Creating energy-efficient and environment-friendly urban districts is crucial for a sustainable future. Germany, for instance, aims to reduce the demand for primary energy in buildings by 80 percent by 2050. To achieve this goal, the construction industry is embracing digitalisation, leveraging tools like Building Information Modeling (BIM) and digital twins. Siemens AG, in a ground-breaking project, exemplifies the advantages of accurate and seamless data models in both the project and operational phases. Through the development of Siemensstadt2, a new urban district in Berlin, Siemens is showcasing the potential of digitalisation to drive sustainable construction practices.
Siemensstadt Square in Berlin sets the highest standards for sustainable construction, aiming for carbon-neutral building infrastructure and the development of a sustainable mobility concept. The focus on sustainability is comprehensive, covering the entire construction process, which spans a decade, as well as the subsequent operation of all buildings.
The first step towards realising Siemensstadt Square’s vision was utilisation of BIM tools to create a project information model based on existing as-built data, the master plan, and relevant regulations. This accurate data model serves as the foundation for all project activities, including stakeholder communication, infrastructure analysis, energy supply simulations, and public information dissemination. As each building and energy supply system becomes operational, the project information model seamlessly transitions into an operating model, eventually encompassing all properties within Siemensstadt Square.
While the accuracy demanded by BIM delivers significant benefits in terms of integrated project phases and optimised usage, it has presented challenges in day-to-day construction site operations. The current processes in the construction industry, particularly compensation plans, no longer align with the advancing digitalisation of the sector. Planners and construction companies create separate planning and construction data in their individual BIM models, resulting in siloed optimisation and a lack of knowledge transfer between project phases. However, digitalisation in the construction industry aims to address these challenges.
Digitalising the construction industry offers numerous compelling reasons. Meeting the demands of investors and owners in the context of corporate social responsibility is nearly impossible without digitalisation. By streamlining processes and operations, digitalisation unlocks the potential for sustainable construction practices, ensuring projects align with environment goals and societal expectations. Siemens AG’s Siemensstadt Square project exemplifies transformative power of digitalisation in enabling sustainable urban districts.
