GEOSPATIAL DIGITAL TWIN

A geospatial digital twin is a digital model of an environment, asset, building, infrastructure, etc. enhanced with geospatial data.

GIS technology is used to create a scaled digital replica of the physical environment, including buildings, roads and bridges.

GIS provides the context needed to analyze, simulate, and optimize design solutions. The interconnection between BIM and GIS can be used for any type of geospatial query.

By combining GIS geospatial data and BIM technology, geospatial digital twins can:

• provide a complete view of the current status of the project;
• offer powerful simulation tools to accurately prepare for the occurrence of potential problems and to take appropriate corrective measures;
• allow informed decisions on investment and infrastructure development.

The integrated vision provided by geospatial digital twins can be used to improve the design and decision-making process in numerous sectors, including for example asset management, urban planning, infrastructure monitoring.

Geospatial digital twins are extremely useful as they provide immediately available information in the design, construction and maintenance of a work. There are numerous fields in which they can be used (optimization of environmental resources, energy saving, safety and much more). For example, it is possible to exploit GIS information to:

• identify the amount of rainwater that can be collected and consequently design adequate and well-sized collection systems to irrigate public green areas, parks and gardens;
• guide designers in choosing the orientation, location and construction materials of works in areas at risk of flooding;
• to identify dangerous situations at a local level, evaluate in detail each single element that is generating anomalous behaviour and remotely monitor the infrastructure.

The integration between Digital twin and GIS is revolutionizing the AEC sector and setting the stage for the design and management of intelligent buildings and smart cities.

By leveraging digital twins, building designers and owners have instant access to digital representations of thousands of physical objects and systems that can be updated and monitored in real time.

GIS further enhances these management and control capabilities by providing geospatial analyses that make it easier to geolocate and understand the interactions and interdependencies between different elements.

The combination of these two technologies helps to monitor the performance and energy consumption of buildings, the scheduling and costs of maintenance interventions, the operation of HVAC equipment, the efficiency and safety of infrastructure assets, etc. in a much more effective way.

A 3D model provides a static representation of an object’s geometry only. A geospatial digital twin, on the other hand, is dynamic and georeferenced: it integrates heterogeneous data (BIM, GIS, IoT, satellite, cadastral), reflects changes over time and enables future scenarios to be simulated and informed decisions to be made about the management of assets, territories and infrastructure.

BIM: detailed representation of a building or infrastructure with all its components (geometric, MEP, material-related).

GIS: information system that manages geographical and territorial data (maps, orthophotos, environmental layers).

Geospatial digital twin: created from the dynamic and bidirectional integration between BIM and GIS, allowing individual buildings to be viewed within their territorial context and both levels of data to be queried at the same time. With usBIM.geotwin, this integration takes place without data import, maintaining real-time dynamic updates.

Applications are cross-sector:

• AEC (architecture, engineering, construction);
• Smart cities and urban planning;
• Linear infrastructure (transport, railways, motorways);
• Energy and telecommunications networks;
• Environment and natural resources (hydrogeological risk management, biodiversity);
• Facility management and predictive maintenance;
• Urban security and civil protection.

A geospatial digital twin such as the one created with usBIM.geotwin can integrate:

• openBIM/IFC models (versions 2x3, 4.0, 4.3);
• BIM/3D models in proprietary formats;
• Point clouds from LiDAR or photogrammetric surveys;
• Textured meshes from scans and drones;
• GIS layers (maps, orthophotos, cadastral data);
• Real-time IoT data from sensors;
• Facility Management information and document archives.

With usBIM.geotwin, there is no need to import or convert data: the platform dynamically integrates usBIM (ACCA’s openBIM system) with Esri’s ArcGIS (online or Enterprise). IFC models, point clouds, meshes and GIS layers remain in their respective environments, while the user works through a single interface. Changes made to the BIM are immediately reflected in the GIS, ensuring that data remains aligned throughout the entire life cycle of the work.

• Unified BIM + GIS view without data import;
• No size limits for models, meshes and point clouds;
• Dynamic bidirectional updating;
• Informed decisions thanks to simulations and spatial analyses;
• Multidisciplinary collaboration between design teams;
• Open openBIM/IFC standards for permanent access to data.