These virtual models use real data to create simulations that can predict product or process performance, serving as a constant feedback loop of real-time information. According to a report by Future Market Insights, the global virtual model market is expected to grow by 22,6% annually over the next decade, with the construction industry being one of the biggest beneficiaries.
Used in tandem with smart sensors installed in buildings, digital twins reveal a lot about a building's performance: for example, whether insulation can be improved to reduce energy emissions, or predict when a part is likely to fail so you can fix it before it causes other problems.
The information collected through these sensors helps organizations understand the true performance of products, services and systems, by collecting data on temperature, lighting, humidity and other factors. They can then make more informed decisions for future projects and, in the case of manufacturers for example, they can create products that are more responsive and perform better throughout the life of a building.
Lack of cooperation holds industry back
However, the lack of cooperation between sectors currently hampers the effectiveness of digital twins in achieving sustainability goals. Many organizations develop digital twins separately and invest in their own information management systems to manage the data, which creates redundancies and information silos.
This makes digital twinning less effective, as information silos create gaps between planned and actual building performance. Because data is kept in separate systems, organizations are unable to make and visualize the links between product development and manufacturing, and the performance of the built environment is negatively impacted.
The sector is penalized by a lack of standards and the absence of necessary harmonization at European level. The Spaniards wanted to launch a standard, but this turned out to be premature and no consensus was reached to precisely define the digital twin. We need a working group that would make it possible to produce, based on use cases, a technical report on what a digital twin should be – and ultimately lead to a standard.
The final piece of the puzzle - making data robust enough to act on
This common framework will encourage different sectors to collaborate on the surface, but every organization involved in the construction value chain needs visibility into the data of the digital twin to be able to reap all the benefits – from manufacturers to building owners.
This is where data models have an important role to play. They help the industry standardize the data collected by this type of technology, making it more easily understood and usable by everyone.
These models are based on dictionaries of digital data that create a common technological language for measuring and evaluating the performance of construction products. They indicate the characteristics of products and materials according to international, European and national standards.
This way, organizations can see the energy efficiency of a building's lighting or insulation, for example, and understand if it's helping them achieve their sustainability goals - before making improvements. Since this data is standardized, it is also easier to share it on a large scale.
This standardized approach to data management will play a vital role in unlocking the true potential of digital twins and will help organizations get a clearer picture of the changes they can make to product and building performance to bring, and bring the industry closer, to the goal of "zero emissions".
Tribune by Enzo Blonk, Head of Market Europe at Cobuilder (LinkedIn).