This first appeared on AGBI
Saudi Arabia's digital twin technology is creating a live mirror of its cities and has already been tested using real-time data tools to manage the annual Hajj pilgrimage
- Real-time city simulation
- Three ‘digital twins’ created
- Powering Saudi urban efficiency
Efforts by Saudi Arabia to simulate how cities function in real time using so-called “digital twins” are valuable tools for government planning and offer commercial opportunities for the private sector.
But without clear rules and coordination on data sharing, the platforms could remain underused, experts warn.
Three city-scale models for Mecca, Medina and Jeddah, developed by South Korean tech giant Naver Corp, map more than 920,000 buildings and simulate in real-time shifts in traffic, energy demand, waste systems, weather events and other data.
These digital twins can help governments manage infrastructure and services in a “far more responsive” way than conventional planning methods, according to Kaveh Vessali, PwC Middle East partner for digital services.
“But to realise the full potential of digital twins, city stakeholders need to work collaboratively on a shared data model with clear governance,” Vessali says.
“Without that, there’s a risk these systems will remain fragmented or underutilised.”
Many local and national governments are still early in their digital transformation journeys, with data often fragmented, inconsistent or siloed across agencies or private firms. That makes integration difficult – an issue not unique to the Gulf.
This is a problem.
Leading cities around the world, in the US, UK and wider Europe, are already falling behind, according to Anil Khurana, director of Georgetown University’s Baratta Center for Global Business.
“This is because of a lack of a centralised and integrated approach, legacy infrastructure and legal and regulatory complexities,” Khurana said.
Digging deep into the data
Data has long been used to inform real-world processes, but digital twins take that a step further.
Manufacturing firms, for example, use asset models and 3D renderings to simulate their processes, while Nasa simulates spaceflights before the real thing. All this has previously been done with relatively static data sets.
Saudi authorities have already tested used real-time data tools to manage the annual Hajj pilgrimage, including electronic wristbands to track crowd movement to avoid crushes at pilgrimages, coordinate logistics and monitor safety.
The difference is that digital twins, using increased computing power and data from thousands of sensors across input types, can react and respond in real-time, creating a live mirror of the city or other simulated asset.
While already used in industries such as energy, including by Adnoc, which uses digital twins combined with AI to predict when maintenance will be required on its industrial equipment, the shift to city-wide systems introduces greater complexity, scale and opportunity.
Digital twins can use updated data from multiple sources to help cities respond to disasters; for example, by combining rainfall data with drainage system capacity to predict flooding.
Other applications include forecasting how new roads or transit projects will affect traffic, assessing the impact of construction on air quality, analysing waste management as populations grow and optimising energy use during extreme weather events.
Technology can make big savings
According to Vessali, if employed effectively, the technology can help cities reduce infrastructure and service costs by up to 10 percent.
The tech creates demand for specialists in real-time operations, modelling, integration and urban data systems, and the data generates opportunities for the private sector.
“The digital twin functions as a platform that delivers refined urban data, which private companies can use to create new businesses or improve the efficiency of existing operations,” Jun Park, from Naver Cloud’s Strategy and Business Development team, tells AGBI.
In the Finnish capital Helsinki, which prioritises open data, the city’s digital twin for mobility is openly accessible and used to promote the creation of new transport services by private companies.
By 2035 digital twins could generate $15 billion to $30 billion in value as part of global smart city initiatives, Khurana estimates, by reducing waste, avoiding costly planning mistakes and helping cities use resources like energy, water and public services more efficiently.
“Beyond cost reduction, the real potential lies in creating a more agile, collaborative urban economy,” PwC’s Vessali adds.
