A revolving door might seem an unlikely starting point for a discussion about digital twins. But at Stockholm Central Station, connecting its usage and maintenance records with environmental data helps facilities teams make better decisions.
This was one example SWG Account Director Penny Brinsley shared at Facilities & Estates Management Live this October, showing how digital twins can turn building information into everyday operational value.
The show returned to London’s Business Design Centre for its second edition, with a larger exhibition floor and a third seminar theatre. Following more than 3,000 visitors at its inaugural event in 2025, it is becoming an established meeting point for the UK facilities and estates community.
Moving beyond the model
A BIM model represents a building and its assets. Connecting it with operational information from CAFM, building management systems and sensors creates the twin and helps teams understand how that building is performing.
Speaking in the Innovations Theatre, Brinsley kicked off by addressing a common question: what is the difference between BIM and a digital twin?
“You want to know how the building is really being used day to day, and how the assets are performing in real time,” Brinsley explained.
A demonstration of SWG’s work with Jernhusen at Stockholm Central Station showed this in practice. Technicians can navigate the station digitally, locate equipment and measure spaces within the point cloud captured through laser scanning. Sharing those measurements with contractors helps reduce repeat visits and miscommunication.
Selecting an asset reveals its operational information. For the station’s seawater cooling pumps, performance trends help teams assess equipment that is critical during summer. Room sensors provide occupancy and air quality insights, with CO₂ readings above defined thresholds triggering alerts into the CAFM system.
Spotting problems before failure
Brinsley explored how combining live readings with maintenance history can reveal deterioration before it causes disruption. A chiller gradually losing efficiency, for example, may need investigation before it triggers an alarm.
“That shift – from reacting to failures, to anticipating them – is where the real maintenance savings come from,” she said.
Connected information also supports longer-term investment decisions, revealing recurring failures, maintenance costs and differences in performance across locations. Making manuals, drawings and asset histories accessible together reduces reliance on individual employees holding essential site knowledge.
Testing decisions before making changes
Digital twins also help facilities teams explore what could happen next. How would ventilation cope with increased occupancy? Could a different layout improve movement through a busy venue?
Scenario modelling helps assess these decisions before committing to physical changes. Occupancy analysis can identify underused or overcrowded areas, informing refurbishment and consolidation while supporting occupant comfort.
The same principle applies to sustainability. Connecting energy readings with equipment performance, occupancy and operating schedules helps explain unexpected consumption. Teams can identify unnecessary heating or cooling and investigate deteriorating assets. Remote diagnostics can also reduce travel across dispersed estates.
Starting with a clear purpose
Brinsley closed by challenging the assumption that creating a digital twin requires an extensive, multi-year project.
She outlined a staged approach: create a BIM model from floor plans or laser scanning, connect FM and asset information, then add relevant sensor or building management system data.
Her advice was to “think big but start small”. Choose a specific challenge, establish what success looks like and deliver that outcome before expanding.
For facilities teams, the starting point is a decision they need to make or a problem they need to solve. Connecting the right information gives them a stronger basis for action and a foundation for wider digitalisation.
Contact us here to explore how BIM and digital twins could support your facilities and estates goals.