Digital twins are enhancing the way capital projects and infrastructure are planned, built and operated globally. However, despite their obvious benefits—optimized decision making and better project outcomes—and successful use cases, digital twins remain a new and mostly untapped resource. This is true especially on bigger projects where they can be most impactful.

通过鼓励改变建筑，工程和建设（AEC）行业的运作方式，数字双胞胎可以彻底改变资本项目的建设方式并帮助实现卓越的运营。新利18备用网址

Capital project stakeholders, most notably owners and project managers, need to be more aware of the wide-ranging benefits of digital twins and the challenges they must overcome to make the most of this now essential technology.

阻碍数字双胞胎的障碍

A digital twin combines different technologies—sensors and Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) data collection tools. Advanced analytics and machine learning is then applied to gain valuable real-time insights into a physical asset’s progress, performance and operation.

Asset performance can be determined and optimized before construction even begins by using simulations. Combining this with real-life data gives designers a platform to design more efficiently. On an infrastructure project this means outputs—electricity consumption, airflow and areas of high foot traffic—can be shared with designers to implement on new projects and promote shared learning. Designers can see how an asset is being used in real-time and use these insights to further optimize designs.

Players in the AEC sector use digital twins to track progress and resources throughout construction by constantly comparing the as-built model against the as-designed model. This ensures asset quality and allows corrections to be made quickly, saving the project time and money.

The final phase of a capital project also uses a digital twin—operational data can predict failures, simulate updates, prescribe corrective procedures and forecast maintenance schedules.

Working across the supply chain and throughout the asset lifecycle, the digital twin gathers data by continuously collecting asset information and supporting better outcomes. This includes facilitating more effective asset design, project execution and asset operations. This is made possible by dynamically integrating data and information throughout the asset lifecycle to achieve short and long-term efficiency and productivity gains.

该技术的早期采用者，例如城市规划师，已经在收养采用数字双胞胎的好处。有效部署的数据和随后的仿真模型为城市利益相关者提供了优化决策和增强结果的工具。数字创建城市地点是模拟模型，以测试和分析城市的运作方式。

For example, Singapore has invested $73 million in its Virtual Singapore project, a digital replica of the city to be used as a testbed by government agencies, businesses and researchers to build a more resilient city.

Examples like this highlight the potential of digital twins in any capital projects and showcase the knowledge the AEC sector is currently missing out on by not adopting the technology.

改变心态并克服障碍

So, why is the AEC sector struggling to make technological progress? There are a few reasons.

与其他部门相比，AEC部门是数字化最少的部门之一，历史上对技术的投资不足。

Outdated contracts and procurement also play a role here. Reports show that contracts do not include incentives for risk sharing and innovation. This means contractors often do only the minimum required to meet contractual terms.

该行业还保持分散和不协调。本质上，它基于一次性项目和临时关系。新利18备用网址利益相关者专注于单个项目，导致知识转移到项目到项目的不足。新利18备用网址反过来，这意味着洞察力通常会丢失，而部署的解决方案也没有优化。

The lack of common standards for sharing data creates barriers to information sharing. Coupled with project management teams failing to optimize their processes and underutilizing their data, valuable information available for capital projects remains idle.

Even when data is utilized, stakeholders are often hesitant to share their data. This hesitancy encourages silos and prevents the bidirectional flow of information required to develop a digital twin.

These issues make the adoption of digital twins a real challenge.

使数字双胞胎成为现实

To truly reap the rewards digital twins can offer, there needs to be a change in project management and communication. Interaction and information sharing must be encouraged.

部分是由于19日的大流行，对北美的数字双技术技术更加浓厚。根据研究公司的分析，数字双胞胎行业估计到2025年飙升至38亿美元至360亿美元市场和市场.

如所讨论的Asite的数字工程报告，所有类型的基础设施项目的资本项目所有者和项目经理可以通过在全球范围内采用可互操作，集成和包容的施工方法来开始取得进展。新利18备用网址

Contracts also need to be transformed, ensuring they are explicitly mutually beneficial, clearly outline responsibilities, and allow owners and contractors to equitably share in the benefits that arise from the adoption of technological and process innovations.

Stakeholders need to adopt a long-term mindset, bringing learnings and knowledge from one project to the next. This progression would allow capabilities and asset outcomes to be improved.

AEC部门还可以向智能城市寻求灵感。智能城市利用技术的进步，包括物联网（IoT），人工智能（AI）以及增强和虚拟现实（AR/VR），以创建城市的单个虚拟复制品。然后，所有相关利益相关者共享和使用。

通过克服这些障碍，AEC部门将利用其数据，并真正开始充分利用数字双胞胎。

数字双胞胎/使数字双胞胎成为现实的下一步

For digital twins to achieve their maximum potential, the sector needs to recognize their benefits and commit to overcoming the barriers that stand in their way. This starts at the top, with capital project owners and project managers.

这些利益相关者必须从本文开始，从项目开始并与项目团队合作，就必须调用必要的更改。新利18备用网址只有这样，他们才能使数字双胞胎成为现实并防止被抛在后面。

Digital twins are fast becoming essential technology. However, if they are ever to be successfully deployed on large-scale capital projects, this approach needs to be enacted sooner rather than later.

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关于the Author:

Nathan led the initial development of the Asite Platform starting in 2002 as CTO and later served as Chief Operating Officer leading global sales growth before taking over as Group CEO at the beginning of 2020. He has spent his career in construction and property technology, having spent time before Asite at Bidcom and KPMG Consulting.

作为一名美国人，他在英国度过了20年，并与他的英国妻子艾玛（Emma）结婚13年，并抚养了两个盎格鲁裔美国人，他认识到国际合作工作的重要性。内森（Nathan）在整个职业生涯中一直活跃于标准工作，并参与了Buildingsmart，OpenBim和英国标准学院的数据互操作性工作组。

内森（Nathan）毕业于德克萨斯州休斯敦的赖斯大学。