Digital Twins: Bridging the Gap Between Virtual Models and Real-World Assets

Business Standard

26-06-2025

PNN
Pune (Maharashtra) [India], June 26: In the dynamic world of construction and infrastructure development, the fusion of Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Digital Twin technology is setting new benchmarks for project efficiency, sustainability, and operational excellence. As the construction industry embraces smart, data-driven approaches, Digital Twins are rapidly becoming indispensable tools for companies aiming to improve their asset management strategies and overall project delivery. The integration of Digital Twins with AI-powered BIM tools transforms traditional project management into an intelligent, real-time process that enhances the entire BIM lifecycle management, from initial design to ongoing operations and maintenance.
A Digital Twin represents a living, virtual replica of a physical asset created using 3D BIM modelling. Unlike static models, these twins are continuously updated with real-time data from IoT devices, sensors, and cloud-based BIM platforms, providing an accurate digital reflection of the building or infrastructure in operation. This synchronization unlocks new dimensions for construction management, enabling stakeholders to simulate scenarios, predict outcomes, and optimize decision-making at every stage of the project. The technology creates a dynamic bridge between the physical and digital worlds, allowing for unprecedented visibility into asset performance and behaviour.
One of the greatest strengths of BIM-driven Digital Twins is real-time monitoring capabilities. By leveraging BIM data analytics, facility managers and engineers can track the performance of critical building systems such as HVAC, electrical, and plumbing networks. This continuous visibility enables early detection of inefficiencies, optimizing resource utilization and enhancing sustainability efforts by reducing energy consumption and operational waste. For instance, a commercial high-rise built using BIM software solutions integrated with a Digital Twin can provide actionable insights on energy flows, occupancy patterns, and maintenance needs, significantly boosting facility management performance.
The era of reactive repairs is rapidly becoming obsolete as predictive maintenance powered by Digital Twins emerges as a cost-saving game changer. With BIM cost estimation and predictive maintenance capabilities, organizations can anticipate system failures or component wear-and-tear well in advance. This proactive approach not only prevents costly downtimes but also prolongs asset life cycles, ensuring better BIM lifecycle management. Construction firms employing 4D and 5D BIM simulations alongside Digital Twins can optimize maintenance schedules, reduce unplanned disruptions, and improve overall building safety through data-driven insights and predictive analytics.
BIM collaboration platforms enable project teams--including architects, contractors, and facility operators--to access the Digital Twin anytime via cloud-based BIM services. This shared environment promotes seamless communication and coordination, minimizing errors and accelerating decision-making from design to post-construction operations. The collaborative nature of these platforms ensures that all stakeholders have access to the same real-time information, creating a unified approach to project management. Moreover, AR/VR integrated BIM solutions are elevating stakeholder engagement by providing immersive visualization experiences during design validation and client presentations, making complex technical information more accessible and understandable.
Looking beyond individual buildings, Digital Twins are becoming instrumental in developing smart cities and infrastructure networks. Governments and urban planners are adopting BIM for infrastructure projects to model entire transportation networks, utilities, and public services, creating more resilient and sustainable urban environments. This capability aligns perfectly with BIM for green building design, helping achieve global environmental standards while reducing carbon footprints. The scalability of Digital Twin technology allows for comprehensive urban planning that considers the interconnected nature of city systems, from traffic flow optimization to energy grid management.
The future of construction and infrastructure development increasingly relies on AI-powered BIM services that leverage Digital Twin technology. These solutions deliver tailored approaches for BIM automation, prefabrication, and modular construction, ensuring clients benefit from streamlined workflows and real-time intelligence. Whether organizations need BIM for regulatory compliance, clash detection solutions, or integration with IoT for smart building management, comprehensive support systems are designed to maximize project ROI and efficiency. The integration of artificial intelligence with Digital Twin technology creates opportunities for autonomous decision-making processes that can respond to changing conditions in real-time, further enhancing the value proposition of these advanced systems.
As the construction industry continues to evolve, Digital Twins represent more than just technological advancement--they embody a fundamental shift toward intelligent, responsive, and sustainable building practices. The convergence of BIM technology with real-time data analytics creates unprecedented opportunities for optimization, efficiency, and innovation across the entire construction lifecycle. Organizations that embrace this technology today position themselves at the forefront of an industry transformation that promises to redefine how we design, build, and manage the built environment for decades to come.
About Author - Vijay Gupta, MD & CEO, Softtech Engineers:
Mr. Vijay Gupta, an IIT Mumbai alumnus, is the Founder, Chairman and Managing Director of SoftTech Engineers Limited. He holds an M. Tech degree from IIT Mumbai. Vijay strongly believes that technology has to be leveraged extensively to bring speed, efficiency and transparency in the AEC (Architecture, Engineering & Construction) industry for private as well as public sector organizations. He has a rich experience of about 35 years in the development of cutting-edge BIM/ CAD/ CAE /Project Management Enterprise Software in the AEC domain.
About Softtech Engineers:
A leading IT company (www.softtechglobal.com) facilitating business and technology transformation across the AEC industry through innovative software products and solutions. The company proudly supports over 1300 organizations and serves a user base of more than 400,000 individuals. Notably, SoftTech's solutions have facilitated the approval of over 2 million building permits, encompassing a staggering area exceeding 30 billion square feet.
Website: https://softtechglobal.com/