What Makes a Digital Twin Last?
Digital twins are no longer theoretical or optional. They are becoming essential infrastructure for modern asset management, enabling smarter decisions across a building’s lifecycle. But the rapid acceleration of digital twin adoption has left many projects exposed: proprietary platforms, fragmented data, and short-term thinking result in solutions that can't scale, or worse, can't evolve.
At Parametrix, we believe that a digital twin is only valuable if it’s designed to last. That means one thing above all: standards. Interoperable, structured, scalable systems built on recognised global frameworks. Our practice is built on this principle. We implement digital twins not just as technical artefacts, but as strategic assets, designed to operate within a connected, standards-driven digital estate.
Standards: The Foundation of a Durable Digital Twin
In a world of API sprawl and vendor lock-in, a digital twin without standards is a dead-end. Standards are what make data portable, comparable, and trustworthy.
At the heart of our methodology are three key frameworks:
- ISO/IEC 30173:2023: Establishes a formal, globally recognised definition of a digital twin. It clarifies that a twin is more than a model — it must enable synchronisation and convergence between physical and digital states through connected data.
- ISO 19650: Sets the rules for information management throughout the lifecycle of built assets. It provides a governance structure for how data is authored, approved, and shared across teams.
- NBS Uniclass: Offers a common classification system for everything in the built environment — spaces, systems, products, activities. It’s a critical enabler of structured data exchange and is central to how Parametrix models and maintains digital twins.
These standards don’t just help with compliance. They form the technical grammar of every project we deliver.
Parametrix’s Digital Twin Methodology: Standards in Action
Our process combines BIM precision, IoT integration, and standards discipline into a single, repeatable framework. Here's how we build twins that are ready for the long term.
- Defining the digital mission
We begin with intent. Every project starts by defining the client’s objectives: space utilisation? Energy tracking? Maintenance efficiency? These priorities are captured in a bespoke Asset Information Requirements (AIR) document, and detailed in a Digital Twin Execution Plan, modelled after ISO 19650 workflows. This ensures traceability and accountability for every sensor and piece of data.
- Structured BIM as a foundation
Our twins are built on a rich, semantically classified BIM model, developed or refined in Autodesk Revit. Every space and system is tagged with NBS Uniclass codes and IFC-compatible properties. This ensures every asset is machine-readable and unambiguous, critical for interoperability with downstream systems.
- Platform-enabled, but not platform-dependent
In this study, we deploy our digital twins using Autodesk Tandem, a cloud-native environment purpose-built for building-centric twins. Tandem ingests our BIM models while retaining all metadata and classification. It also supports live data streams, asset hierarchies, and dashboard visualisation, all within a structured, standards-compliant interface.
- IoT integration for live data capture
We integrate IoT sensors based on the operational goals. In our office case, we deployed Disruptive Technologies wireless sensors to capture occupancy, temperature, humidity, and CO₂ levels. These ultra-compact devices provided a minimally invasive way to make the physical space data rich.
Each sensor feed is securely mapped to its corresponding BIM object in Tandem. So, when CO₂ levels rise in a particular meeting room, or desks remain unoccupied for days, the digital twin reflects that insight in real time.
- Data integrity through taxonomy and classification
We enforce strict naming conventions, structured metadata, and consistent taxonomies from day one. This means the digital twin can connect, confidently and correctly, with other systems, from CAFM software to energy dashboards. Every asset speaks the same language.
The Parametrix Office Digital Twin – A Living Lab
To prove and refine our approach, we built a full-scale digital twin of our own office in Birmingham. It’s more than a pilot; it’s a live, operational system that drives real decisions and daily value.
Capturing the digital structure
We began by laser scanning the entire office to generate a detailed point cloud. From this, our team developed a fully classified BIM model in Revit, capturing architectural, MEP, and spatial elements. Every object, from fire detectors to desk clusters, was categorised using NBS Uniclass. That model was imported directly into Tandem, where the digital twin was born.
Sensor network deployment
Over a single day, we installed a discreet network of IoT sensors — under desks, on walls, near windows, without disrupting operations. These sensors began streaming data within hours. We also integrated selected data from building management systems where available.
Real-time performance insights
As staff returned to work on Monday morning, the twin came to life. Tandem’s dashboards showed occupancy hot zones, temperature variances across zones, and CO₂ levels in meeting rooms. We didn’t rely on assumptions, we had real operational data.
The system quickly revealed that several meeting rooms were chronically underused, while others were over-subscribed. Similarly, environmental comfort data showed that some zones had sustained thermal imbalance due to solar gain and air circulation patterns.
We didn’t need guesses or one-off surveys. We had evidence.
What We Learned and Why It Matters
The Parametrix office digital twin has gone beyond proof of concept. It’s now central to how we manage, monitor, and evolve our workspace.
Intelligent space planning
Using occupancy data, we reconfigured several meeting and collaboration spaces. This resulted in better use of floorspace, more booking availability, and higher alignment with staff working patterns, particularly hybrid usage.
Improved comfort and responsiveness
Thermal and air quality data helped us tune our environment. Adjustments were made to window coverings and ventilation routines based on time-of-day patterns. Staff reported improved comfort, and we gained a better understanding of the microclimates in the space.
Reduced reactive maintenance
The twin flagged subtle environmental anomalies that hinted at underlying faults. In one case, a slow drop in overnight temperature highlighted a damper control issue, identified and resolved before a complaint was ever raised. The ability to anticipate issues before they escalate is one of the most valuable payoffs of a living digital twin.
Confidence in data-led decisions
Perhaps most importantly, the twin now acts as a decision-support tool for our leadership. Whether planning hybrid desk strategies or exploring future expansions, we use the data we gather daily to guide strategic planning. This is exactly the type of data culture we help our clients build.
Why This Sets Us Apart
We don’t just consult on digital twins, we build them, run them, and improve them using our own environment as a continuous learning platform. This keeps us technically sharp and operationally grounded.
Every twin we build is:
- Rooted in ISO and NBS standards from day one
- Designed for integration, not isolation
- Built on open data, ensuring future flexibility
- Demonstrated in action, not just on slides
Our office twin has become a live demonstrator, a fully functional, standards-compliant model environment we can walk clients through in real time. It’s not a theoretical model. It’s the future of asset management and it's happening now.
Ready to Build a Twin That Will Last?
If you're considering a digital twin the most important decision is not what software to use. It's how you structure the data and align it to standards that can scale with your ambition.
At Parametrix, we help you build smarter, manage better, and operate with confidence.
Let’s talk about your digital twin journey. We’ve built ours — now let’s build yours.
