Data-Driven Design and Lifecycle Management Using Digital Threads and Digital Twins

Life cycle cost assessment (LCCA) is a crucial tool in the architecture, engineering, construction, and operations (AECO) industry, enabling building owners to evaluate the financial implications of design decisions. However, traditional methods often depend on fragmented and static datasets, leading to unreliable analyses and suboptimal designs and decision-making. This study introduces a novel framework that leverages digital threads and digital twins (DTs) to improve the reliability of cost models by using real-world operational data. Operational data from DTs, including asset performance and lifecycle costing metrics from existing projects, is used to inform the design and LCCA of future buildings. Through this integration, digital threads connect real-world data to design phase decisions, enabling more precise and informed cost estimations. By aligning operational insights with cost-focused lifecycle management, this framework enhances the precision and adaptability of LCCA, offering building owners a data-driven strategy for optimizing design and reducing lifecycle costs in future projects.