Submitted by Angela Walters on Mon, 29/04/2019 - 12:11
In her monthly round-up blog, Alexandra Bolton, Executive Director of the Centre for Digital Built Britain (CDBB), reflects on the latest developments from the Digital Framework Task Group (DFTG) and welcomes the formation of the Digital Twin Hub.
Following the publication of the Gemini Principles at the end of last year, the Centre for Digital Built Britain (CDBB) has now published the second key deliverable from the Digital Framework Task Group (DFTG) – the Roadmap to the Information Management for the Built Environment that will enable the development of the national digital twin.
This is a significant step; the Roadmap provides a route for the first years of the journey that will lead to delivery of the Framework for the Built Environment (the Framework). Feedback we have received from a number of organisations and individuals since the publication of the Gemini Principles has been extremely valuable offering points of reflection when shaping the finalisation of the Roadmap.
Effective information management is vital to enabling better decisions, leading to financial savings, improved performance and service and better outcomes for business, the environment and society per whole-life pound. To make this possible, an information management framework is necessary in order to secure effective management of the information fundamental for the creation of the national digital twin. In short, it is about having the right information (and information that is right) for the right people at the right time.
The recent announcement of the formation of the Digital Twin Hub (DT Hub) is another exciting development. The collaborative web-enabled community for those who own or who are developing digital twins within the built environment provides a space to share experience and learning, showcase the benefits of what digital twins can achieve, find partners and seek support in addressing challenges on this shared journey. We welcome Samuel Chorlton, Project Lead for the Data and Analytics Facility for National Infrastructure (DAFNI) as Chair of the Steering Group that will establish the DT Hub. Leading an open and collaborative programme, we always welcome engagement – if you would like to contribute comment about the DT Hub, or any other aspect of the Centre’s activity, please do get in touch.
I was delighted to be among speakers at the Bentley Systems Future Infrastructure Symposium in London earlier this month. The well-attended event brought focus to the latest industry best practice, academic research and innovation around how digital is enabling smarter decisions based on more reliable information. Following my overview of CDBB’s mission and vision, Dr Ajith Parlikad gave an informative and thought-provoking presentation on CDBB’s demonstration project – the West Cambridge Digital Twin. It was a high-level event and the contributions from a wide range of speakers, both national and international, were fascinating.
The Centre recently hosted a visit as part of the Construction Innovation Hub (CIH) Roadshow event that travelled to the HQs of each of the CIH partners – CDBB, the BRE (Building Research Establishment) and the MTC (Manufacturing Technology Centre). It was an opportunity for all the organisations to showcase their work and created valuable knowledge transfer which we look forward to sharing with the wider community.