Digital Twin Transform a Building into an Intelligent Operating Platform

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How can a building from the 1980s be made fit for today's requirements? Without plans, without a data basis, and in the middle of ongoing operations? Autodesk demonstrates with its own Technology Center in Birmingham how laser scans, intelligent modeling, and digital platforms can be used to create a digital twin that serves as a tool for maintenance, energy efficiency, and sustainable operations.

The Autodesk Technology Center in Birmingham was in many ways representative of typical 1980s buildings, including their challenges. The focus of the building's design was clearly on functionality and quick usability, with virtually no digital building data created. The few existing data were scattered, incomplete, and stored in incompatible formats. So how can the leap be made from an "analog" building to a digital, controllable environment? The answer: with a digital twin that goes far beyond a 3D model. This twin consolidates all relevant information about the building's structure, technology, and usage into a unified digital representation and provides connectivity to live data and operating systems. Today, it functions as a control center for optimizing operations, reducing emissions, and serving as a research platform for new applications in the context of intelligent buildings. Its creation was careful and step-by-step.

From Scan to Intelligent Platform

The path to the digital twin was completed in four steps.

1. Geometric Capture via Laser Scan: The process began with the geometrically precise capture of the building using a 3D laser scanner. This method delivered a high-resolution point cloud, digitally mapping all architectural elements such as walls, windows, doors, and ceilings as individual measurement points. This point cloud formed the basis for all subsequent processing steps. In the case of the building in Birmingham, one person invested just over a workday (9 hours) for the complete scan, including data transfer—and that included post-processing.

2. Automated Segmentation with Autodesk Recap Pro: In the second step, the point cloud was automatically converted into intelligent mesh segments. The captured surfaces were identified, segmented, and functionally classified based on their geometry, for example, as walls, doors, or windows. At the same time, large amounts of data from the scan were efficiently reduced without losing relevant details.

3. Conversion into Structured BIM Models: The next step involved using Revit and Autodesk BIM expertise to transfer the segmented and classified objects into a standardized BIM model. Building Information Modeling, or BIM, is a method that describes the holistic process of creating and managing information for a building, from planning and design to construction and operation. During the conversion process, not only were the geometries integrated but also structured component information was added. Additionally, objects were automatically assigned to standard BIM classes, making them easily usable in future planning, simulation, or documentation processes.

4. Integration into Autodesk Tandem: Finally, the finished model was integrated into the Digital Twin solution Autodesk Tandem. Here, building components, systems, and sensor data can be visually displayed, analyzed, and monitored in real-time. This turns the model into an intelligent control tool for operations.

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Practical Benefits: From Space Planning to Maintenance

The digital twin of the Technology Center is actively used in various application areas today. It contributes significantly to optimizing operational processes by centrally recording and analyzing sensor data, machine conditions, and room occupancy. For instance, system runtimes can be adjusted, or climate control can be regulated according to demand.

Operational data is continuously monitored, maintenance needs are identified early, and operations are efficiently planned. Another benefit lies in energy efficiency and sustainability.

Consumption analyses help avoid unnecessary peak loads and uncover energy-saving potentials. Furthermore, the twin supports space utilization and visitor management. Movement flows, occupancy rates, and utilization levels can be analyzed and optimized in real-time. Temporary modifications or events can be simulated with usage scenarios. Finally, the project also serves as a research platform: new approaches from AI, automation, and simulation are tested, further developed, and evaluated within the digital twin. This makes the Digital Twin of the Autodesk Technology Center Birmingham a living system that continues to grow.

The Digital Twin As the Key to Intelligent Operations

The Autodesk Technology Center Birmingham impressively demonstrates how digital capture, intelligent modeling, and central data integration can transform an outdated building into a smart, data-driven operating system. Especially in existing buildings, this approach offers enormous potential, such as for predictive maintenance, more efficient operations, and transparent resource utilization. The digital twin not only makes technical systems and processes visible but also controllable, serving as a blueprint for anyone aiming to operate factories and existing properties more intelligently, economically, and sustainably.

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