Digital twins have rapidly gained attention as a fascinating technology that creates virtual replicas of physical objects or systems, continuously updated with real-time data. But beyond the buzz, what is the value of digital twins across a building’s lifecycle and for the various industry segments?
Digital twins have emerged as a transformative technology in the building industry, enabling stakeholders to create dynamic, data-driven virtual replicas of physical assets.
These digital counterparts continuously integrate real-time information from various sources, providing a comprehensive and actionable view of a building’s status throughout its lifecycle.
This article explores the key use cases of digital twins for buildings, organised by life phases – planning, construction and operations – and by industry segments such as commercial real estate, healthcare, education and airports.
Digital twins across building life phases
1. Planning and design phase
During the initial phase of a building’s life, digital twins serve as an advanced extension of Building Information Modelling (BIM), enriching design data with real-world context and enabling more informed decision-making.
- Data integration and visualisation: Digital twins aggregate and harmonise diverse datasets – architectural plans, engineering models, geospatial data and environmental factors – into a unified 3D visualisation. This holistic view facilitates better collaboration among architects, engineers and planners by breaking down data silos.
- Scenario simulation and optimisation: Designers can simulate various design alternatives and assess their impacts on energy use, daylighting or structural integrity before construction begins. This reduces costly rework and supports sustainability goals.
- Stakeholder communication: Immersive technologies such as virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR), integrated with digital twins, enhance stakeholder engagement by providing intuitive walkthroughs and visualisations of planned buildings. This improves alignment and accelerates approvals.
2. Construction phase
The construction phase benefits from digital twins by enabling real-time monitoring, quality control and resource optimisation.
- Progress tracking and quality assurance: Digital twins ingest data from reality capture technologies such as laser scanning, photogrammetry and drones to compare as-built conditions with design models. This ensures construction accuracy and identifies deviations early.
- Supply chain and workforce management: Integrating logistics data and sensor inputs allows project managers to optimise material deliveries, equipment usage and labour allocation, reducing delays and cost overruns.
- Safety monitoring: Sensor data combined with AI-driven analytics within the digital twin can detect hazardous conditions on-site, improving worker safety and compliance.
3. Operations and facility management phase
The operational life of a building is where digital twins deliver the most tangible benefits in terms of efficiency, cost savings and occupant satisfaction.
- Real-Time monitoring and predictive maintenance: Digital twins continuously collect data from building management systems (BMS), IoT sensors and integrated workplace management systems (IWMS) to monitor HVAC, lighting, security and other critical systems. AI-powered analytics predict equipment failures before they occur, enabling proactive maintenance that reduces downtime and repair costs.
- Energy management and sustainability: By simulating operational scenarios and analysing energy consumption patterns, digital twins help optimise energy use and reduce carbon footprints.
- Space utilisation and occupant experience: Digital twins provide insights into how spaces are used, enabling dynamic adjustments to heating, cooling and lighting based on occupancy. This personalisation enhances comfort while minimising waste.
- Compliance and reporting: Automated data aggregation simplifies regulatory reporting and supports ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) goals by providing transparent, verifiable operational data.
Use Cases by Industry Segment
Commercial real estate
For commercial buildings, digital twins drive operational excellence and tenant satisfaction. Facility managers use digital twins to optimise energy use, reduce operational costs and improve maintenance workflows. The ability to visualise and analyse building performance in real time supports strategic decision making, such as retrofitting or space reallocation, to maximise asset value.
Healthcare facilities
Hospitals and healthcare campuses benefit from digital twins by ensuring critical systems operate reliably and efficiently. Real-time monitoring of HVAC and air quality is crucial for infection control. Digital twins also support emergency preparedness by simulating evacuation scenarios and infrastructure resilience. Integration with medical equipment and asset tracking further enhances operational efficiency.
Educational institutions
Universities and schools use digital twins to manage complex campuses with multiple buildings and stakeholders. Digital twins facilitate space management to accommodate changing student populations and optimise energy consumption. They also support long-term maintenance planning and sustainability initiatives, helping institutions reduce costs and environmental impact.
Airports and transportation hubs
Airports are complex infrastructures with high operational demands. Digital twins enable integrated management of terminals, runways and support facilities. Real-time data fusion supports crowd management, security monitoring and energy optimisation. Predictive maintenance of critical infrastructure ensures safety and minimises disruptions.
The role of Nemetschek’s dTwin platform
Nemetschek’s dTwin platform stands out by offering an open, API-based, horizontal solution that integrates all relevant data sources into one overarching digital twin. This approach eliminates data silos and fosters collaboration among architects, engineers, contractors, owners and operators.
Key features include:
- Variable 3D visualisation: dTwin supports and combines different types if visualisation (2D, BIM, point clouds, 360-degree photogrammetry, GIS) without any of them necessarily being predetermined or without having to convert data beforehand.
- Open data integration: dTwin connects CAD/BIM, IWMS, IoT, CAFM and building management systems, enabling a seamless flow of information throughout the building lifecycle.
- Real-time insights: Dashboards and reports provide stakeholders with tailored, actionable insights from IoT sensors and other applications, enhancing transparency and decision-making.
- Scalability and flexibility: As a cloudbased SaaS platform, dTwin supportsprojects of varying sizes andcomplexities, from single buildings tolarge campuses.
Conclusion
Digital twins are no longer just a futuristic concept but a practical tool delivering measurable benefits across all phases of a building’s life and across diverse industry segments. By bridging design, construction and operations data, digital twins enable smarter, data-driven decisions that improve efficiency, reduce costs and enhance occupant experience.
Nemetschek’s dTwin platform exemplifies this evolution by providing a comprehensive, open and integrated solution that harmonises data streams and unlocks the full potential of digital twins in the built environment. As adoption grows, digital twins will become indispensable for owners and operators seeking to realise more value from their buildings throughout their entire lifecycle.
*Please note that this is a commercial profile.
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