The project partnership aims to address the shortage of affordable housing in Iowa by utilising 3D construction printing and other innovative approaches to lower construction risks, reduce material usage and waste, and ultimately deliver cost-effective, resilient, and sustainable housing options
Iowa is currently facing significant challenges related to housing affordability. For every 100 low-income renter households, there are only 85 available housing units that meet their affordability needs. The median household income in the state stands at $37,573 per year, while the median rent is $689 per month. At this time, Iowa is short by more than 13,147 low-income housing units.
During the planning, construction, and operation phases of a building, vast amounts of data are generated by various stakeholders through different isolated systems. This situation often leads to major inefficiencies and can result in error-prone decisions. The integration of a digital twin—a digital replica of a physical asset—allows designers, engineers, and builders to examine every aspect of a building more effectively.
Closing the gap between design, construction, and operations
Before construction commences, teams can evaluate various design changes through analysis, simulations, and optimisations. Once a structure is completed, the virtual model is continuously updated with real-time information from the physical building, reflecting its current state.
Iowa State University is utilising Nemetschek’s innovative dTwin solution to create a dynamic and interactive building environment. Each planned structure will feature a digital twin, accompanied by dashboard visualisations for monitoring and data analysis. The project will advance with the construction of a 3D-printed shed outfitted with live sensors that will provide real-time data on air quality and energy consumption.
“Nemetschek’s dTwin solution has changed how we approach every new home in this project. We’re able to visualise every aspect of a planned structure in one seamless view. We can monitor air quality and energy consumption and compare this with buildings constructed traditionally, giving us incredibly valuable insights.
“We hope to use the dTwin platform extensively across every stage — design, construction, and property management — as we work to solve rural housing issues in an affordable and sustainable way,” says Pete Evans, assistant professor of industrial design at Iowa State.
“Put simply, the usage of dTwin allows for more efficient construction and operation. By fusing all data sources of a building in one overarching view, decision makers can efficiently track, filter, and query all relevant information and derive purpose-tailored insights. Opportunities and challenges are seen in the digital twin of a build before they can manifest in the real world,” said Dr Jimmy Abualdenien, head of digital twin product at Nemetschek Group. “The team at Iowa State has a true vision to help ease the housing crisis, and we are proud to be a part of such an important project.”
[1] https://www.builderspatch.com/housingcount/us-states/iowa
