Vendors pitch twins to cut site visits

A digital twin is a detailed 3D copy of a real building that staff can inspect on a screen, and Apollo3D says more companies are using them to cut site visits as travel and energy costs rise. (smartbuildingsmagazine.com) Apollo3D, a Yorkshire firm, said enquiries for its digital twin and virtual mapping services rose by more than 30% over the past year as facilities and property teams looked for cheaper ways to manage dispersed sites. The company said clients are using the models for maintenance planning, layout checks and remote contractor briefings. (cleaning-matters.co.uk) The pitch is less about futuristic “smart cities” than routine building work. Apollo3D said teams can view, measure and assess a site remotely, which lets managers replace some pre-visit checks and repeat inspections with a virtual walkthrough. (pfmonthenet.net) That approach has already shown up in live projects. Bentley Systems said Haskoning used a digital twin for Holyhead Jetty inspections and eliminated site visits, with estimated fuel and emissions cuts of 60% to 75% while avoiding tidal and weather delays. (bentley.com) In another example, Visual Plan said municipalities in the Vancouver area used digital twins for virtual pre-planning visits and saved about $500 per contractor review while reducing travel time by 80%. The company said the models helped city staff, consultants and vendors review the same site without repeated in-person meetings. (visualplan.net) The basic workflow is simple: a site is scanned with cameras or laser sensors, then turned into a navigable model with measurements, tags and photos attached. Surveyors and engineers can then check dimensions, mark defects and share comments without sending every specialist back to the building. (awa.asn.au) Researchers and professional bodies have been making the same case for several years. The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors said work tied to a University of Strathclyde project found digital twins can improve surveying, support remote investigation and increase productivity. (rics.org) Apollo3D has also tied the sales pitch to large retail estates. In July 2025, Prolific North reported that the company had created virtual scans of more than 350 Primark stores across the United Kingdom and Europe for an LED lighting upgrade programme, giving project teams remote access to store conditions. (prolificnorth.co.uk) The argument from vendors is that a digital twin does not remove every site visit; it removes the avoidable ones. As fuel, labour and energy bills stay high, they are selling the model as a way to send fewer people, later in the process, with better information in hand. (smartbuildingsmagazine.com)