AEC Digital Twins:

Why More Companies Are Using Digital Twins for
Virtual Design and Construction

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Executive Summary

Never before has the need for accuracy, speed, and cost-effectiveness been more critical in the future of the AEC industry. Digital Twins are becoming a game-changing capability for the design, construction, and operation of buildings and their infrastructure. This whitepaper explores how Digital Twins are transforming the AEC industry and how companies can maintain a competitive edge with them through outsourced engineering services and virtual design support provided by Vee Technologies.

What is a Digital Twin?

While this term has different meanings for different people, at a high level, a Digital Twin is an active, data-driven model of the current state and behavior of real-world capital assets, such as high-rise buildings, mechanical systems, or campuses. Unlike static 3D models, Digital Twins update in real-time, integrate well with data feeds, and enable AEC firms to simulate, monitor, and optimize building systems on the fly, even remotely.

From HVAC efficiency to structural integrity, these digital models provide an additional layer of knowledge that can lead to more informed decisions, both early in the process and years after the project handoff. In construction areas of small, medium, or large scales, the use of Digital Twins has been implemented for quality control, data tracking, monitoring progress, and predicting maintenance needs (Omrany et al., 2023).

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Why AEC Is Seeing More Digital Twins:

A number of technologies are converging to make Digital Twins more feasible:

  • BIM Integration: Digital representation is based on the Building Information Modeling (BIM) technology.
  • IoT Sensors: Devices report real-time data on [usage, temperature, load, others] through sensors.
  • Cloud & Edge Computing: Allow real-time processing without relying on local hardware constraints.
  • AI & Predictive Analytics: Artificial intelligence and machine learning tools transform data into insight you can act on.

In a 2021 joint survey between Autodesk and Esri, over 80% of AEC leaders surveyed predicted that it would be “commonplace” for firms to operate with Digital Twins within the next five years, due to increasing demand for sustainable and cost-effective project delivery.

Service Applications in AEC and Engineering:

  • Preconstruction Planning: Combining a Digital Twin with BIM data resolves confusion, allowing clash detection to be visualized, phasing and sequencing to be modeled, and more precise material quantities to be estimated. This minimizes change orders and rework, which are two of the most significant cost drivers in construction.
  • MEP Coordination & Systems Optimization: The Digital Twin greatly benefits the design and coordination of these systems. By modeling airflow, electrical load, or plumbing runs in real time, engineers can fine-tune performance before breaking ground.
  • Facilities Management and Lifecycle Support: Post handover, a Digital Twin can function as a live user manual. Owners and facilities engineers can track energy use, schedule predictive maintenance, and adjust systems to trends in occupancy to increase the life of assets and lower operating costs.
  • Remote Collaboration & Outsourcing: Vee Technologies supports its clients with outsourced engineering teams in the offshore delivery of BIM, drafting, modeling, and virtual coordination. Our offerings are designed to integrate with the Digital Twin orchestration and manage your model creations and updates at the highest level. This equips customers to scale economically without compromising quality and speed.

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Challenges and Considerations:

Although there are obvious benefits to uptake, adoption is not without challenges:

  • Data Interoperability: Some vendors may not be able to communicate, forming siloed systems.
  • Up-Front Expense: In the long term, it can have an excellent return on investment, but there can be a significant up-front cost.
  • Shortage of Skilled Labor: Companies typically lack in-house staffing to oversee the development of a Digital Twin.

These gaps offer the opportunity to utilize outsource partners who have the expertise as well as the dedicated capacity. As the Autodesk and Esri article pointed out, partnerships can be one of the most effective and fastest ways to drive adoption while also mitigating costs and risks.

Looking Ahead:

As AEC firms transition toward smart buildings and digital-first construction, a Digital Twin will be crucial throughout every phase of construction and operation. Forward-thinking companies are already starting to deploy them not just for building construction, but for entire infrastructure systems. Partners such as Vee Technologies will be an essential ingredient in this trajectory by enabling scalability and expertise to support customers in deploying Digital Twins with confidence.

Conclusion:

The Digital Twins trend is more than “just a trend”. They are the future of designing, building, and maintaining the built environment. By combining real-time data with intelligent modeling, they empower AEC professionals to make informed decisions, intervene effectively, and gain a deeper understanding. With the help of worldwide engineering partners like Vee Technologies, companies can leverage this technology without overwhelming internal resources to produce “smarter” buildings, while being quicker and more cost-effective than ever before.

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References:

  • Autodesk & Esri. (2021). Liberating the power of Digital Twins for AEC
    https://damassets.autodesk.net/content/dam/autodesk/draftr/22962/Unlocking-the-Potential-of-Digital-Twins-for-the-AEC-Industry-FINAL-1.pdf

  • Omrany, H., et al. (2023). Digital twins in the construction industry: A review. Sustainability, 15(14), 10908.
    https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/14/10908

author

Meet the Author

Brad Clark - Client Services Director

Brad is the AEC - Client Services Director at Vee Technologies, where he combines a strategic, results-driven mindset with a passion for building strong client relationships. With deep experience in business development and service delivery, he partners closely with clients to understand their goals and challenges, aligning Vee’s capabilities to deliver impactful, long-term solutions. His focus on collaboration and innovation helps clients streamline operations, achieve measurable growth, and build lasting partnerships.

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