Virtual Twin Experiences for Infrastructure & Cities
Discover how virtual twins empower architects, city planners, builders and even citizens to develop clean energy, sustainable infrastructure or industrialized construction for resilient, sustainable and people-centric environments.
What is a Virtual Twin in Infrastructure & Cities?
A virtual twin is a dynamic digital replica that mirrors real infrastructure, from neighborhoods to entire cities, integrating real-world data and simulations to guide better decisions across planning, construction and operations.
It’s more than a 3D model: it’s a living system to test ideas, optimize resources and align stakeholders before anything is built.
Cities are the ultimate test of sustainability. With virtual twins, we can model the impact of every decision—from green buildings to circular economies—and empower citizens to co-create their future.
From transforming mobility systems to strengthening energy resilience, virtual twins are reshaping how cities respond to today’s most complex challenges.
Why Infrastructure & Cities Must Change
Cities face mounting pressure from aging infrastructure, climate risks and rapid urbanization.
Many existing systems: transport grids, utilities, housing, were not designed for today's needs or tomorrow's expectations.
- Cities weren’t built for light mobility or clean energy.
- Grids weren’t made for decentralized, renewable production.
- Construction lags in productivity and faces massive skills shortages.
To meet the future, we can’t just build more. We must build differently, with sustainability, resilience and people in mind.
How Virtual Twin Technology Transforms the Infrastructure & Cities Landscape
From homes and buildings to districts, cities and entire territories, virtual twins enable us to envision, and bring to life, better places to live, work and thrive. At any scale, from construction products to buildings, networks and cities. At any phase, from design to construction to operations.
- Construction is evolving into an industrialized process. Virtual twins support the design of modular, prefabricated structures that reduce waste, encourage reuse and scale sustainable approaches.
- The most complex infrastructure projects bring together thousands of workers on a tight schedule. Virtual twins secure the delivery on schedule within budget of the most critical projects.
- Planning the future of a city is a headache with countless challenges: resilience to climate change, transition to clean and lighter mobility, evolving demography and work patterns. Virtual twins help citizens, planners and leaders to collaboratively shape smarter, more resilient urban environments.
Reinventing Cities to Meet Future Challenges
Facing demographic shifts, climate pressures and rising citizen expectations, cities must transform into resilient, sustainable and digitally enabled ecosystems. Success hinges on two priorities: cutting carbon emissions and optimizing resource use.
Dassault Systèmes’ virtual twin solutions empower cities to design, simulate and manage their future. These digital replicas enable scenario testing and data-driven solutions to meet tomorrow’s urban challenges.
The Infrastructors: Building Cities of the Future with Virtual Twin Technologies
Cities face unprecedented challenges, from climate resilience to rapid urbanization.
With The Infrastructors by Dassault Systèmes, urban planners and infrastructure leaders can gain insights and inspiration for leveraging virtual twin technology to design, simulate and optimize the sustainable cities of the future.
Urban Renaissance
Witness an Urban Renaissance powered by virtual twins!
Dassault Systèmes believes The Only Progress is Human and we’ve explored how transforming cities with smarter infrastructure, sustainable design and enhanced livability is reshaping urban futures.
Revolutionizing Infrastructure & Cities with Virtual Twin Technology
Explore how virtual twins are transforming infrastructure and cities with precision, innovation and improved product outcomes.
How is Virtual Twin Technology Answering Infrastructure & Cities Industry Needs?
Discover how virtual twins turn complexity into actionable urban solutions.
Urban Planning & Infrastructure
Turn complex city systems into clear, actionable insights by harnessing the full potential of infrastructure. Virtual twins can evaluate utilities, assess disaster risks and streamline operations.
Construction & Materials
Transform construction practices by embracing modular, eco-friendly designs. Virtual twins help cut waste, promote material reuse and deliver climate-adaptive buildings at the neighborhood level.
Sustainable Energy
Anticipate energy demands and climate challenges. Virtual twins can model renewable energy networks, mitigate urban heat effects and help develop robust, low-carbon power systems for cities.
Urban Mobility
Enhance urban transport by balancing efficiency, safety and sustainability. Virtual twins can reshape mobility solutions by simulating innovative approaches like autonomous cars, air taxis and intelligent roadways too.
Harmonizing Progress with Sustainable Infrastructure
The green transition demands reimagined infrastructure reinvention, innovative clean energy and circular materials.
See how our solutions turn these bold ambitions into actionable blueprints.
Real-World Applications of Virtual Twins in Infrastructure & Cities
Virtual twins add value across every phase of urban development, transforming everything from infrastructure planning to city operations. Serving the needs of municipalities, planners and builders, virtual twins allow entire urban systems to be designed and optimized in the digital realm.
Once projects go live, real-time data feeds back into the virtual twin, enabling continuous improvements in sustainability, resilience and efficiency. Virtual twins empower cities to enhance operations, reduce environmental impact and meet evolving regulations, meeting citizen needs with agility.
Explore stories that demonstrate how virtual twins are being applied in real-world urban projects by Dassault Systèmes customers, driving smarter, more sustainable cities.
Bouygues Construction
Bouygues Construction is reshaping the future of sustainable building with virtual twin technology, putting people at the heart of every project.
By digitally simulating urban designs before construction, they’re create safer work environments for teams, more livable spaces for communities and eco-efficient solutions for future generations.
See how this human-centered approach is transforming infrastructure from the ground up.
Virtual Twins’ Impact Across the Infrastructure & Cities Value Chain
Cities worldwide are achieving 30% faster planning cycles and 20% lower emissions using virtual twin technology, transforming infrastructure into dynamic, sustainable ecosystems. See how:
Curious About Virtual Twins? Find Answers in Our FAQ.
A virtual twin is a dynamic, digital replica of a city or infrastructure that integrates real-time data - that comes from IoT sensors, for example - and combines that with existing knowledge and know-how to support running unlimited simulations for decision making. It enables planners to visualize, test and optimize urban environments, from transportation networks to energy grids, before implementation, improving efficiency & sustainability and citizen experience.
Virtual twins revolutionize urban planning by simulating different urban planning scenarios such as traffic flow, disaster resilience or energy use. Cities like Singapore and Barcelona use them to reduce costs, enhance livability and accelerate data-driven decision-making, turning theoretical models into actionable insights and tools for decision making.
Virtual twins enable smarter sustainability in cities by:
- Optimizing energy use and renewable integration
- Streamlining waste management and recycling systems
- Enhancing climate resilience through predictive modeling
- Improving low-carbon transportation planning
By simulating scenarios before implementation, virtual twins help cities reduce environmental impact while maximizing resource efficiency - accelerating the transition to sustainable urban futures.
A virtual twin city is an advanced, dynamic digital model that evolves in real-time, while a traditional urban simulation is a static, scenario-based projection. Here’s how they compare:
| Virtual Twin | Traditional Simulation |
| Real-time data updates | Static historical data |
| AI-driven adaptability | Manual recalibration required |
| Interactive scenario testing | Limited, pre-set conditions |
- Virtual twins enable proactive decision-making (e.g., rerouting traffic during accidents).
- Traditional simulations are cheaper but lack precision for long-term planning.
As an example, Singapore’s Virtual Singapore adjusts transport plans using live commuter data, while traditional models might miss rush-hour anomalies.
Virtual twins optimize transit by:
- Dynamic adjustments: Adapting bus or train schedules using live ridership data
- EV infrastructure: Planning charging stations based on traffic patterns
- Accessibility: Simulating routes for wheelchair users, bicycles or other non-motorized vehicles
As an example, Helsinki reduced bus delays by 15% using this technology.
IoT and big data are the foundational technologies that power digital twins of cities by:
- IoT Sensors: Providing real-time data on traffic, air quality, energy use and infrastructure performance
- Big Data Analytics: Processing massive datasets to:
- Predict urban trends (e.g., traffic patterns)
- Optimize city services (e.g., waste collection routes)
- Enable AI-driven decision making
Together, IoT and big data create living digital models that continuously learn and improve city operations.
Virtual twins transform construction by enabling:
- Digital prototyping: Testing building designs and identify issues before physical work begins
- Modular optimization: Planning prefabricated components for faster, waste-free assembly
- Real-time monitoring: Tracking progress and safety compliance via IoT-connected job sites
- Resource efficiency:- Simulating material needs to reduce excess ordering by 20-30%
Virtual twin technology helps complete projects faster, safe and with lower environmental impact, as demonstrated by leaders like Bouygues Construction.
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