The concept of “self-healing” buildings in India is on the rise, thanks to the emergence of Digital Twins. A Digital Twin is a virtual replica of a physical object, system, or process that is dynamic and continuously updated with real-time data from sensors. This technology allows buildings to “feel”, “think”, and increasingly, to “self-heal”. Unlike traditional Building Information Modelling (BIM), Digital Twins go several steps further by ingesting real-time data via sensors, meters, and control systems, enabling buildings to optimize themselves continually.
The implementation of Digital Twins in India is significant, as it addresses the country’s pressing issues of energy consumption, water scarcity, and environmental degradation. By using Digital Twins, buildings can reduce energy consumption by 15-20% annually, without requiring structural changes. This is achieved through real-time adjustments to lighting, HVAC, and equipment sequencing. For instance, HVAC systems can be adjusted to actual occupancy, and lighting can be switched according to natural light availability.
Digital Twins also enable predictive maintenance, which reduces downtime and extends asset life. By continuously monitoring equipment performance, Digital Twins can detect latent faults, allowing for proactive maintenance and minimizing emergency repairs. This leads to significant cost savings and improved operational efficiency.
The benefits of Digital Twins extend to ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) compliance and sustainability. They provide a centralized data layer, enabling clear energy and carbon disclosure, water balance, and indoor air quality monitoring. This makes Digital Twins an essential tool for developers and asset owners seeking to achieve green certification or ESG-linked loans.
The market momentum for Digital Twins in India is strong, with the market expected to reach USD 18,016.9 million by 2034, growing at a CAGR of 35.79% during 2026-2034. The growth is driven by factors such as accelerated digital adoption, cloud infrastructure upgradation, and the implementation of cutting-edge technologies like IoT, artificial intelligence, and big data analytics.
However, there are challenges to the adoption of Digital Twins in India, including old infrastructure, indirect and fragmented data sources, and skill deficits among facilities management teams. Nevertheless, these obstacles are gradually disappearing, and the logic of the business case is changing from “nice to have” to “financially unavoidable”.
In conclusion, Digital Twins are a technology breakthrough that can make a significant impact on India’s infrastructure development. They have the potential to transform buildings into smart, efficient, and sustainable assets that can last longer and perform better. As India continues to urbanize and expand its infrastructure network, the adoption of Digital Twins is expected to become more widespread, enabling the creation of “self-healing” buildings that can anticipate and prevent problems, rather than just fixing them after they occur.