Building information system (BIM) modeling, integration and simulation technologies with existing HVAC appliances and systems have the potential to dramatically enhance the efficiency of HVAC. Simulations allow engineers and architects to explore design alternatives with a focus on building constraints. They help engineers minimize design times and improve the quality of the final design. The impact of digital twins on smart buildings is particularly pronounced in the area of lighting.

Lighting

Many HVAC appliances are designed to operate with one or two form loads. In practice, few designers use form-load controls to control more than two or three load states, which results in inefficient heating and cooling and reduced energy efficiency. Digital twins offer designers greater control over more form loads by simultaneously controlling the incoming signals from multiple sources. The resulting circuit-switching power consumption is less than what it would be with traditional lighting methods and significantly more efficient. The impact of digital twins on smart building is therefore most evident in HVAC applications that require control of more form loads.

The conventional lighting systems in HVAC buildings rely on resistive and incandescent lighting sources that are typically coupled with separate lighting control circuits. In addition, the conventional lighting systems often use single or double-speed drive systems. In some cases, there may also be a need for synchronizing ambient lighting with outside lighting, such as through photocell technology. The impact of digital twins on smart buildings can be most dramatic where all these needs are satisfied by integrating high-speed DILT (dispersive lumen technology) lighting with the digital signal processing systems.

In an HVAC building, the traditional form-based lighting systems are often coupled with heat pump and blower technology. The result is that the HVAC building requires much more power than it could if the lighting were digital. However, incorporating the new forms of lighting into the HVAC building will reduce the power requirements by utilizing the combined output of the blower/heater and heat pump to provide more consistent indoor temperature. This results in an energy-efficient building that consumes far less electricity than a conventional building constructed with the older forms of lighting.

In other HVAC applications, such as the provision of conditioned air and water services, the impact of digital twins can be even more drastic. In these applications, there are two competing forms of lighting that must be used: incandescent and digital. The existing HVAC system employs the use of blowers to condition air and then send the conditioned air through ducts into different rooms.

Heating and cooling

The conventional heating and air conditioning systems are operated with the use of a single-speed electric motor. The system consists of a heat pump that transfers heated air through the air handler and a compressor that supply air-conditioning refrigerant gas to the various rooms. The system also has a thermostat that is programmed to maintain a specific temperature. If the temperature of the conditioned air drops below a certain point, the energy consumed by the heat pump is automatically increased, causing the overall temperature to increase.

In contrast, the most advanced HVAC applications use a digital twin that uses two motors to achieve the same results. These are typically incorporated within the condensing unit itself. A digital twin saves money in two ways. First, it allows the condensing unit to operate at a lower speed than a traditional system, which prevents costly refrigeration costs and also reduces the need for power-hungry blowers.

Adaptability

The second major impact of digital twins on smart buildings is their ability to automatically reconfigure themselves when necessary. By using a memory chip, the HVAC system can monitor the environment around it and automatically adjust its processes to better take advantage of available space or prevent overheating or sudden loss of heat from a hot appliance. In this way, a modern digital twin is able to be configured to better take advantage of existing space and reduce the need for real estate investments such as enclosures. In this way, digital twins can save money and increase efficiency in a number of applications, such as heating and cooling, air conditioning, plumbing systems, and HVAC