A review of drivers and barriers of Digital Twin adoption in building project development processes

Abstract

Over the past few years, the AECO Industry has undergone a shift toward digital transformation, with a growing trend towards adopting innovative technologies such as Digital Twin (DT). DT offers a wide range of applications throughout the building development process. However, some specific factors impede its widespread adoption in the building industry. This study aims to systematically review the available literature on the building project development process from the perspective of DT, with a particular focus on predictive simulations, i.e., co-sims. The review provides a comprehensive overview of drivers and barriers to DT adoption through an analysis of 147 studies between 2013 and 2023. The research identifies seven external and 41 internal drivers, including efficient project management and monitoring, predictive maintenance, and the collection and visualization of real-time data, all of which contribute to improved decision-making processes and reduced operational expenses. Further, the study identifies nine external and 31 internal barriers that impede the adoption of DT in the building development process. These barriers encompass challenges such as a high initial investment cost, a scarcity of a skilled workforce, difficulties in data interoperability, and resistance to change within the organization. A key outcome of the literature review is having identified the opportunity to exploit technologies developed in the automotive sector that enable a seamless integration of specialized simulator models in building development processes, resulting in collaborative simulations. Thus, we propose the concept of a Building Simulation Identity Card (BSIC) to be pursued in future research that would enable stakeholders to address the challenges of collaboration, cooperation, coordination, and communication by creating a common vocabulary to effectively facilitate the adoption of DT in the building's development process.