CIC Digital Twin Hub to Lead the Construction Industry into a New Era of Innovation

With the rapid development of the construction industry and the increasing demand for talents and technologies, the Construction Industry Council (CIC) has set up the CIC Digital Twin Hub to lead the industry’s integration into a new era of innovation. The Hub provides a platform for collaboration and showcases a range of advanced technologies to facilitate knowledge exchange on digital twin and construction technology, and to enable industry stakeholders to better understand the concept and application of digital twin.

One of the key features of digital twin is by collecting real-time data through Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, analysing data with the aid of artificial intelligence to provide advice and to facilitate decision improvement. The CIC Digital Twin Hub, is a new platform for knowledge exchange, talent development and innovation in the field of digital twin and construction technology by providing a platform for collaboration and a series of technology demonstrations. The new Digital Twin Hub has four major areas, including Showcase Area, Smart Site Construction Management Corner, Multi-Purpose Area and Digital Twin Lab. The Hub also offers a number of activities, such as experience sharing sessions, guided tours and advisory workshops.

Upon the official opening of the Digital Twin Hub, Mr. David LAM, Under Secretary for Development, and his team were invited to learn more about the CIC's vision of setting up the Hub. The CIC team introduced its various facilities, as well as a number of successful showcases, for example, adopting digital twin in the assets management stage achieved 30% energy saving, generative design successfully reduced 52% embodied carbon by refurbishing existing buildings, and central management platform with data adopted in construction site for safety management. At the end of the tour, Mr. LAM recognised our efforts to use digital twin as the main axle for construction digitalisation. Ir Prof. Thomas HO, Chairman of CIC, stressed speeding up the pace for smart submission can definitely facilitate the digital transition for the industry.

Nurturing Digital Engineers

The CIC has earlier released the “Construction Expenditure Forecast”, which forecasts that the construction expenditure ranges from HK$240 billion to HK$375 billion per annum in the coming 10 years. Stepping into the golden age of the construction industry, Ir Prof. HO said, " No matter public or private sectors, they have started to adopt digital twin. And my humble prediction is in the next 12 months, this platform type digitalisation will explode in Hong Kong. The Digital Twin Hub therefore serves to nurture future digital engineers and coordinators.”

Ir Albert CHENG, Executive Director of the CIC, also said, "In recent years, the CIC has been proactively promoting BIM (Building Information Modelling) to enhance efficiency and productivity. This remarkable transformation from the BIM Space to the Digital Twin Hub signifies our unveiling commitment from driving out not only BIM, but also construction digitalisation and embracing the immersed potential of digital twin technology.”

Digitalisation of the Whole Construction Lifecycle

Mr. JI Yatu, Vice President of Strategy and Investment, Glodon Company Limited, shared their experience and insights on the application of digital twin at CIC Digital Twin Hub. A CIC delegation also visited Glodon’s headquarters in Beijing earlier. Mr. JI pointed out that the digitalisation of the construction industry is built upon four technologies: Building Information Modeling (BIM), Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things, and Big Data. The comprehensive digital transformation of enterprises can also be divided into four levels: Individual, Project, Multi-project, and Enterprise:

Individual level (data source): use of BIM and various digital tools to assist employees in their work, improving work efficiency and quality;
Project level (connecting data): manage the entire project progress with digital tools’ help to handle different workflows such as manpower, materials, technology, safety, quality, cash flow, etc.;
Cross-project level (managing data): Monitoring multiple projects simultaneously, conducting manpower, financial, market, and risk management; and
Enterprise level (comprehensive data analysis): Assisting in establishing systematic solutions to promote the digital transformation of enterprises.

Mr. JI concluded that the key elements for the successful digital transformation of the construction industry are data, connectivity, and computation, which are also the foundations of digital twins.

CIC Actively Promotes the Wide Adoption of Digital Twin

A digital twin is a virtual representation of a real-world object, system or process. It helps the construction industry to effectively manage projects and resources, increase productivity, and at the same time reduce risks and costs. Sharing his views on the Cyberport Expansion Project, Mr. YAN said that apart from the application of innovative technologies such as BIM and Internet of Things (IoT), digital twin also plays a key role in the project, and will even help to manage the entire Cyberport in the future. He is looking forward to showcasing the technological achievements and exchanging ideas with the industry at the CIC Digital Twin Hub upon completion of the project.

Ir Thomas HO has also visited the IESG's Digital Economy and Sustainability Laboratory at HKSTP together with members of the CIC, to delve into the practical applications of digital twins for sustainability.

Prof. Ir Steve Wong, Co-founder of IESG Technologies Limited, shared that the company has previously involved in projects like creating a Digital School, social design and redevelopment projects, he explained that digital twin and IoT sensors can on one hand consolidate data, and on the other hand monitor and analyse situation, predicting potential problem, aiding users to prepare in advance, hence achieving the goal of preventive maintenance.

Safety, efficiency and sustainability are the cores of the construction industry, with enormous potential in digital twin in eliminating risks and saving costs, it’s certainly a must-do for the industry to take it up a notch!

The Digital Twin Hub is now open to visits by appointment, seminars and workshops are also being organised for stakeholders interested in learning about digital twin technology. For details, please visit www.bim.cic.hk.