Digital Twins tech ‘missing link’ in urban decarbonisation

Digital Twins could provide a vital link between the real world and the Metaverse when it comes to green buildings and decarbonisation of cities.

The digital twin technology can manage and drive down energy consumption and could be a multi-billion-dollar benefit for urban planning and managing existing buildings.

Research from Ernst & Young said Digital Twins could reduce urban carbon emissions by more than 50%, while also reducing operating costs for asset owners by 35%. Further, ABI Research said this could result in US$280bn in cost savings by 2030.

Chicago-based Cityzenith’s SmartWorldOS Digital Twin platform was created to manage and monitor buildings and infrastructure, energy efficiency, transport, health, and projects across entire cities and urban districts. 

The company’s Clean Cities – Clean Future initiative has projects underway in major US cities, including Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Phoenix.

Digital Twin of Las Vegas identifies Metaverse opportunity

The Las Vegas initiative was unveiled earlier this year during the CES consumer electronics show and is developing rapidly.

The initial phase covered seven square kilometres of the downtown area and integrated local city data which could eventually be used to transform mobility, air quality, noise pollution, water management, and emissions from major buildings across the city – including Vegas megahotels and casinos.

“The Digital Twin project is developing at an impressive rate and is ahead of schedule,” says Cityzenith CEO Michael Jansen. “The base twin is now completed, and in the second quarter of this year, stakeholders from Las Vegas will be invited to join phase 2 of the Digital Twin project, including real estate owners, government agencies, university researchers, data partners, architects, and casino operators.”

Tech to turn US office buildings green and reduce emissions

Cityzenith is working with partners that can provide risk-free financing for building owners for green building retrofit projects – effectively showing building owners how they can decarbonise their assets with no upfront cost. The opportunity is clear, with only 1.7% of US office buildings deemed green.

Jansen says Digital Twins are the missing link needed to connect the physical world with the virtual while creating an ecosystem that delivers on decarbonisation.

"A Metaverse is currently a virtual world, but as of yet, the physical and virtual worlds are not connected through a real-world Metaverse for decarbonisation,” he says.

 "Through Digital Twins linking data gathered through sensors in the physical world, measurements and information can be applied to and replicated in our real-world Metaverse, which we can then use to track, simulate and monitor the physical world.

"This has huge applications for oil and gas, energy transition, buildings and infrastructure, but where we see a Digital Twin based Metaverse having most success is within decarbonisation.”

Cityzenith has been recognised as a World Economic Forum Top 100 Global Innovator, while CEO Jansen was named a Global Excellence Award Top 40 CEO for 2021.