Putting Cities In The Digital World
Like any major city, Boston’s landscape is constantly changing. Buildings come and go, along with parks and other types of green spaces. City leaders are capturing these changes with the help of 3D laser scanning services. The first 3D digital twin of the city was created in 2015 and released to the public in 2018.
In a sense, the 3D digital twin serves as an archive of what the city has looked like over the years. It also allows city planners to see how proposed changes will look and function.
3D Laser Scanning Services create Digital twins
Boston’s leaders have been trying to capture a digital twin of the city since 2005. Finally securing 3D scanning services in 2015, the captured data includes geospatial information on transportation, water, sewage, and more.
The city uses the digital twin to see how development proposals will affect neighborhoods and improve green spaces. Chattanooga is also taking advantage of the information contained in a digital twin city.
Digital twins are being used to anticipate and prevent traffic congestion. Researchers can develop algorithms for traffic lights to keep vehicles moving during peak hours by measuring traffic patterns. Chattanooga is also looking at improving its freight corridor using 3D imaging.
Reduce Energy Consumption
A 3D laser scan can create digital twins that help cities and property owners reduce their energy usage. An estimated 75% of greenhouse gases are produced in cities. Boston, New York, Washington D.C., and others are pledging to reach net-zero carbon emissions using data supplied from the city’s digital twin.
The digital twin allows cities to run and optimize solutions based on the building’s specifications. Created by Cityzenith, the technology is being donated to cities worldwide.
Roadblocks to 3D laser Scanning services
A digital twin takes time to build and needs updating as the landscape changes. Boston updates its 3D twin every six months.
It also requires a lot of storage, whether you use a drone or 3D scanning services. As more cities are using digital twins, another roadblock is popping up. Crowdsourcing is a way to get the data necessary to create accurate 3D images, but privacy violations are a concern.
Digital twins are being used more often in cities. To avoid roadblocks like privacy issues, it is vital researchers only include the data necessary for the project. Another advantage, it cuts down on storage space.