Interscale Content Hub – In recent years, we’ve seen the trend of digital twins and sustainability go hand-in-hand as we look for ways to develop in a greener way.
Digital Twins (DTs), once a concept in science fiction, are now transforming industries worldwide.
They provide a dynamic, virtual representation of physical assets, processes, or systems.
But what really makes DTs stand out is their potential to drive sustainable practices in the built environment.
The Intersection of Digital Twins and Sustainability
Digital twins connect the physical and digital worlds, letting us monitor and simulate real-world conditions.
When it comes to sustainability, they give us a way to really dive deep and make the most of our resources.
Digital twins are a great fit for this goal because they offer a platform for simulating, analyzing, and optimizing various aspects of a building’s lifecycle.
By virtually replicating a building, its systems, and even its surrounding environment, digital twins provide insights that were previously unattainable.
We can model energy consumption, predict maintenance needs, and evaluate the impact of design changes before a single brick is laid or a pipe is installed.
For instance, Sudhansu Ranjan explains in “Sustainability with Digital Twin for Environmental Conservation” how digital twins help cities like Zurich balance development and ecological preservation by creating digital models for planning and testing strategies.
Isabella Kaplan’s article, “How Manufacturers Can Use Digital Twins for Sustainability,” also looks at how BMW uses digital twins to help factories around the world work together more effectively, which helps them produce more efficiently and reduce their carbon footprint.
For context, here’s an overview of how digital twins work in many areas; “Digital Twins for Asset Management: Make Your Asset Story Come Alive.”
Benefits of Digital Twins for Sustainable Practices
Resource Optimization
Digital twins help us use our resources more efficiently by giving us accurate, real-time data on how we’re using them.
In manufacturing, digital twins can help us figure out how to make our production processes more efficient, which can lead to big savings on resources.
For example, the World Economic Forum article by Isabella Kaplan shows how LG Electronics increased productivity by 17% and cut energy consumption by 30% using digital twin technology in their factories.
This optimization is achieved through continuous monitoring and analysis of resource consumption, which allows manufacturers to make informed decisions that minimize waste and maximize efficiency.
Waste Reduction and Management
By running simulations of different scenarios, digital twins help us to cut down on waste and make the most of our waste management processes.
They can tell you what kind of waste you might produce and suggest ways to make your processes more efficient so you can reduce waste.
This proactive approach is especially useful in construction, where digital twins can help ensure materials are used more efficiently, which in turn reduces the overall waste generated.
For instance, in manufacturing, digital twins can test out different production methods and materials usage, helping companies choose the most sustainable options.
Energy Efficiency and Lower Carbon Footprints
Digital twins let you keep a close eye on and control your energy consumption.
For instance, integrating digital twins into building management systems can optimize heating, cooling, and lighting based on real-time occupancy and weather data, which can significantly lower energy use and carbon footprints.
That’s why it’s so urgent for us to get these things up and running.
In the industrial sector, companies like Schneider Electric have used digital twins to optimize energy management, which has led to a 25% reduction in energy consumption and CO2 emissions.
Enhanced Compliance with Environmental Regulations
Digital twins are a great way to make sure you’re complying with environmental regulations.
They give you precise data and simulations that align with regulatory standards.
They make it easy for organizations to keep track of things and report on their progress, so they can stay on the right side of the law and avoid penalties.
At the same time, they help make things more transparent and accountable.
By running through potential regulatory scenarios, companies can make adjustments to their processes in advance to meet environmental standards. This helps them avoid fines and improve their corporate image.
But, with many benefits, there is always an effort. So, you need to read “The Pros and Cons of Digital Twins: A Fair Look at Much-Talked Tech.”
Implementation Strategies
In “Creating Digital Twins to Save Our Cities,” Dr. Soheil Sabri, Professor Stephan Winter, and Professor Abbas Rajabifard say a key strategy is combining real-time data from sensors with AI to make accurate simulations and predictions for sustainable urban planning.
This integration lets us keep a close eye on urban environments and make proactive decisions to improve sustainability.
Another big part of the plan is to make sure that decision-makers are up to speed with digital technology.
If people don’t understand or appreciate digital technologies, the DTs development and use can slow down.
So it’s important to educate executives, managers, and the future workforce about the benefits and functions of digital twins.
Programs like the Master of Digital Infrastructure Engineering and the Graduate Certificate of Digital Engineering at the University of Melbourne are working to fill this knowledge gap and encourage a culture of innovation and technological readiness.
Also, it’s important to have standardization in place for digital twins to be successfully implemented.
If you create shared data models and standards, you can make sure that different systems and stakeholders can work together seamlessly and that all the data is integrated.
This makes it easier to use digital twins in different ways and in different places, because everyone is on the same page.
In the BEYON report “Digital Twins for Sustainable Growth,” Mari Huusko and Stephen Witherden point out the importance of high-performance computing and a solid data infrastructure.
These are essential for running complex simulations and processing large amounts of data quickly and efficiently.
If we want digital twins to be effective in helping us optimize resources and make our businesses more sustainable, we need to make sure they have access to accurate, real-time data.
Also, getting stakeholders to work together is key. By working together, government bodies, industry players, and technology providers can share their knowledge and resources, which will help make digital twin technologies for sustainability more widely available.
This kind of collaboration can also help to develop and implement the best practices and innovative solutions.
Economic Benefits of Using Digital Twins for Sustainability
Digital twins can help you save a lot of money by making better use of your resources and being more energy efficient.
For instance, a big FMCG company ─ one of BEYON’s clients ─ managed to cut its energy costs by 15% and shrink its carbon footprint by a lot by using a digital twin to manage refrigeration energy.
Digital twins also help you avoid costly downtime and keep your assets in good shape by doing some proactive maintenance.
By keeping an eye on how assets are performing and spotting potential issues before they become problems, digital twins make it easier to take action when needed to avoid major disruptions.
On top of that, digital twins can help boost overall equipment effectiveness (OEE). For example, a BEYON manufacturing client saw a 20-30% drop in OEE when there were personnel disruptions.
By using a digital twin of the production lines’ asset data, they gave new hires the info they needed at the right time, so they could keep up the required OEE levels and keep the production line running smoothly.
Plus, if you keep an eye on things and make sure you’re complying with environmental regulations, you can avoid hefty fines and build up your company’s reputation.
Now the question is, how can you get the most out of these new tools without getting distracted by other tasks?
At Interscale, we’ve got a one-stop solution for your BIM management. It seamlessly integrates digital twins and sustainability practices. So, how can we do that?
Our platform makes it easy to bring your existing BIM models together with real-time data from your building and its environment.
We know every project is different. That’s why, whether you’re looking to cut energy use, make waste management more efficient, or improve overall building performance, we’ve got the know-how and tools to help you out.
Our team of experienced professionals is always on hand to offer ongoing support and consultation, so you can make the most of our platform and achieve your sustainability goals.
If you’d like to know more about how we can work with you to meet your business needs and goals, please take a look at our Interscale BIM Management Support Service.
Please let us know if you’d like to schedule a personal consultation to discuss your specific needs and how we can help make your project a success.
In Closing
DTs help make the most of resources, cut down on waste, boost energy efficiency, and make sure we stick to environmental rules.
As industries face environmental challenges, integrating digital twins will be key to creating a more sustainable future.
So, are you ready to bring digital twins and sustainability together?
