Digital twins are becoming an increasingly important topic in construction.
For some people, the term sounds like another piece of construction technology jargon. However, when used properly, a digital twin can be much more than a 3D model. It can become a live digital representation of a building, asset or piece of infrastructure, helping project teams understand how that asset is performing in the real world.
For Quantity Surveyors, this matters because better information can lead to better commercial decisions.
What Is a Digital Twin?
A digital twin is a digital version of a physical asset.
In construction, this could be a building, bridge, railway station, road, hospital, school or other piece of infrastructure. Unlike a static model, a digital twin can be connected to real data. This might include information from sensors, maintenance records, energy usage, occupation levels, cost data or asset management systems.
The aim is to create a digital version of the asset that helps people monitor, analyse and improve performance.
In simple terms, BIM may show what has been designed or built. A digital twin can help show how the asset is actually performing.
Why Digital Twins Matter in Construction
Construction projects often suffer from poor information.
Design information may be held in one place, cost information somewhere else, programme data in another system, and asset information in another format entirely. This can make it difficult for project teams to make joined-up decisions.
Digital twins can help by bringing different types of information together.
This can support better decision-making during design, construction and operation. For example, a digital twin could help identify maintenance issues earlier, monitor energy performance, test different design scenarios or understand how changes may affect the asset over time.
For clients and asset owners, this can be valuable because the cost of an asset does not stop at practical completion. The long-term operation and maintenance of an asset can often be far more significant than the initial construction cost.
The Commercial Impact for QSs
Digital twins are not just a technical issue. They can also have a commercial impact.
For Quantity Surveyors, digital twins may affect:
- cost planning;
- lifecycle costing;
- value engineering;
- change control;
- asset data requirements;
- maintenance forecasting;
- risk management;
- final account information;
- handover requirements.
If a contract requires specific digital information, data outputs or asset information, this needs to be understood from the start. Otherwise, the contractor or subcontractor may find themselves responsible for delivering information they did not properly price.
A QS should therefore ask:
- What digital information is required?
- Who is responsible for producing it?
- What format does it need to be provided in?
- Is it included in the scope?
- Has it been priced?
- What happens if the information is incomplete or incorrect?
These questions are important because digital requirements can create real cost, programme and resource implications.
Digital Twins and Lifecycle Costing
One of the most useful areas for digital twins is lifecycle costing.
A project should not only be judged by its initial construction cost. Clients increasingly want to understand how an asset will perform over its whole life. This includes maintenance, replacement, energy use, operational efficiency and future upgrades.
A digital twin can support this by giving better information about how the asset is being used and where future costs may arise.
For QSs, this strengthens the link between cost and performance. It allows commercial decisions to be based not just on the cheapest option today, but on the best value over the life of the asset.
The Risks of Digital Twins
Digital twins can offer major benefits, but only if they are properly managed.
A poor digital twin can become an expensive model with little practical value. If the data is inaccurate, incomplete or not maintained, the digital twin may give a false sense of confidence.
There are also commercial risks around scope. If the contract is unclear, parties may disagree about what digital information is required and who should pay for it.
This is why digital twin requirements need to be clearly defined in the tender documents, contract, scope, information requirements and pricing documents.
Final Thoughts
Digital twins are likely to become more common as construction becomes more data-led.
For Quantity Surveyors, the key point is simple: digital information has commercial value, but it also creates commercial risk.
A QS does not need to be a technology expert. However, they should understand how digital twin requirements affect cost, scope, programme, change, risk and long-term value.
As construction continues to evolve, the best QSs will not just measure work after it happens. They will help clients and project teams make better decisions using better information.
Digital twins are part of that future.
Find out how we can help at metroun.co.uk
