Digital twins and the importance of data
Digital twin technology is increasingly important within the built environment, to provide actionable performance insights while protecting the natural environment. Here, we look at how digital twins can help us, why they are misunderstood, and the critical role played by data.
What is a digital twin and how can they help us?
A digital twin is a virtual replica of a physical asset that is driven by data. For those of us in the built environment, a physical asset can be a building, infrastructure, or any other built asset. By using data, a digital twin can be used to understand how a building will perform and interact with users. As a result, performance can be improved, operating costs can be reduced, efficiency can be increased, and potential issues can be identified. It is possible to manage a building’s entire lifecycle and improve performance across all stages.
Digital twin technology is a well-established concept that has been applied across various industries, including automotive, manufacturing, healthcare, retail and smart cities. Although relatively new in the construction sector, digital twin adoption has been present for quite some time.
While simpler manufacturing assets may lend themselves more readily to digital twin technology, the principles underlying it are equally valuable for the built environment. In fact, digital twins can offer significant benefits when applied to construction, facilitating better planning, monitoring, and maintenance of buildings and infrastructure
Why now?
We are now poised at a moment where the built environment is beginning to fully embrace the benefits and possibilities that digital twins bring. However, it is an area of technology that is often misunderstood, and clarity is key in ensuring those in the built environment truly understand what digital twins are, how they help, and – perhaps critically – what they do not provide.
Digital twins allow us to understand the current situation and then predict what is going to happen in the future
Anthony Tuffour, global lead GIS and digital twins
Anthony Tuffour is discipline director – Global Lead GIS and Digital Twins at Buro Happold. He said, “Digital twins allow us to understand the current situation and then predict what is going to happen in the future so that we can then intervene and minimise any risks and issues. They are about how we use data and digital technologies to solve problems.
“As the experts, we must identify the issues that our clients are facing and then lead them to the right outcome. We are changing behaviour and mindset to create a digital revolution. We have to provide clients with the right avenues to do that and we are at the forefront of this technology.”
How can we support clients to ensure they get what they need?
Despite the abundance of interest among clients, there is still misunderstanding regarding the considerable amount of effort involved in implementing this solution, as well as the risks associated with not assessing all overall lifecycle costs before implementation.
There is not a standard approach to the creating of a digital twin. Its value and application are related to those elements that we wish to improve and/or optimise, rather than beginning a project wishing to track every single element and not clarifying requirements as to what and why. Those of us who provide digital twins must work with clients to clarify exactly what a particular digital twin will provide, based on what they need and what they are willing to fund.
Cristina Savian is an expert on digital twinning and works with Buro Happold as a consultant. She said, “Creating a digital twin of any asset requires a well-thought-out business case. We don’t create them simply for the sake of it, despite hearing the phrase “we need a digital twin” quite often.
“The important question to ask is, why? What is the purpose or rationale behind it? Is it a necessary tool or just a trendy and superficial novelty? The risk lies in investing in something that doesn’t generate value, simply because it’s recently developed and trendy. Therefore, it’s crucial to avoid promoting investments that don’t add value.
“It’s important to consider the “why” behind digital twin creation. To ensure effective results, we must develop a clear business case and set specific goals. For example, if the goal is to reduce energy consumption by 10%, creating a digital twin at an appropriate level of fidelity and frequency is justifiable. In other words, the cost of creating the digital twin must be less than the benefits it produces.”
Creating a digital twin of any asset requires a well-thought-out business case
Cristina Savian, digital twin advisory and consulting services lead
For example, the desired outcome may be decarbonisation. CommuniHeat is an advanced analytics tool driving the decarbonisation of off-gas grid communities in the UK, using Barcombe, East Sussex as a pilot. By allowing exploration of data from UK Power Networks, Ovesco and CES in scenario modelling toolkits, CommuniHeat offers stakeholders an optimised, data-driven roadmap towards meeting net zero goals, allowing them to intuitively understand the interaction of complex variables that affect carbon emissions in real-time.
These include energy supply and demand, pipe flows and live weather data. CommuniHeat provides a replicable framework that can be rolled out nationwide in pursuit of pathways towards net zero.
Focus on the outcome, not the tool
It is easy to focus on the digital twin itself. The technology is new, exciting and innovative. But to truly understand a digital twin is to understand that the outcome is what is important to clients and users. A digital twin is an interesting tool, but its output – the insights and associated actions – are more important.
This can be understood in the context of a tool that many of us use every day to get us from A to B. Anthony Tuffour said, “If you are at home and planning to go somewhere, you go to Google and search the travel and traffic information. You’ll then be given a map with red highlights that show heavy traffic, the amount of time it will take and will give you alternative transport options and travel information.
“And you use those options to reach your destination in the most efficient way. When you are doing that, you are not thinking about the technology that provided you with that information. Your focus is on your destination and how to get there – but actually, you have a digital twin in your hand.”
This example helps explain how the tool itself is not something that the users will be especially interested in – it is the results, outcomes and subsequent actions that are key.
It’s all about the data
Access to quality data is the most important factor to consider when developing a digital twin. Data is the foundation on which a digital twin is built. The quality and appropriateness of data can dictate whether a digital twin project succeeds in delivering positive outcomes, or not. And there are associated challenges. Is the data of high enough quality and can we rely on it?
Anthony Tuffour considers the issue of reliable data. He said, “Data comes from multiple sources. Sometimes from the client, sometimes from third party companies, sometimes from data we source. In each of these sources in a typical project, we encounter multiple sources that are of different levels of quality – that is because it isn’t commissioned by one person or organisation.
“Everyone can have their own interpretation and evaluation of the data, so it is up to us to ensure there is as high a level of consistency as possible when we bring those data sets together. We also have a responsibility to highlight any constraints of the data to the client – or whoever it is who is going to make decisions based on the data.”
Buro Happold was engaged to develop digital twins to visualise and analyse different urban heat network scenarios in Caerau, Wales. Buro Happold provided Bridgend Council with informed insights into the economic, environmental and social benefits of various energy network scenarios, featuring integration with household profile data. The digital twin provided an optimised model of plant and pipe sizing, as well as network routing based on peak load analysis, with immersive spatial representation of the energy network requirements.
The client benefitted from an improved understanding of alternative energy technologies, resulting in a streamlined assessment process and a higher level of confidence in the network design selected. This project has empowered stakeholders with informed energy insights – and data was at the heart of it.
What does the future hold?
Digital twins are likely to become all pervasive within the built environment due to the evolution of digital technologies and improved data quality. It is likely that digital twins will be embedded within normal processes to solve current and future problems, achieve efficiencies and stay competitive. Game engine technologies will dominate, providing an immersive, customisable and client-facing experience.
Data will always be at the heart of everything we face
Cristina Savian, digital twin advisory and consulting services lead
Cristina Savian knows that the area of digital twins is one that is growing in importance in the built environment but is one that will always be driven by data. She said, “We do know that data will always be at the heart of everything we face. A digital twin is created by combining people, processes and technology. Technology tends to be the most advanced, and the process can be optimised – but as construction is not a data-driven industry, people would be the biggest obstacle in implementing digital twins for our built assets.”
Digital twins can be a powerful tool. They aren’t guesswork, but data-driven decisions based on real-life data. With the help of digital twin technology, our built world can be optimised for performance, which will ultimately improve our user experience. All of us, as users of the built environment, are beneficiaries of digital twin technology.
