Challenge / Goal
The objective was to create an online connected digital twin for the Sello shopping centre. This digital twin would monitor and visualize building energy and HVAC system data using a 3D BIM model. Specifically, it aimed to predict next-day energy consumption, local energy production and utilize the building as a heat storage system.
The core idea was to ensure that the digital twin mirrored the energy behaviour of the physical Sello centre while maintaining an identical appearance. However, the digital twin exists solely as a virtual copy of the real shopping centre. The biggest challenge was to develop an AI-based digital twin solution that could easily scale and be replicated for other buildings.
Another challenge involved establishing the necessary data collection and maintaining the digital twin’s online operation. This allowed for daily calculations of next-day energy predictions, which could be utilized in building energy optimization or Virtual Power Plant (VPP) solutions.
Solution
The Sello digital twin is an easily scalable and replicable solution for integrating 3D BIM models, continuous energy & HVAC data collection and AI & building simulator-based models for energy predictions and using building structures as heat storage. The Sello digital twin solution includes the following features:
- Online connected next-day energy forecast for building electricity, district heating, local PV production and electric car charging power. These models are possible to use e.g. in building energy optimization or VPP-based solutions via REST APIs.
- Hybrid (AI & simulation) model for utilizing building structures as heat storage.
- On-line connected 3D BIM-based monitoring and analysing building energy and HVAC data and locating related faults.
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