Airside at an airport requiring digital twins solutions.

Airport Digital Twin Strategy: Key Insights from the buildingSMART and ACC Webinar

In a joint webinar hosted by buildingSMART and ACC, industry leaders, including Digital Twin Consulting Co-Founder Kelly Watt, explored the intricacies of digital transformation with a specific focus on the airport digital twin. The session featured expert speakers who provided valuable insights into achieving digital transformation, breaking organizational silos, and the challenges and benefits associated with implementing digital twins.

Shifting Technological Landscape

Kelly Watt provided a profound overview of the transformative technological landscape for a major US airport he’s currently working with, emphasizing the integration of cutting-edge technologies such as reality capture, mobile mapping, real-time data analytics, and AI into the airport digital twin. This dynamic combination not only serves as a testament to the airport’s commitment to innovation but also underscores the fundamental shifts occurring in technology across various sectors.

Stakeholder Involvement and Collaboration

The significance of involving stakeholders right from the project’s inception took center stage in the webinar discussions. Watt emphasized the crucial role of executive sponsorship, change management, and financial investment in achieving successful digital transformation. This holistic approach is pivotal in breaking down organizational silos and fostering a collaborative environment conducive to realizing the full potential of digital twins.

Applications Across Diverse Sectors

The airport digital twin showcases a variety of multifaceted applications in infrastructure planning, passenger boarding bridge optimization, and water management. The airport’s experiences underscored how digital twins are becoming integral to operational facets within an airport environment, offering a glimpse into the transformative power of these technologies across diverse sectors.

Interoperability Challenges and Solutions

Addressing interoperability challenges emerged as a key focus of the discussion; Watt shared insights into adopting an open architecture approach and setting standards for data flow. The discussions delved into the evaluation of various technologies, open standards/openBIM, and processes essential for developing a robust airport Digital Twin. This strategic approach aligns with the broader industry goals of seamless integration and collaboration.

Strategic Planning for Digital Twin Success

Watt’s holistic strategic planning approach for the airport aligned seamlessly with the webinar’s central theme of understanding the critical components of digital transformation. Emphasizing ROI calculation, stakeholder-centric approaches, and continuous improvement, the airport’s insights provided valuable guidance for organizations navigating their unique paths toward digital twin success.

In conclusion, the webinar offered a comprehensive exploration of an airport’s digital twin strategy, providing valuable insights into the ever-evolving landscape of digital transformation. Each facet of the discussion, from technological integration to stakeholder involvement and strategic planning, serves as a compelling testament to the potential and possibilities that digital twins bring to the forefront of innovation in various industries.