The Tour d’ Horizon of Data Law Implications of Digital Twins
1.3.2 SUSTAINABILITY PROJECTS
Water Managem ent
DTs of water bodies, like rivers, can simulate changes in water temperature, levels, and flow rates, aiding in water management and flood risk prediction. For example, the Lushan Water Supply Company in China created a DT of its water systems, using it to simulate optimizations before implementation, which helped minimize costs and operational disruptions [ 11 ].
Lights Out
A World Economic Forum white paper highlights how DT technologies have improved both productivity and environmental impact. For example, Western Digital in Malaysia used over 1,000 IoT sensors on 500 pieces of equipment and 15 utility systems to optimize energy and water use, cutting greenhouse gas emissions and waste. By implementing a‘ lights out’ process with automated systems and robotic transport, operations could be remotely controlled and shut off when not needed, significantly reducing machine idle time and saving energy [ 12 ].
1.4 COMMUNIITY DT
Community DTs are virtual models of subdivisions, boroughs, or even entire urban areas, created with drones and updated in real-time. They capture every detail, from buildings to alleyways, facilitating efficient urban planning. Two prominent use cases are given below.
1.4.1 SMART CITIES
Orlando DT
The Orlando Economic Partnership created a DT mapping 800 sq. miles of the Orlando region, with 40 square miles mapped with high detail. The DT layers’ multiple datasets covering infrastructure, and traffic patterns, and includes mapping the flow of new talent in the workforce. 13 This provides insight into the economic development of the Orlando region and enables informed decision making.
Virtual Singapore
Singapore is the first country to have a DT, created by scanning the terrain with aircraft and automobiles using cameras and lasers. 14 Data for the DT was taken from public agencies, legacy sources, and real-time inputs. 15 The DT helps monitor the city
13
Orlando Regional Digital Twin, Orlando Economic Partnership. https:// business. orlando. org / l / orlando-regional-digital-twin /
14
Walker, A. Singapore’ s digital twin – from science fiction to hi-tech reality, Infrastructure Global. https:// infra. global / singapores-digital-twin-from-science-fiction-to-hi-tech-reality /
15
Customer Stories- Virtual Singapore, Dassault Systèmes. https:// www. 3ds. com / insights / customer-stories / virtual-singapore
76 May 2025