20 Jan 2022 | Industry Insights

Why is it important to have a 3D model of your building?

Why is it important to have a 3D model of your building?

Twinview’s digital twin platform offers a range of features that benefit building owners and facility managers in the management and operation of their buildings. One of the unique features of our digital twin is that - although not necessarily a requirement - it provides the user with a high-fidelity 3D model of their building which can be easily accessed on a browser, mobile or tablet.

What is a 3D model?

Although not a strict requirement (with regards to a digital twin) a 3D model provides an ideal interface for users of the digital twin as it is a virtual replica of the physical entity building. It is high fidelity, accurate and includes all of a building’s assets giving the user a holistic view of operations. Any changes and updates can also be made to reflect the physical counterpart.

Why should I invest in a 3D model of my building?

Having access to a 3D model of your building provides a wide range of benefits for building owners and facility managers.

One of the key benefits of utilising a 3D model of your building is that it makes it quick and easy to search for assets, take measurements, save views and provides easy navigation for users, after all the most familiar interface for a building user is the building itself.

Why should I invest in a 3D model from Twinview's digital twin?

Twinview’s digital twin platform is functional and interactive, allowing users to interact with their 3D model whilst also providing access to any 2D drawings, documents, and data. By simply clicking on an asset based within the model, the user can find all of the information, documents, history and real-time performance data associated with that asset.

To be a true digital twin (one-to-one relationship between the virtual and physical), it is vital that if a 3D model is used it can be updated and kept in sync with the physical building, including any changes. In many digital twins, this is a manual process that requires the underlying model to be updated and reloaded into the digital twin which is unrealistic in the operation phase of a building where these changes may happen daily.

Twinview overcomes this and changes can be made directly in the interface, and because of the built-in CAFM (Computer Aided Facilities Management) functionality, replacement workflows and updates are managed centrally as part of the day-to-day operation.

A full audit log of any changes, modifications or updates to this data is logged in a non-editable ledger. This ensures that buildings have a ‘golden thread’ of information running through them.

The ‘golden thread’ was conceptualised following the inception of the Building Safety Bill, which is currently progressing through parliament. The Bill is expected to overhaul existing regulations and sets a clear pathway on how buildings should be constructed, maintained and made safe. It was one of the recommendations from Dame Judith Hackitt’s inquiry into the Grenfell Tower tragedy in 2017 and will soon become law.

Another benefit associated with having a 3D model is that an accurate model means users can apply changes digitally to determine what the impact will be in real life (also referred to as simulations). This is useful for mitigating risks and avoiding costly mistakes when being performed in real time.