Australia S Digital Twin White Paper 1680696676

Digital Twin White Paper
March 2023
ABOUT STANDARDS AUSTRALIA
Standards Australia is an independent, non-government, not for profit organisation. We are the nation’s peak non-
government standards development organisation.
The work of Standards Australia and our staff, stakeholders, members and contributors enhances the nation’s economic
efficiency, international competitiveness and contributes to a safe and sustainable environment for all Australians.
Standards Australia’s vision is to be a global leader in trusted solutions that improve life – today and tomorrow.
March 2023 3
Authors
Adam Beck:
Head of Digital Urbanism, ENE.HUB
Adam is an urbanist who has worked for private sector consultancies and leading global non-
government organisations to advance sustainable community outcomes in cities around the
world for almost 30 years.
He is Head of Digital Urbanism at ENE.HUB, a role that has him working collaboratively with
Council’s and land authorities to realise the benefits of shared urban infrastructure in connecting,
activating and measuring urban life.
Adam is Chair of the Standards Australia DTw Working Group, Co-Chair of the Smart Places
and Infrastructure Workstream at the Internet of Things Alliance Australia and is Co-host of the
podcast ‘Digital Built Australia’.
Adam is also Co-founder and Director of TEMPO Institute, a digital built environment education
provider.
He was also the Founding Executive Director of the Smart Cities Council Australia New Zealand,
a role he had for 6 years.
Adam previously had roles as Director of Innovation at EcoDistricts in Portland Oregon in
the United States, Executive Director at the Green Building Council of Australia and various
consulting roles with global consulting firms Arup and GHD for 15 years.
Gavin Cotterill:
Founder & Managing Director GC3 Digital
Gavin is a leading strategist who, for over three decades, has worked for private sector
consultancies to drive a digital revolution that accelerates how cities, infrastructure and regions
are planned, delivered, and managed to help increase economic effectiveness and sustainable
practices.
Gavin is the founder and managing director of GC3 Digital and is an acclaimed DTw expert
trusted by public and private executives to develop world-leading DTw strategies and programs.
Gavin is passionate about creating a better future for people, places, and the planet. He is
involved in numerous industry groups, such as the DTw Partnership, Smart Cities Council, and
the Internet of Things Alliance Australia.
Gavin advocates standards and has helped develop ISO19650 BIM standards and ISO37106
Smart Cities Standards. He is currently part of ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 41 - Internet of things and DTw
standards development.
Gavin is also Co-founder and Director of TEMPO Institute, a digital built environment education
provider and is the Co-host of the podcast ‘Digital Built Australia’, and was also the Founding
Director of PCSG Australia (now part of the Cohesive Group), a role he held for seven years.
4 March 2023
Contents
Executive Summary�� 6
1. Introduction�� 8
2. The Why�� 9
3. The What�� 14
4. Now - The current situation�� 18
5. New - Change is underway�� 22
6. Next - Recommendations for market leadership�� 27
7. Appendices�� 35
March 2023 5
Acknowledgements
Standards Australia would like to acknowledge the support of the Australian Department of
Industry, Science and Resources in the development of this white paper.
Abbreviations and Acronyms

AI Artificial Intelligence
AEC Architecture, Engineering and Construction
ANZLIC Australia New Zealand Land Information Council
BIM Building Information Modelling
DE Digital Engineering
DTw Digital Twin
GIS Geographic Information Systems
IEC International Electrotechnical Commission
ISO International Organisation for Standardisation
OGC Open Geospatial Consortium
6 March 2023
Executive Summary
A Strategic Vision for Australia?

An opportunity is on our doorstep, to grow our ‘digital’ economy and to accelerate toward our
climate commitments.
We are in the early stages of a major market transformation enabled in part by significant digital
innovation. DTw (DTw) capability across the country is growing and is likely to have a profound
impact on how we work, live and play.
If Australia has a plan, and a consistent approach to Dtw, it will be better placed to capture the
benefits of this transformation.
Key Benefits
Some of these benefits include increasing trade and investment, increasing national productivity,
less disruption and waste and importantly opening up new markets and new services for the
nation.
Innovations driven by digital technologies, including machine learning, artificial intelligence, could
add up to $315 billion to our economy by 2028 (Alpha Beta 2018).
Through state based DTw programs in Western Australia, New South Wales, Queensland and
Victoria underway, Australia is well placed to seize these opportunities.
Australia has a competitive, market driven economy with free and open trade, strong digital
infrastructure and a pipeline of potential talent that could help create the right conditions for
government and private sector companies to adopt DTw as more products and capabilities come
to market.
Establish Australia as a global leader in developing and implementing Digital Twins

to support policy, trade, investment and jobs
Opportunity to
invoke specific ways
to inform and
evaluate priorities
Opportunity to
predict the unintended
consequences of new
policies Opportunity to
understand the
impact of new
construction
Opportunity to share
key data across
jurisdictions
Opportunity to
Opportunity to
create new jobs
understand the impact
of climate
change and flooding
Opportunity to Opportunity for trade

understand the and investment
performance of
assets and services
Figure 1: Some key opportunities and examples of how DTw use cases can provide value
and benefit to Australia.
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Key Challenges
Australia has the potential to be a world leader in DTw technology, but without holistic planning
and implementation of this cutting-edge technology our efforts to date have been disjointed.
Three key problem areas need to be addressed that will enable Australia to realize maximum
value from embracing such an approach:
1. The need for greater national leadership and coordination
2. The need to drive better decisions facilitated by comprehensive information sharing
and exchange
3. The need for guidance on best practice and to support future capability
Individual DTws are already being created across the country, supporting efficiencies and better
outcomes through improved use of data.
To ensure we capitalise on these new advances, collaboration between states and territories and
with local government is required for a more unified approach.
This approach will help Australia to build on its global leadership position with artificial
intelligence, quantum computing and cyber security and privacy.
Key Recommendations
In response to these challenges this white paper lays out a series of recommendations that can
support Australia’s journey to national DTw advancement and global positioning and leadership.
These recommendations cover the areas of leadership and governance, critical market enablers
and a national pilot program to activate opportunties. These are summarised below.
National Sponsor Standards
Governance/
Capability National Pilot
Working Group
Technology
National Strategy
Investments
LEADERSHIP &
THE ENABLERS ACTIVATING
GOVERNANCE
8 March 2023
1. Introduction
1.1 About this White Paper

In Australia, like in many other parts of the world, the digital transformation of our built
environment is happening at speed, with the vision of realising savings, making better decisions
and delivering greater value.
Technological developments over the past few decades have been dramatic. These
developments have come from many sectors, but all have applicability for our built and natural
environment. But the way government and the private sector is evolving in this new era of
opportunity is at times exploratory, with a lack of guidance and definition on what best practice
process looks like.
DTw currently suffers this fate, with mixed interpretations of the core concepts and terminology,
varying levels of understanding and application of the use cases and benefits, and a struggling
marketplace that is uncertain of how to mobilise.
This is reflected through the sentiments expressed regularly at industry events, in the
conversations between clients and consultants and the feedback from the industry engagement
process associated with this white paper.
But the opportunity and interest to advance DTw as a platform for industry transformation is
considered strong. In fact by building off existing capabilities, Australia has the opportunity to be
a global leader if the right conditions are created.
The purpose of this paper, informed by its collaborative industry engagement process,
provides key information relating to the scale of the DTw opportunity for Australia, and is
intended to achieve four key objectives:
1. Background and observations so far in Australia, and internationally
2. Focus on the role of standards in developing and implementing DTw in Australia
3. Help support Australia’s leadership, influence, and uptake of digital and critical
technologies both domestically and internationally
4. Suggest opportunities to advance DTw in Australia to enable the opportunity for growth in
the market, realise the value from DTw and internationally lead in the application of it.
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2. The Why
2.1 The Opportunity Ahead

Australia’s place in the world will be defined by how we adapt to digital technologies and
modernise our economy. The next 10 years will determine whether we lead or fall behind. We are
well placed to be a leading digital economy and have strong foundations, but many countries are
investing heavily in their digital futures.
There is a concentration of data science and AI expertise in Australia, as identified in the
nation’s Artificial Intelligence Action Plan. Within it is a vision for Australia to be a global leader in
developing and adopting trusted, secure and responsible AI.
Similarly, there is an opportunity for Australia to aspire to lead globally in building and applying
DTw capability. Being in its infancy there are conditions conducive to this, with standards under
development, early business case work underway, and a supply chain primed to engage.
Building on the work of the New South Wales, Victorian and Queensland state governments,
Australia has an opportunity to develop global leadership in DTw, through the development of a
national DTw program.
This program would ensure that Australia’s path forward will leverage DTw capability to further
strengthen our economy, and lift the quality of life for all Australians.
Case Study: DTw Victoria

About
The DTw Victoria program is a $37.4 million investment in DTw technology, geospatial data and spatial
innovation over a period of 4 years. The program was established to help set the digital foundations for
a future-ready Victoria, using data to answer new questions and make better data-led decisions.
Key Actions
DTw Victoria program is structured across 7 streams of work that bring together new foundational data
and cutting-edge technical capability, high-quality datasets and intelligent analytics to leverage a new
era in DTw technology.
DTw platform
Advanced Earth Observation
DTw Utilities
Automated Approvals
Faster Subdivision Registration
 
Enhanced Disaster Response
DTw for Asset Management
What’s Next
DTw Victoria will be continuing to deliver the key uses cases within the current funding cycle and look to
support Victoria’s big build program.
10 March 2023
This program could also support businesses to enter new markets, invest in their own digital
transformation, and deliver globally competitive products and services.
This will in turn uplift businesses across the economy, boosting their productivity and
competitiveness, helping them to increase revenue and employ more Australians. To ensure
those benefits can be fully realised, there is a need for collaboration between our researchers,
academics, Standard Development Organisations and our industries.
Building our domestic capability in DTw also ensures we are well prepared to counter national
security threats, while simultaneously supporting innovation and developing Australia’s DTw
expertise in areas of competitive strength. For instance, it is clear that DTw has great potential
and an important part to play in Australia’s natural and built environment sectors.
Whilst the states and territories have primary responsibility for their respective built and natural
environments – having a national approach can bring consistency to an evolving and potentially
sporadic marketplace. And to help institutionalise a common understanding and consistent
approach that reflects best practice, drives demand and supports scale we must create and
adopt standards.
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2.2 Practical Benefits for Australia

The benefits of DTw for the nation are diverse, and include opportunities in the following areas:
Trade & Investment

The international trading environment has become increasingly complex. Keeping the global
economy open and businesses trading is crucial for Australia’s economic resilience and security.
The Department of Foreign Affairs in Australia is focused on upholding the rules-based trading
system and securing new market opportunities for Australian businesses. A DTw leadership
position can support Australian businesses to secure opportunities globally, including through
free trade agreements and advancing trade and investment collaboration in the region and more
widely.
Society
Transparent stakeholder collaboration leads to greater success in meeting the needs of
end-users. It enhances customer satisfaction and experience, resulting in high performing
infrastructure that provides world class public services.
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Figure 2: Some of the key benefits of investing in DTw capability in Australia.

12 March 2023
Economy
Increased national productivity from higher-performing and resilient infrastructure operating
as a connected system is a vision for the nation. This can result in improved measurement
of outcomes. Another key economic benefit of best practice DTw capability is the reduced
downtime from having enhanced information security and privacy ‘built-in’.
Business
New markets, services and potential business models open up for our commerce sector when
data is activated through DTw capability. Improved business efficiency from higher-performing
infrastructure is also being realised from existing sectors, such as mining, infrastructure and
city planning. And with optimised delivery efficiency, comes benefits to the whole value chain
– investors, owners, asset managers, contractors, consultants and suppliers. All of these
stakeholders benefit from the reduced uncertainty and better risk management within their
operations.
Environment
Granular data in real time can offer less disruption and waste in the supply chain and in our
consumption patterns. Digital Twin capability can support reuse and greater resource efficiency –
a key enabler of the circular economy in the built environment. And seeking to achieve a net net
zero economy is going to require an interconnected approach to information management and
decision making.
Wider Australian Opportunities for Australia

Australia has long been at the vanguard of engineering and technological development. Capitalising
on the opportunity of digital and DTws will enable us to build a global leadership position. There is also
significant technology sector growth opportunity through the development of innovative DTw technology
and broader capability.
Case Study: NSW Spatial DTw

About
The NSW Spatial DTw (SDT) is a program of work that is being led by DCS Spatial Services which will
deliver a cross-sector, collaborative environment that will share and visualise location information, in a
4D model (3D plus time) of the real world, in near real time and will support improved decision making.
Key Actions
As part of the Live NSW program, funded through the Digital Restart Fund (DRF), the NSW SDT has
been identified by Infrastructure NSW as an enabler of Smart Places and the realisation of the NSW
Government’s priorities. It is a part of the future digital form of government which is citizen focused and
outcomes driven.
The program will:
• Deliver spatial data at quality and performance levels that generate savings and efficiencies right
across government and industry.
• Specifically focus in the first four years on supporting infrastructure planning and delivery as well
as emergency management.
• Provide opportunities for better support and decisions in relation to environmental management
and natural resource management.
• Support effective and meaningful data analytics, and provide opportunities for collaboration across
academia, industry, business, and government.
• Encourage and facilitate engagement between government and community to ensure better
customer service.

March 2023 13
2.3 Key Challenges

Australia has the potential to be a world leader in DTw, but without holistic planning and
implementation of this cutting-edge technology and broader capability our efforts to date have
been disjointed.
This white paper examines how Australia can leverage an ecosystem of connected DTws to
foster better outcomes from our built and natural environments to tackle global challenges while
increasing trade and investment opportunities.
Three key problem areas need to be addressed that will enable Australia to realise maximum
value from embracing such an approach, as indicated in the diagram below.
Individual DTws are already being developed across the country, creating efficiencies and better
outcomes through improved use of data.
To ensure we capitalise on these new advances, collaboration between states and territories
is required for a more unified approach. This approach will help Australia to build on its global
leadership position with artificial intelligence, quantum computing and cyber security.
1. 2. 3.
The need to drive The need for
The need for better decisions guidance on best
greater national facilitated practice and to
leadership and by better support future
coordination information capability
sharing
Limited capability and Poor data access and low-quality There is limited guidance available
uncoordinated DTw programs information limits the opportunities to support a consistent approach
undermines our international to share data and implementation of DTw’s
competitiveness
• There is a lack of systematic • Australian businesses can
• DTw capability across state information and data sharing benefit from the implementation
governments, cities and across jurisdictions which of DTw technology to create
infrastructure owners and reduces the opportunity to utilise increased opportunities for
operators is limited and ad the large pool of data to inform global growth, improved
hoc hindering opportunities for better decision-making for our services and advanced business
innovation and skills growth built and natural environment strategies. This will not only
bolster economic performance
• No current national leadership • Data of our built and natural domestically but also expand
and governance or strategic environment is typically of poor Australia’s exports worldwide;
plan for DTw and trade and quality and consistency which boosting its economy on a larger
investment opportunities hampers data to be presented in scale
consistent formats to allow for
• A current marketplace that is • The need for a security minded
sharing and integration between
uncertain of how to mobilise to approach to information and
different DTws
varying and inconsistent state data - hackers have become
government DTw programs and • Insights, learning and decision increasingly skilled in finding
requirements which limits jobs making of Australia’s built and ways to access critical
and skills development. natural environment is sub- information – without guidance
optimal which is resulting in Australia is at risk of having key
an inefficient, less sustainable data being in the wrong hands
and costly built and natural
environments. • As Australia falls behind the
international development of
DTw standards, our nation risks
missing out on lucrative trade
and investment opportunities.
14 March 2023
3. The What
3.1 What is a DTw?

The phrase ‘DTw’ can mean radically different things to different people.
First of all, it is important to clear up what a DTw is not.
It is not a piece of technology, an IT system, or a single deployable ‘thing’.
DTw reflects a way of working with existing data and new data in novel ways that allow an
organisation to improve or enhance its core purpose in ways not hitherto possible.
Many describe a DTw as a virtual representation of the real world, including

physical objects, processes, relationships, and behaviours.
If we think about the above DTw definition, and its pursuit to unlock the value of existing and new
data assets in impactful ways, we can start to ‘see’ the major parts as being:
The digital version of an entity (physical or non-physical) - The DTw is a realistic digital
version of an asset, place, landscape, process or other entity. Its processes and systems can
closely represent the behaviours and kinetics of the entity, providing an interface with which
stakeholders such as policy makers, practitioners, the public, and investors can interact with the
key assets and services in a single connected environment.
A platform bringing data to life - The DTw doesn’t replicate or replace existing systems that
organisations have already invested in, but rather provides a cross organisation data integrity
and integration capability, driving up data quality and enabling new organisation-wide insights
into data which have historically been hidden away in isolated places and systems. This high-
quality integrated data environment will provide the basis for the DTw and its powerful analytic,
presentation, and visualisation capability.
Decision support through analysis and simulation - The DTw can host requirements, designs,
delivery and management information, and with the addition of sensors, behaviours, and machine
learning, is able to create a dynamic model that can mimic, simulate, and predict how assets,
landscapes and services will perform in real life.
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March 2023 15
However we need to remember that a DTw is more than just a digital model or representation.
What the digital model or representation can do is as important, so it is useful to break down
what key capabilities make up a DTw that can provide solutions to key problems in planning,
delivering, and operating our built and natural environment assets and services. These DTw
capabilities can be grouped around three key areas, namely:
FIND AND UNDERSTAND PREDICT AND

VISUALISE AND ANALYSE SIMULATE
Visualise and find data Analyse and understand Simulate and make
by integrating and the performance of your accurate predictions
connecting disparate assets and services using powerful
systems to help to make the right statistical, machine
improve information decisions, discover learning (ML), deep
sharing, eliminating data new patterns, and learning (DL), and
silos, and increasing unlock the potential artificial intelligence (AI)
internal and external within data with real- methods:
engagement: time information and an
• Automation (AI / ML
authoritative network:
• Advanced / DL)
Visualisation • Dashboard and • Simulation /
• System integration reporting scenario modelling
management • Performance • Forecasting
• Feature creation and Integration
extraction • Insights and
analytics
16 March 2023
3.2 The Technical Capability

There are as many technical solutions for DTw as there are sectors embracing them, with each
different class often having radically different technologies underpinning them.
There is a degree of mainstream consistency for DTw and a typical DTw framework is
underpinned by an information ecosystem, as illustrated in Figure 3 below.
This ecosystem consists of having good quality data that can ingest and/or reference data sets,
aggregate them, link them and ready them for analysis and visualisation and simulation.
Interface layers
Government interface Community interface Other stakeholders
Digital Twin Capability
Cyber Security
Privacy
Ethics
Visualisation Integration Connection Analytics Simulation
Government
Services
Geoscience Defence Productivity Health Energy Infrastructure Climate Emergency/Disaster
Data Sources
Australian Government Local Government and Open Data State and Territory Government Private sector data
Partnership
Transportation Sensors Businesses Environment
Projects Curated
Services
People Property City Council Public sector data
Figure 3. A generic DTw information ecosystem

March 2023 17
3.3 The Non-Technical Capability

Supplementing the technical capability of DTw is a need to investment in the non-technical
components that can support success. Whilst there are various business and human attributes
that underpin the non-technical capability, there are three critical elements that have been
identified for the purposes of this White Paper, namely leadership, standards and change
management.
Leadership
Effective DTw outcomes, like many transformation agenda’s, need underlying leadership
conditions in place. This includes structures, arrangements and processes to inspire, catalyse
and manage the development, adoption and ongoing evolution of DTw capability.
Standards
Ensuring the necessary guidance is available through technical and non-technical standards is
a proven tool to enable positive change and impact. Having these and other common resources
enables standardisation, and the benefits that flow from this, including common purpose, agreed
processes and providing the building blocks to scale outcomes.
Organisation and Culture

The capability of an organisation and its people can have a profound impact on the ability for a
DTw journey, investment and/or project to be successful, or not. How a business or organisation
approaches change is but one part. Investing in the capability uplift of its people, it’s systems and
the tools it uses is another. Having technical DTw capability in place is critical, but in the end it
can only really be activated through the organisation and the people behind it.
Leadership
Organisation
Standards
and Culture
18 March 2023
4. Now - The current situation
4.1 A Fragmented Situation

DTw efforts in Australia relating to the built and natural environment could be described in many
ways, and it would be fair to say that ‘fragmented’ is one way to describe it.
While there have been major steps forward in many jurisdictions, there is a lack of ‘joined up’
action and investment.
The Australian Government is seeking DTw investment for the infrastructure projects it supports,
state governments are publishing infrastructure plans with similar aspirations, while local
government is approaching DTw in many different ways – both for good and otherwise.
Major DTw programs like DTw Victoria, and the New South Wales spatial DTw have demostrated
great leadership. But with no standards, these efforts have forged ahead with what they believe
is the right approach.
And while this has happened, some local council’s have invested in strategy development and
business case work – again in an environment with little to no standardisation.
But this is common around the world, as standards continue to evolve, and interim measures or
practice notes are in short supply.
Industry events have served to fill a gap, but again are based on the interpretation of private
sector consultants and other advisers and policy makers seeking to have early impact and show
leadership.
This would normally be an issue that gets resolved over time, with leadership coming from the
top down from the Australian Government, and/or the key industry bodies representing the
professions and/or sectors that are critical to the change.
But to date this has been lacking, or where efforts start, they struggle to maintain momentum.
March 2023 19
4.2 Current State Snapshot

Over the last decade, Australia has made considerable progress in adopting technology and data
through, Geospatial, Internet of Things (IoT) and Smart Cities, but whilst this progress has been
impressive – our efforts have been siloed and mainly been driven from a bottom-up perspective.
This is evidenced through the lack of digital policies, programs and funding associated to both
national and state based digital built environment initiatives which include BIM, Geospatial, IoT
and more recently DTw.
The table below provides a qualitative snapshot of Australia’s current state and application of
digital built environment initiatives by government entities.
DTw leadership must be founded on a clear strategy or framework for success, to help the
government or country realise value from their investment. Therefore the evidence of such
strategic frameworks is a key indicator of potential success and the basis for the below current
state assessment. The below assessment was also based on known published and publicly
available documents.
AGENDA AUS WA SA VIC TAS NSW ACT QLD NT
DTw
IoT
Geospatial
BIM
GREEN - Strategy and framework in ORANGE - Partial capability - early RED - Nil or very limited capability - strategy yet to be
place strategy defined
20 March 2023
4.3 Standards
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) defines a standard as: “Standards
provide rules, guidelines or characteristics for activities or for their results, aimed at achieving
the optimum degree of order in a given context. It can take many forms. Apart from product
standards, other examples include test methods, codes of practice, guideline standards
and management systems standards.”
The incorporation of DTw terminology in standards was first references in 2019 when ISO 14033
was released.
In fact, as of 2022, ISO had four standards published which referenced DTws:
• ISO 14033 (Quantitative Environmental Information)
• ISO 15704 (Requirements for enterprise-referencing architectures)
• ISO 18101-1 (Oil and Gas interoperability)
• ISO 30146 (Smart City ICT Indicators)
And, more interestingly, one of these (ISO/TS 18101:2019, 3.9) saw the first definition for a DTw
included within an ISO document:
“digital asset on which services can be performed that provide value to an organization”
Today, multiple DTw standards efforts are underway via two ISO technical committees - ISO/TC
184/SC 4 and ISO/IEC JCT 1/AG 11 and ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC41.
ISO/TC 184/SC 4 are also currently developing four standards on DTws pertaining to
manufacturing.
There are four key ISO/IEC projects that require mention:
1. ISO/IEC AWI 30172 DTw — Use cases
2. ISO/IEC AWI 30173 DTw — Concepts and terminology
3. PWI JTC 1-SC41-5 ED1 DTw - Reference Architecture
4. PWI JTC 1-SC41-7 DTw – Maturity model
However until the release of ISO/IEC 30173, a version of a definition that seems to be commonly
used, and in alignment with ISO/IEC 30173 is “a digital representation of a real entity or process.”
But it is critical that the ‘digital representation’ element of the definition is not the sole focus.
What the digital representation can do – its capabilities – is often lost in the discussion of DTw
definitions. Thus the importance of highlighting capability as a critical enabler for DTw outcomes.
Here in Australia the Australia New Zealand Land Information Council (ANZLIC) have developed
their own definition (as depicted below). However, while this definition is not suitable for ISO as
it was not designed to meet these requirements, the inclusion of “realistic digital representation”
might help enhance the ISO definition:
“A dynamic digital representation of a real world object or system”
[SOURCE: Principles for Spatially Enabled DTws of the Built and Natural Environment in Australia]
March 2023 21
ISO suggests that up to 80% of global trade (USD $4 trillion annually) is affected by standards or
associated technical regulations. For this reason, the creation and use of consistent standards is
considered fundamental for the medium to long-term sustainability of the global digital economy.
As an example, international standards in information and communication technology have
increased interoperability and security across technology platforms, decreased barriers to trade,
ensured quality and enhanced public and user trust in digital and data related products and
services.
In Australia, companies comply with a myriad of regulatory frameworks pertaining to safety and
security (for electrical goods and medical devices, for instance), and are subject to competition
and privacy laws in the jurisdictions in which they operate.
As such, approaches to governing the use of DTws through standards (and other means)
needs to align with the scope of existing laws and regulatory requirements, both locally and
internationally.
22 March 2023
5. New - Change is underway
5.1 It’s Happening

While DTws for the built and natural environment have been around in principle for many years,
only recently has there been the development of strategies and business cases to guide strategic
action and investment. August 2021
Cities such as Hobart, Melbourne, Launceston, and state governments such as New South
Wales, Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia have all recently acted to build their DTw
journey in a strategic way.
Asset owners and operators such as the Victorian Department of Transport, Sydney Water and
Sydney Metro have also done the same.
Reforms to meet
This strategic work provides a strong foundation from which Australia can build from – and
become a global leader in DTws.
The figure below provides a partial snapshot of the Government reform that is calling for
DTw, government guidance that has been tabled and also industry representatives and related
Australia’s future
industry driven guidance documents that have been published.
infrastructure needs
Government
Reform
Reforms to meet
Australia’s future
infrastructure needs
2021 Australian Infrastructure Plan
August 2021
Volume 1
Victoria’s
infrastructure
strategy
2021-2051
STATE INFRASTRUCTURE STRATEGY

JUNE 2022
Foundations
for a Stronger
Tomorrow
State Infrastructure Strategy
July 2022
2021 Australian Infrastructure Plan

Priorities and Reforms
to strengthen our
nation’s future

DIGITAL TWINS
Principles for Spatially Enabled
An ABAB position paper
Government
Digital Twins of the Built and
Natural Environment in Australia January 2021

December 2019 Digital Twin: A realistic digital representation of assets, processes or systems in the
built or natural environment. The complexity of that representation, and degree
of connectedness, varies depending on maturity.

Guidance

www.abab.net.au

Industry
Guidance
DATA
LEADERSHIP DIGITAL TWINS,
GUIDANCE NOTE FOR ALL
The Australia | New Zealand
Digital Twin Digital Twin Blueprint
April 2020
DRAFT FOR CONSULTATION_JULY 2021
Powered by
digitaltwinhub.global
March 2023 23
On policy, State governments are leading on action and investment in building DTw capability,
platforms and use cases. Local government too is mobilising, with much focus around strategy
and business case development.
At a national level, Infrastructure Australia has clearly identified ‘digital by default’ as the desired
infrastructure norm, with clear actions and programmatic intent to enable DTw as a core
opportunity for the sector.
In the private sector, practitioners are slowly retooling, and building on their foundational
capability through legacy investments in GIS, BIM and broader digital engineering and planning
skills and platforms.
On standards, ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 41 has the role of growing standardisation in the area of
Internet of Things and DTw, including their related technologies. And Australia has strong
representation and participation in this international work.
Its focus is to create horizontal and flexible foundational standards such as those referenced
in the previous section, around items such as terminology, maturity models, case studies and
reference architecture.
24 March 2023
5.2 Existing and Aligned Efforts

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is currently a growing influence on how major
infrastructure and property projects are designed and assets managed. However the history
of BIM is one that suffered slow and little uptake (and impact) in its early years, taking over a
decade or more to gather momentum from the ‘demand side’. While for approximately 40 years
the supply side has been innovating and primmed for action[i], the demand for BIM continues to
be slow.
In 2018 the State of Queensland was the first government entity in the country to establish a
whole of government BIM approach, requiring all major government projects to implement BIM
by 2023[ii]. This was then followed by the Victoria[iii] and New South Wales[iv] governments who
respectively published various digital engineering related frameworks.
The Australian BIM Advisory Board is also playing a strategic role in supporting the BIM
community engage with the DTw agenda with its 2021 publication ‘DTws: An ABAB Position
Paper’[v].
The geospatial sector has developed a leadership position with the DTw agenda through
multiple international, national and state-based efforts. The Australia and New Zealand Land
Infromation Council (ANZLIC) published the document ‘Principles for Spatially Enabled DTws of
the Built and Natural Environment in Australia’[vi].
The work around that document and the collaborative nature of the ANZLIC members has led
to continued leadership in the form of spatial DTw programs, including the formation of DTw
Victoria, the build out of the NSW spatial DTw, the Southeast Queensland
DTw workbench and strategy work by Landgate in Western Australia.
Combined with the global leadership of the Open Geospatial Consortium and its series of events,
the geospatial community remains primed to support DTw advancements in Australia and
beyond.
The Internet of Things (IoT) sector through the leadership of the Internet of Things Alliance
Australia (IOTAA) is championing the role of connected things as being a platform for the greater
frequency and fidelity of data to flow for DTw ingestion. The IOTAA has commenced a DTw
program and is looking to articulate through reference materials and industry engagement the
role that IoT can play in supporting DTw.
This effort by the industry’s peak body is supported by foundational IoT policy for example by the
New South Wales (NSW) Government[i], and other organisations like the Australian Computer
Society (ACS) who have published IoT guidance[ii].
Over the past 5-7 years the smart cities agenda has seen a concerted attempt to evolve the
delivery of infrastructure and services using digital technology and data solutions. Multiple levels
of government and the private sector have invested in emerging solutions based on the promise
of delivering enhanced outcomes through greater efficiency, better value and enhanced customer
experience.
March 2023 25
5.3 Any Opportunity Requires Capability

When stakeholders were consulted during the development of this white paper, the following
question was asked (among others):
“What do think are the most important capabilities in achieving successful DTw outcomes?”
Survey participants were asked to rank in order of importance the following three responses:
• Business capability – eg. leadership, collaboration, adaptability
• Human capability – eg. Skills. Mindset, collaboration
• Technical capability – eg. Technology, analytics, modelling
The following responses were given, in terms of the highest priority for capability development:
1. business capability
2. human capability
3. technical capability.
To unlock the opportunity of DTw nationally, and in order for Australia to lead on this agenda,
capability must be at the centre.
What are the most important DTw capability How would you score our current capability
categories? (for government)?
How would you score our current capability Where could DTw standards most help?
(for the private sector)?
26 March 2023
5.4 But What Else?

As much as there is significant effort underway nationally and internationally on DTw
advancement, it remains a challenging environment for any sector and any nation to truly thrive.
Internationally there is standardisation work through ISO and IEC that is bringing much needed
harmonisation to key components of DTw, such as definition, benefits and maturity.
To go further and state that international harmonisation more broadly is occurring, would be
unconvincing.
In Australia the situation is not much better. While great efforts exist in parts of the private sector
(eg. oil, gas and mining) and government (eg. VIC Government, NSW Government), there is
little harmonisation, consistency or coordinated strategy to unlock the value of DTw capability for
the nation.
To help frame a series of recommendations, the following elements have been used:
• Leadership and governance
• Enablers, such as standards, capability and technology
• A national pilot program to test the opportunity and further understand the benefits
These are further discussed in the next section.
March 2023 27
6. Next - Recommendations for market leadership
6.1 Navigating Next

To help move beyond the current level of fragmentation, and to overcome the likely barriers to
being a national and global leader, the following three key problem statements have been framed
through research and stakeholder engagement.
These include:
1. There is no 2. The current 3. There is

current national development of a struggling
leadership and DTw standards (for marketplace that
governance or Australia) relies is uncertain of
strategic plan for predominantly how to mobilise
DTw success on international (early action and
efforts investment)
Recommendations responding to each of these have been developed in the following pages, and
are under three categories:
National Sponsor
Standards
Governance/Working Group Capability National Pilot
Technology Investments
National Strategy
LEADERSHIP &
THE ENABLERS ACTIVATING
GOVERNANCE
28 March 2023
6.2 Leadership And Governance

To be effective nationally, and position itself as a global leader in DTw, Australia must put in place
a number of leadership and governance arrangements.
The foundational leadership and governance recommendations are to:
• Identify an Australian Government Sponsor for DTw
• Establish a governance body and industry working group
• Develop a National DTw Strategy
National DTw Sponsor

In an emerging market where both policy and practice is yet to fully mature, government
leadership is critical to build early catalytic action.
Whether it be the development of a sector strategy or other guidance document, pilot programs
or grant funding for early innovators, such actions are best delivered by government entities.
But above all, government leadership and a framework for DTw implementation facilitates
accountability and continual performance improvement.
But the critical question is, for a cross-cutting and multi-sector opportunity like DTw, who should
lead?
Australia is yet to formally nominate and establish a national DTw ‘sponsor’ whose role is to
stimulate this early market activity and guide opportunity for the nation. However there has been
early signs from the likes of Infrastructure Australia, ANZLIC and Geoscience Australia that DTw
capability is of critical importance to the nation’s ability to generate value from data.
For Australia to realise the aspiration of national and international DTw leadership, it is
essential a sponsor be identified, comprising a relevant Minister or senior bureaucrat and
a department or portfolio that can drive impact.
March 2023 29
Governance Body and Industry Working Group

To support the decisions and actions of the national sponsor, a governance body and industry
working group should be established.
The Australian Government has multiple opportunities to establish a governance body or build off
existing efforts that are already in place.
For example, the Digital and Data Ministers Meeting is a forum to establish proposals for better
cross-government collaboration on data and digital transformation to drive smarter service
delivery and improved policy outcomes.
Hosted by the Department of Industry, Science and Resources, ANZLIC (The Spatial Information
Council) is another governance entity that exists, albeit with little funding.
Infrastructure Australia is another potential government entity that could support a national
sponsor.
A governance entity should be established and an industry working group appointed to
support the national DTw sponsor. An existing governance entity/forum or newly created
one should follow the sponsor’s appointment.
In the United Kingdom, the Centre for Digital Built Britain was created to fulfil the role
of governance body and industry working group combined and was a partnership
between the UK Government and Cambridge University. This partnership led to a
funded program of engagement and knowledge exchange, standards development
and capacity building across multiple sectors, uplifting the UK marketplace and
positioning it as a global leader.
National DTw Strategy

The development of a National DTw Strategy should be stewarded by the Australian government
via the sponsor and Industry Working Group. This document would focus on the goal of
identifying the actions and investments to help catalyse a DTw marketplace for Australia.
The Strategy would be considered a foundation for subsequent work by other levels of
government, industry and academia to build off.
30 March 2023
The Strategy should articulate a suite of goals, priorities and recommendations to help realise the
value of DTw capability across multiple sectors and geographies, and identity opportunities for
building strong demand for DTw capability, and supply side organisations that can support the
delivery of best DTw solutions and support.
One focus for the Strategy should be to help shape DTw standards, technical and strategic
guidance materials and policy and programs to activate the DTw market.
The Strategy would be used as a critical enabler for market transformation and leadership by
helping:
• Policy makers shape their policy making, program design and support
• Practitioners and advisors align their advice and support to clients
• Vendors align their products and services, and their evolving innovations
• Academics identify research opportunities, in particular the necessary longitudinal studies to
help build the business case and value proposition
• Asset owners and operators seek opportunities to improve performance and direct
investments.
March 2023 31
6.3 Standards, Capability and Technology

Following the establishment of the leadership and governance arrangements there are a range of
key enabling activities that need to be advanced, which are focused on:
• Creating a standards-led environment for policy makers and practitioners
• Enhancing the nation’s capability to advance DTw opportunities
• Investing in emerging DTw technology
Standards
A DTw Standards Roadmap should be developed to help identify current and future
standards that are required to deliver on the vision of a national DTw program.
Mapping current ISO/IEC standards would be an important part of this process, understanding
the scope and timing of ISO/IEC 30173 (Concepts and Terminology) which is scheduled to be
published in 2024 and ISO/IEC 30172 (Use Cases) scheduled for publication in 2024 also.
As well as the ISO/IEC standards currently under development, it will be necessary to understand
future ISO/IEC standards that are emerging, such as DTw Maturity (2025) and DTw Reference
Architecture (2025).
The Roadmap would then recommend Australian Standards that would help support a national
DTw program, which may include for example:
At a ‘strategic’ level:
• DTw Business Case - applications, asset lifecycle scope
• DTw Strategy - similar to ISO/AS 37106
At a ‘process’ level:
• Data Architecture and Activation - (based on core capabilities) reference architecture
• Data Management and Assurance - Data Sources and Structure and Quality
• Decision making with DTws
At a technical level:
• DTw Interoperability
• Privacy and Security for DTws
32 March 2023
DTw strategies, roadmaps and business cases are being procured by government across
Australia right now. Private sector consultants and advisors and technology vendors are offering
services and solutions to match this early demand. However, there are no DTw standards
available to the marketplace that really address this issue. This is a concern for government,
industry and the community alike.
With no standards, common approach or benchmark on what good looks like for DTw, realising
the full potential of DTw capability to infrastructure and service delivery could be compromised.
While the development of key international standards for DTw is underway, with the first ones
anticipated to the published within the next 18-24 months, there was a sense of urgency
expressed during the stakeholder engagement process that at least some consistent definitional
language and approach is required now.
It is recommended that a strategic DTw standard is urgently developed and published to
enable a consistent approach to strategy development and business case planning as a
minimum.
This would support the DTw mobilisation efforts across multiple sectors that seems to be
increasing, particularly for local and state and territory governments.
Australia’s leading representative bodies in digital, data and built and natural environments should
be convened by Standards Australia to prepare this strategic document, which offers definition,
scope and process-related guidance to the marketplace. This would include organisations such
as The Internet of Things Alliance Australia, the DTw Partnership, the Australian Sustainable Built
Environment Council, SSSI and others.
This standard (or guidance document) should include as a mimumum guidance to develop a DTw
road map, strategy, and other components, including:
• Clear strategic assessment of the application of a DTw
• Producing a strategic business case
• Providing a delivery strategy
• Producing a full business case
• Developing a detailed implementation and procurement plan.
Incorporating this DTw guidance into a standard or similar document would position Australia as
an international leader in this element of capability development.
Capability
During the stakeholder engagement process associated with the development of this white
paper capability was identified as a critical enabler for building the nations leadership and impact
in DTw. The figure on the next page identifies just some of the responses to questions, in this
instance - “How would you score the current capability of government?”
March 2023 33
Standards Australia should convene academia, government and private sector

representatives to create a pathway to the creation of a Framework for DTw skills and
competency for the National DTw Program.
Such a framework would not only provide academia with an opportunity to create structured
curricular for undergraduate and post graduate courses, but for the existing workforce to
undergo continuing professional development to further its skills and create employment
opportunities.
Having this Framework underpinned by relevant DTw standards will be essential to ensure
the nation’s capability, capacity and innovation aligns with international activity and offers
opportunity for Australia to be competitive and lead the world in DTw capability, technology and
best practice.
Technology Investment
The Australian Government is committed to investing in and advancing research and
development around critical technologies that help boost Australia’s competitive advantage
internationally, enhance our productivity and strengthen jobs across our supply chains.
Some of the technologies the government is seeking to invest in include:
• Advanced data analytics
• Artificial intelligence
• Machine learning
• Advanced communications such as 5G and 6G
• Quantum sensors
• Drones
• Satellites
• Autonomous systems operations
Each of these has a critical role to play in the suite of DTw capabilities. The strategic questions
that all sectors interested in advancing DTw should be answering are:
• What is the leadership position with key technology enablers (lidar, 5g etc) that we can build
off of to help build an international leadership position with DT?
• What investment/programmatic areas in technology innovation could Australia invest in to
accelerate national and international DTw capability?
34 March 2023
6.4 National DTw Pilot Program

It is recommended that the Australian Government support a national DTw pilot program to
interrogate the benefits of DTw and the enabling capabilities across human, business, and
technology spheres.
A dedicated proof of concept project(s) will explore the potential benefits from developing
standards-based DTw models of the built and natural environment and will set out some of the
challenges and security risks involved in doing so.
Deep engagement with state and territory governments, local council’s and land authorities
will be critical. Standards Australia would use the program as a sandbox to not only create
standardisation documents, but also identify opportunities to link siloed standards that already
exist – for example smart cities, interoperability, IoT and geospatial.
Case Study: UK National DTw Programme

About
The National DTw programme (NDTp) was run by the Centre for Digital Built Britain, a partnership
between the University of Cambridge and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
Launched by HM Treasury in July 2018, the NDTp was set up to deliver key recommendations of the
National Infrastructure Commission’s 2017 ‘Data for the Public Good Report’.
Key Actions
Activity focused on aligning industry and government behind a common definition and approach to
information management, so that data can be shared openly and securely between future DTws. This
included:
• Gemini Principles (2018), a paper setting out the proposed principles to guide the national DTw and
the information management framework that will enable it;
• DFTG roadmap (2018), a prioritised plan for five core streams responsible for the delivery of the
information management framework;
• DTw Hub launch (2019), a web-enabled community for early adopters of DTws to learn through
sharing and progress by doing;
• Flourishing Systems (2020), a paper advocating a shift in vision for infrastructure that is people-
focused and system-based.
• Pathway towards an IMF (2020), a technical paper and a summary paper on the proposed
technical core for the information management framework.
• Gemini Programme (2020), this programme enabled the development of resources for the DT Hub
community to expand the reach of the Information Management Framework and the NDTp. The
Gemini programme brought together people and organisations who volunteered their time and
resources to develop materials for use by the DT Hub community.
What’s Next
Centre for Digital Built Britain completed its five-year mission and closed its doors at the end of
September 2022.
March 2023 35
7. Appendices
A- Stakeholder Organisations Consulted

Individuals representing the following organisations participated in the survey associated with this
white paper.
Bennett + Bennett Group KPMG Australia

Bob Co LivePerson Inc
British Standards Institution McConnell Dowell
City of Perth Mott MacDonald
City of Port Phillip nbs
City of Yarra ParKam
CoDigital RMIT University
Department for Infrastructure & Transport SMEC
dRofus Spacesium
formerly Centre for Digital Built Britain Town of Bassendean
FrontierSI Transport for NSW
Greater Cities Commission V/Line Corporation
GHD Wellington city council
GWI Willow Inc
Honeywell Wipro Technologies
Hurley Development Women in BIM
36 March 2023
B - References and Further Information

1. https://www.csiro.au/en/news/news-releases/2018/australias-315bn-opportunity
2. https://www.industry.gov.au/publications/australias-artificial-intelligence-action-plan
3. https://www.letsbuild.com/blog/a-history-of-bim
4. https://www.statedevelopment.qld.gov.au/industry/infrastructure/infrastructure-planning-
and-policy/building-information-modelling
5. http://www.opv.vic.gov.au/Digital-Build/Victorian-Digital-Asset-Strategy
6. https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/digital-engineering/digital-engineering-framework-0
7. https://www.abab.net.au/
8. https://www.anzlic.gov.au/resources/principles-spatially-enabled-digital-twins-built-and-
natural-environment-australia
9. https://www.digital.nsw.gov.au/policy/internet-of-things#:~:text=NSW%20Government’s%20
Internet%20of%20Things%20Policy&text=encourage%20innovation%20with%20Internet%20
of,Internet%20of%20Things%2Denabled%20solutions.
10. https://www.acs.org.au/insightsandpublications/reports-publications/securing-the-internet-
of-things-for-a-smart-city.html
C - Digital Twin Fact Sheet for Australia
The Digital Twin Opportunity for Australia
WHAT IS A DIGITAL TWIN?

A digital twin can bring together data in order
to visualise, analyse and simulate services that
can be performed to provide value to the nation.
Examples of types of data that can

support Digital Twins:
Water
A digital twin pilot would demonstrate

Power Carbon
the benefits for sharing data between
jurisdictions
CO2
Communications
Rail
Machine learning, Security is at its core,

artificial intelligence and not all information
and other technologies should be in the public
Transport Road process data and domain
produce insights
WHY DOES AUSTRALIA NEED

A NATIONAL APPROACH TO
DIGITAL TWIN?
A Digital Twin that unifies separate systems can A national Digital Twin would enable Australia to
develop and implement a common information
answer questions such as: framework, including a reference data library,
protocols for security, access and information
Is it possible to: sharing and channels for assets to speak to one
another such that government and industry can
• Avoid building a new road by simulating make more informed decisions about the future.
the roads performance first digitally to
assess its performance Reduce our carbon footprint
• To optimise the design of an asset before Improve policy making

commiting to buildling this asset
Boost quality of life for Australian

• Reduce energy consumption by up to 10% citizens
by analysing the performance of an asset
and taking necessary action
Increase resilience in the face of cyber
threats
Improve responsiveness in natural

AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEAD disasters
Australia has world leading artificial intelligence,
quantum computing and cyber expertise. This gives Improve Australia’s global
us the opportunity to be at the forefront of Digital Twin competitiveness
technology.

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Digital Twin White Paper

Abbreviations and Acronyms

A Strategic Vision for Australia?

Establish Australia as a global leader in developing and implementing Digital Twins

Opportunity to Opportunity for trade

National Sponsor Standards

1.1 About this White Paper

2.1 The Opportunity Ahead

Case Study: DTw Victoria

2.2 Practical Benefits for Australia

Trade & Investment

Figure 2: Some of the key benefits of investing in DTw capability in Australia.

Wider Australian Opportunities for Australia

Case Study: NSW Spatial DTw

The program will:

2.3 Key Challenges

3.1 What is a DTw?

Many describe a DTw as a virtual representation of the real world, including

FIND AND UNDERSTAND PREDICT AND

3.2 The Technical Capability

Government interface Community interface Other stakeholders

Digital Twin Capability

Geoscience Defence Productivity Health Energy Infrastructure Climate Emergency/Disaster

Transportation Sensors Businesses Environment

Figure 3. A generic DTw information ecosystem

3.3 The Non-Technical Capability

Organisation and Culture

4. Now - The current situation

4.1 A Fragmented Situation

4.2 Current State Snapshot

AGENDA AUS WA SA VIC TAS NSW ACT QLD NT

5. New - Change is underway

5.1 It’s Happening

STATE INFRASTRUCTURE STRATEGY

2021 Australian Infrastructure Plan

DRAFT FOR CONSULTATION_JULY 2021

5.2 Existing and Aligned Efforts

5.3 Any Opportunity Requires Capability

5.4 But What Else?

6. Next - Recommendations for market leadership

6.1 Navigating Next

1. There is no 2. The current 3. There is

Governance/Working Group Capability National Pilot

6.2 Leadership And Governance

National DTw Sponsor

Governance Body and Industry Working Group

National DTw Strategy

6.3 Standards, Capability and Technology

Standards Australia should convene academia, government and private sector

6.4 National DTw Pilot Program

Case Study: UK National DTw Programme

A- Stakeholder Organisations Consulted

Bennett + Bennett Group KPMG Australia

B - References and Further Information

WHAT IS A DIGITAL TWIN?

Examples of types of data that can

A digital twin pilot would demonstrate

Machine learning, Security is at its core,

WHY DOES AUSTRALIA NEED

• To optimise the design of an asset before Improve policy making

Boost quality of life for Australian

Improve responsiveness in natural