"Every building deserves a digital twin" - Interview with Dominik Courtin

What do you need to understand when it comes to digitalization in the construction industry?
That it's not just about the digital head of Digital Planning and Construction per se, but also about the subsequent operation. I always say that every construction project deserves a digital twin that can serve as a source of information and a platform for communication beyond the traditional end of the project. It can help with very simple questions, such as when a homeowner wants to know how much wall space needs to be painted during renovation. Or with more complex questions, such as when conversion options need to be assessed in terms of their ecological footprint: In order to be able to assess such questions correctly and intervene in a controlling manner, a clean information basis is required. The requirement must be that all data generated during the process remains available. In the cruise industry, we already have a digital twin of a new ship that contains every conceivable piece of information. You have to realize that we build a building for two years and then use, manage and convert it for decades. In my opinion, this is the key point and not the increase in productivity during planning and construction, even though this is often claimed. Buildings are prototypes; unlike other industries, scaling is only possible to a limited extent. I advise clients to stick with CAD if they have no interest in continuing to use a digital model in operations.

Why does Basler & Hofmann support research in the field of digital design, planning and construction at ETH Zurich's Design++ Center?
On the one hand, we have a long-standing, close relationship with ETH. For example, Konrad Basler was a senior member of the ETH Board, we employ a large number of ETH graduates and offer internships. On the other hand, digital construction is a topic whose importance we recognized years ago. We believe that it requires a holistic approach. That's why we became the "midwife" of Design++: When we were asked by ETH at the time whether we would support a center that would be designed across departmental silos, we immediately saw a huge opportunity in this. This interdisciplinary thinking is fully in line with the way Basler & Hofmann works: we have experts from over 30 disciplines working together on projects in the fields of Construction, Urban Transportation, Energy, Safety and Safety and Environmental Engineering.

Read the full interview in "Uplift" 6/2023 (PDF)