can transform how buildings are operated.
Unifying the Digital Divide: Digital Twins in Construction
Sam Norledge, in “Bridging the gap between digital construction and digital operations with twins,” points out the huge untapped potential within the construction industry. He says there’s a gap between the data generated during design and construction (the asset twin) and the operational data gathered during a building’s life cycle (the performance twin).
This gap is stopping the industry from getting the most out of digital transformation. This is similar to what Dr Bill East, Director of the COBie Academy, said: “We’re collecting mountains of BIM data, but too often, it’s just sitting there like an unopened treasure chest.”
To show what he means, Norledge compares it to Tesla’s Cybertruck. The manual and technical specs for the truck are similar to the asset twin, with all the basic info about the vehicle.
On the other hand, the driving data Tesla collects, which is similar to the Performance Twin, gives us real-time insights into how the truck is performing. Tesla uses this combined data to keep on top of maintenance, like predicting when batteries need replacing.
A study by Massimo Lauria and Maria Azzalin in “Digital Transformation in the Construction Sector: A Digital Twin for Seismic Safety in the Lifecycle of Buildings,” supports this view.
Lauria and Azzalin say adopting digital twins in construction can make a big difference in reducing a building’s impact on the environment, saving energy, and making it more resilient to things like earthquakes. By combining the data from the asset and performance Twins, stakeholders can get insights that they can use to make their building operations more sustainable and responsive.
To give more perspective, read Digital Twins Explained: How 3D Visualisation Redefines Construction.
Breaking Down Silos with BuildingSMART and IFCs
According to Norledge, the IFC (Industry Foundation Classes) and BuildingSMART data dictionaries are key to closing the gap between asset and performance twins. These tools make it easier to standardise and work with building data, which helps different phases of a building’s life cycle to integrate more smoothly.
On the other hand, Lauria and Azzalin study shows how important the ISO 19650:2024 standard is. This sets out how building data should be structured within BIM (Building Information Modelling) processes.
These standards make sure that data from sensors and other sources can be easily added to digital twins, giving us a more complete and useful view of how a building is performing.
Norledge also points to the IoT Interoperability Project and the Digital Building Council’s (DBC) BIM and ROI working groups as being really important for making progress on data connectivity in construction.
These initiatives help make digital twins more accessible and impactful across the AEC industry by fostering collaboration and aligning data standards.
Maturity Levels: The Evolution from Passive to Active Digital Twins
Norledge and industry experts like Dan Watson and James Thomas have highlighted the different levels of maturity of digital twins, from passive to active twins.
Passive twins are mostly just info stores, while active twins work with real-time data, which helps you make decisions. The Lauria and Azzalin study also shows how digital twins are moving from passive to active, especially through the DT4SEM experiment.
Meanwhile, the DT4SEM experiment tell us about how digital twins can be used in the real world, not just as a theoretical concept. Deploying a seismic detection sensor system in an existing building in Reggio Calabria showed how a digital twin could actively monitor, analyse and predict structural behaviour in response to seismic events.
The DT4SEM project showed how digital twins could be used to monitor a building’s response to seismic forces in real time by creating an as-built BIM model of the structure and integrating it with sensor data via a collaborative platform.
Paving the Way for Data-Driven Construction Operations
Both Norledge’s insights and the DT4SEM experiment show how digital twins can transform the construction sector. They show when you combine the asset twin and the performance twin, you can get better results, make things safer, and have a smaller impact on the environment.
These insights really resonate in the Australian and Asia-Pacific construction landscape. The industry is ready for a digital transformation, and digital twins are a great way to make it happen.
Digital twins help people work together better. This also gets rid of the silos and makes it easier to think about building design, construction, and operation as one thing. And don’t forget to point out how important it is to integrate design, construction, and operational data.
This means you can do predictive maintenance, energy optimisation, and make sure your customers have a better experience. Plus, using AI and advanced analytics on building data can help us find valuable insights and make improvements.
This is why with over 10 years of experience, we’ve got a full range of services to help you get to grips with the BIM and digital twin landscape.
We know our stuff when it comes to BIM management, data integration, and digital twin development.
What does it mean for your business?
We’re here to support you and make sure the transition is seamless and the project is a success. We’ve got a great track record of delivering successful BIM and digital twin projects across Australia.
One of our most recent projects was the Ewert Leaf project, where we developed a framework to make sure we were using energy as efficiently as possible and reducing operating costs.
If you just want to get an overview of how we work, you can read our Interscale BIM Management Support page. And whenever you’re ready for coffee and croissants, let’s catch up.
In Closing
It’s clear to everyone in the built environment industry that the future is data-driven. Digital twins are great for integrating and analysing lots of data, which helps us get the most out of buildings. If we embrace this technology and work together using open standards, we can create a more efficient, sustainable and occupant-centric built environment.
Want now more about Digital Twins for Environment? Read this Digital Twins in the Built Environment: A Cheat Sheet to Efficient Projects.
