University of Liverpool Implements Digital Twin Technology

A recent project at the University of Liverpool has shown that utilizing a new tool for optimizing the operational performance of buildings can result in significant energy and cost savings. The university partnered with Glasgow-based climate technology firm, IES, to use the IES Live tool to evaluate the impact of an HVAC refurbishment project on one of its campus buildings. The project resulted in operational cost savings of £25,000 and energy consumption reductions of 23 percent.

The tool connects live operational data from a building to a calibrated digital twin, allowing facilities managers to have a single pane view of live operational performance metrics via the cloud. By creating a digital twin of the building, various refurbishment scenarios were tested to identify the most effective ways to generate energy, carbon, and cost savings. Once the selected improvements were made, the digital twin was upgraded with live data from the building management system and energy meters, allowing for calibration to match measured data hourly.

The university’s facilities management team is now using this operational performance digital twin to monitor and improve the building continuously. By benchmarking against a simulated baseline, the university can track performance, gain insights for improvement in energy, carbon, and comfort, and measure the ongoing impact of the refurbishment. The live feature also helps prevent operational drift by flagging any issues and allowing for prompt fixes.

This successful project has led the university to plan collaborating with IES to create digital twins for three more buildings in the next phase of work. This demonstrates the potential for significant energy savings and operational improvements by utilizing innovative tools and technologies.