Digital twin for educational purpose, the case study of the U-building at the KTH in Stockholm

Abstract

Nowadays, the Digital Twin (DT) concept is one of the most talked-about topics in the building sector. Previous research has addressed both the definition of DT concept and the development of applications for specific purposes, such as facility and asset management, built environment performance monitoring etc. However, the specificity of such applications reduces both its replicability and understanding. This results in the spread of confusion when approaching such concepts. For this reason, this study explores how DTs can be effectively used for educational purposes. The methods used include the integration of several systems and tools, highlighting different approaches for data integration and capture. The proposed methodology was tested on a real case study, the U-building on the KTH Campus in Stockholm, which is equipped with a Building Management System (BMS). The building is used as a pilot in master courses to allow students to produce a first attempt of using a DT, by connecting real-time monitored data and digital objects. The results show how efficient data communication helps towards the organization and assimilation of complex concepts. Furthermore, the testing of several approaches proves the replicability and flexibility of the method within different environments and for several uses.