BIM VS. DIGITAL TWINS: What's The Difference?
With so much talk about the digitalization of the AECO industry, these two terms have been flung into the limelight and much emphasis is now being placed on them. Posited to herald the future of Architecture, Engineering and Construction operations, BIM and Digital Twins have come to stay. This means that to avoid getting on the wrong side of innovation and modernization, learning about these technologies will prove a most resourceful decision.
What Is BIM?
BIM simply stands for Building Information Modeling, and it refers to a unique software tool that enables all major players in a building project to collaborate and execute projects more quickly and efficiently.
Developed in the 1970's after much research on the limitations of the building sector, BIM didn't gain mainstream attention until the early 2000's when manufacturers of software tools like AutoDesk and Bentley Systems began popularizing it. It was first called "Building Description System" by the initial researchers who started working to develop it.
When this technology was still in the research phase, the primary goal was for it to become such a system that contractors of large projects would be able to see a visual and quantitative model of the build. The founders of the BIM technology also projected that this system would aid the ordering and scheduling of building materials. Till today, BIM has accomplished all these and more, and current BIM software providers keep developing and upgrading it to suit the dynamic and ever evolving trends in building and construction. BIM helps in saving costs which would otherwise be channeled to more laborious alternatives other than the central reference point for building and construction in a 3D model which BIM provides.
Functions/Uses Of BIM
The BIM technology can be used for a multitude of functions, including but not limited to the following:
It aids collaboration of all key players in building projects.
It lowers the level of risks and errors in a project
It creates a better timeline for project management
It aids in budget management and in cutting costs.
It prevents waste of building materials, since project management teams can determine the exact quantity of materials needed for a project.
What Are Digital Twins?
Digital twins are digital clones of physical assets which bridge the chasm between the physical and digital worlds such that data from the project cycle could be utilized to learn from the past, analyze the present and forecast the future.
Digital Twins model the interaction of people with a built environment in real time, such that all aspects of a building are represented digitally after its construction, making it easy for project management teams to see the outcome of a construction site even before the first block is laid. Thus they could decipher the possible things that could go wrong if the building is not properly maintained.
Like BIM, Digital Twins were invented in the 1970's but also didn't hit the mainstream until the early 2000's. Also like BIM, it began as a research project. Digital Twins help project management teams with data needed to provide transparency all through the building life cycle and to make informed decisions as well.
With the upsurge in the popularity of remote working, digital tools that provide real-time data are continuously becoming the more preferred choice than those that are only relevant for on-site use. This is as a result of the interactive and collaborative options the former offers; and with the introduction of 5G, accessing complex software and cloud-based environments can be done with mobile devices. Hence, the digital twin has become even more popular these days.
Uses Of Digital Twins
It provides transparency which helps project management teams to make informed decisions.
With Digital Twins, project management teams can work effectively from anywhere whether on-site or offsite, thus engendering flexibility and ease.
It gives project teams an opportunity to interface with the real-life representation of the building even when the building isn't completed.
They make access to the project lifecycle data possible so as to learn from the past, analyze the present and predict the future.
Differences Between BIM And Digital Twins
- BIM is for design and construction while Digital Twins are for operations and maintenance:
The way BIM is designed, it is used for collaboration and visualization among the project team players during design and construction. As for Digital Twins, they come into play after the design stage to create a living, breathing model of an already functional building so as to notice areas that might need attention.
BIM helps the architects and engineers design and construct the building and visualize the outcome of the design and build process, whereas Digital Twins aid in the maintenance and surveillance of an already constructed building.
-Digital Twins are for real-time operational purposes, BIM isn't
Digital Twins help reveal a comprehensive image of the entire building and environment in real-time. It provides information about the current state of subsystems in the building, and how the occupants of the building and their behaviors are affecting these subsystems. It helps to maintain a building properly seeing into places people may not be able to see immediately.
For BIM, however, it can only answer questions about a building in flight, that is, a building that hasn't yet been completed. It points to the errors and areas in the designed building that may need attention while still in the design or construction phase. For any Digital Twin, BIM is a key data input, but it cannot answer the operational issues posed to the facility manager.
-BIM is building-conscious, Digital Twins are people-conscious
Whereas the overall emphasis of the BIM technology is on the problems associated with the building being designed, Digital Twins go beyond just the building in itself to the impact the occupants of the building have on the building.
In fact, the next evolution of Digital Twins, according to its propounders, is a phase called the Digital Twin of an Organization, where not just the building or occupant behavior will matter, but also the activities, processes, workplace experience, etc, will feature in how a building is affected. With these trends speedily advancing, BIM may likely take a backseat for Digital Twins to take the lead, even at the design-build phase of a building's lifecycle.
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