Welcome to the second volume of CANVAS, a publication by TEMPO Instituite bringing to life some of the news and views of our industry, the organisations leading the way and the people behind the transformation.
Every volume we will feature industry leaders who will contribute a thought piece. They will be handpicked and given a brief to respond to.
It's all part of TEMPO's mission to support a digital built Australia.
We welcome feedback and contributors.
Contact us at: info@tempoinstitute.co
0.2 AROUND THE NATION
State by State and Territory by Territory, we will track their progress every quarter. We will share what we know, and what is public. Here's the latest from where we see it:
NORTHERN TERRITORY
There has been no new public information since last reporting on progress in the Northern Territory from last year, which were the following two initiaitves:
A 'virtual twin' of the Northern Territory (NT Government, Secora, Dassault, AMC)
A Digital Twin of the city of Darwin (CSIRO)
QUEENSLAND
Since kicking off, the South East Queensland (SEQ) Digital Twin project has completed a number of milsestones, including:
Phase 1 business case complete
Phase 2 use case development complete
The Implementation Plan and Proof of Concept phase is currently being finalised.
Also to note is the advancement of the SEQ Region Digital Plan, an initiative being led by the Council of Mayors SEQ in partnership with the Queensland Government and the Australian Government as part of the SEQ City Deal This SEQ Region Digital Plan is being built on the back of strong industry engagement and is seeking to build out a series of recommendations, including a common data environment for SEQ.
NEW SOUTH WALES
The Land iQ platform continues to build its user base across Departments and its local government partners Land iQ took out the award for Technology & Digital Innovation at the PIA NSW Awards for Planning Excellence, and at the national awards for planning excellence in May.
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
There seems to be no public information from the South Australian Government on aspirations for building Digital Twin capability.
AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY
The ACT Government is currently developing a business case to evaluate the costs and benefits of implementing Digital Twin across the ACT
AROUND THE NATION [CONT’D]
VICTORIA
Digital Twin Victoria has expanded its collaborative network with the addition of three new partners: Datacom, Telstra Purple and a ten-member consortium led by Veris
These new partnerships build upon the strong foundations set by Australia's national science agency CSIRO's Data61, a WSP-led consortium and Nova Systems Australia and New Zealand
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Spatial WA is a whole of government program which will revolutionise the way we plan, design, test, collaborate and innovate using a highly accurate virtual environment. Access to timely, authoritative data is essential for Government operations, whether responding to natural disasters, managing our resources, developing property and planning, building and maintaining infrastructure – spatial data is fundamental to these activities.
Spatial WA, led by Landgate and developed in consultation with more than 30 Government agencies, will deliver a digital, spatially accurate representation of the built and natural environment – known as an Advanced Spatial Digital Twin.
Spatial WA is currently evaluating market responses for its technical delivery partner after appointing its strategic delivery partner earlier in the year
On May 14 2024 TEMPO hosted the inaugural DIGITAL TWIN LIVE leadership summit.
Here’s what happened...
THE DIGITAL TWIN LIVE RECAP
There were four dialogues curated and hosted on the morning of the DIGITAL TWIN LIVE event, which sought to highlight the status of Digital Twin policy and practice across the nation in the built environment
More than 100 participants heard from 12 leaders from local and state government across Australia and New Zealand, as well as representatives from the utilities, transportation and telecommunications sectors.
AGENDA
9:00-9:45am 9:45-10:45am 10:45-11:45am
BuildingBig,DigitalDreams
with Frankie Carroll
DigitalBuiltAustralia
11:45am-12:30pm
UrbanDigitalTwins
with Alena Lindsay, Melissa Hensley, James Strutt and Narelle Underwood with Michael Healy, Stacey Young, Pearl Ng and Laura Pfiester
UnderConstruction
with Jacinta Burns, Todd Lankford and Mel Valente
12.30pm
Each of these sessions were recorded and are available as an audio recording on the Digital Built Australia podcast available on Spotify, iTunes, Google Podcasts and online at the Digital Built Australia website.
SESSION 1: BUILDING BIG; DIGITAL DREAMS
| Frankie Carroll CEO Suburban Rail Loop Authority
It’s a $34.5B project operational by 2035...
...It doesn't matter whether it's a terabyte or 10,000 terabytes of data, it's about what does that data tell us...
...So we're in the midst of creating a common data environment to try and bring the data together.
SESSION 2: DIGITAL BUILT AUSTRALIA
| James Strutt Director - Strategy, Strategic Advisory
Property
& Development NSW
Dept. Planning & Development, NSW
...the data and the outcomes are actually driving the policy conversation, which is pretty rare.
...it's more about the interoperability, it's not the one thing to rule them all, there are a lot of different levels of detail required for different use cases.
| Melissa Hensley Director - Digital Twin
| Narelle Underwood
Surveyor General
Executive Director Spatial Services
Dept. of Customer Service, NSW
Dept State Development & Infrastructure, QLD
...we need to make sure that there's some level of consistency across Australia, for Digital Twins, in terms of usability as an example.
| Alena Lindsay Principal Technology & Strategy
Digital Twin
Victoria
Dept Transport and Planning, VIC
...we can have those leading councils sort of test things and innovate and show us what they can do. And then we can share that with others to say this is what's possible.
SESSION 3: URBAN DIGITAL TWINS
...sharing investments from Digital Twin Victoria across the state, and realising those benefits more universally for councils who don't necessarily have the ability or resourcing to invest.
| Laura Pfiester (Acting) Head of Smart City Incubator | City Data City of Melbourne, VIC Australia
| Stacey Young Chief Information Officer
Marlborough District Council, New Zealand
...we've looked at the business case for a Digital Twin... So it was really around providing a better service for our customers and removing the legacy system.
| Pearl Li Ng Head of Smart City, Innovation & Improvement City of Casey, VIC Australia
...I totally agree that having a shared funding model between the state government and local government would definitely be very beneficial.
..if you lock yourself in with one provider, there's a worry that your needs won't be reflected in the development of the platform...
| Michael Healy Smart Cities Programme Manager Christchurch City Council, New Zealand
SESSION 4: UNDER CONSTRUCTION
...it started organically from an operational standpoint, thinking about ways we can better operate, better manage and better maintain our 4,000+ structures around Australia.
| Todd Lankford Head of Enterprise Technology Indara
...once we had construction progress visualisation capability, the use cases exploded because then all of a sudden, people are in a meeting going, oh, I didn't think about this, or think about that...
| Mel Valente Director Digital Delivery Uplift & Portfolio PMO, Sydney Metro
| Jacinta Burns
...we're seeing huge value in being able to better design our assets, get things right the first time for improved efficiencies for our customers and ourselves.
Digital Innovation Lead CitiPower and Powercor
THE DBA AWARDS 0.4
WHEN & WHERE
Date: Wednesday 23 April, 2025
Time: 4:00 - 5:00PM AEDT
Location: Online via Zoom
WHY
PURPOSE
To recognise and reward leadership, celebrate best practice and catalyse action towards a digital built future in Australia
COMMUNITY
An evening of celebration, associated with DIGITAL BUILT WEEK - a highlight of the digital built industry in the region
CATEGORIES
Award categories that will showcase the best from government and industry in a way that reflects the depth of impact of digital transformation and data maturity
CATEGORIES
POLICY
A policy or a policy environment supporting the advancement of digitally enabled and data inspired planning, design, construction, asset operation or service delivery practices
PROGRAM
A program of sustained transformation of digitally enabled and data inspired planning, design, construction, asset operation or service delivery practices
PROJECT
A project focused on the transformation of digitally enabled and data inspired planning, design, construction, asset operation or service delivery practices
PEOPLE
Three awards, one each for a ‘Government’, ‘Private Sector’ and ‘Future Leader’ representative
"Australia’s cities must embrace technological innovation, harnessing data and smart solutions to enhance efficiency, improve services and empower residents, while developing interconnected urban centres that leverage technology for the benefit of communities, businesses and the environment.
National Urban Policy (Consultation Draft), Australian Government, May 2024
BY ADAM BECK
STANDARDISED DIGITAL TWINS
We can now end the ‘there is no clear definition for what a Digital Twin is’ narrative... "
ISO/IEC 30173:2023: Digital twin — Concepts and terminology
Published November 2023
The purpose of this standard is to establish a standardised terminology and conceptual framework for Digital Twins This includes defining terms, concepts, and system contexts related to Digital Twins, ensuring a common understanding and promoting consistency across different industries and applications
The document aims to facilitate the development of Digital Twin capability by providing a clear and comprehensive set of definitions and guidelines that can be applied universally, supporting communication and collaboration among stakeholders and fostering innovation and interoperability in digital twin implementations.
So what’s inside 30173? Let’s take a look >>
THE 30173 OVERVIEW
Foreword
Introduces the purpose and scope of the document. Highlights the importance of standardising Digital Twin concepts and terminology
Introduction
Provides an overview of Digital Twins and their relevance. Sets the context for the subsequent sections of the document.
Scope
Specifies the aspects of Digital Twins addressed in the document
Normative References
Provides essential background literature for understanding the context
Terms and Definitions
Establishes a common vocabulary for Digital Twins.
Categorises terms into general, data-related, model-related, performance-related, and application-related
Symbols and Abbreviated Terms
Lists the symbols and abbreviations used in the document.
Concepts
Explores the fundamental concepts of Digital Twins, and their advantages and benefits
Explains related concepts such as the semiotic triangle, system control elements, simulation, cyber-physical systems, and the Internet of Things
Digital Twin Applications
Describes various applications of Digital Twins and the benefits, covering manufacturing, buildings and civil infrastructure, healthcare, and cities
Digital Twin System Context
Defines the context and environment in which Digital Twins operate.
Discusses the components of a Digital Twin system, including services, application domains, infrastructure, and system aspects
Life Cycle Process for Digital Twin
Outlines the phases of the Digital Twin life cycle, providing a framework for the development and management of Digital Twins
Emphasises the importance of continuous improvement and adaptation 17.
THE 30173 OVERVIEW [CONT’D]
Types of Digital Twin
Categorises Digital Twins into component, asset, system, and process types, and provides definitions and examples for each type
Explains the specific use cases and applications for each category
Digital Twin Stakeholders
Identifies the various stakeholders involved in Digital Twin systems, such as developers, resource providers, integrators, users, and operators
Highlights the importance of collaboration and coordination among stakeholders
Ecosystem Partners
Defines the key partners and their role and responsibility in the Digital Twin ecosystem, including infrastructure providers, service providers, standards development organisations, and government and community
Emphasises the importance of a collaborative and supportive ecosystem
Functional View of Digital Twin
Provides a functional perspective on Digital Twin systems
Explains the relationships between different components and functions within a Digital Twin system
Annex A: Definition of Digital Twin in Different Standards
Compares definitions of Digital Twins across various standards, highlighting the similarities and differences in definitions
Provides a comprehensive view of how Digital Twins are understood in different contexts
Annex B: Semiotics
Introduces the concept of semiotics and its relevance to Digital Twins.
Explains the relationship between Digital Twin system context and the semiotic triangle, providing examples and use cases to illustrate applications
TEMPO PULSE
LET’S SHARE AND DISCUSS...
TEMPO Pulse is a monthly 'speed' meeting of Digital Built enthusiasts seeking to network and learn from their peers.
This 30min monthly meeting is hosted on the third Wednesday of the month at 10:00am AEST.
The meetings are fast and informative, open to anyone via Zoom.
The agenda focuses on two short 8min presentations from industry peers about a project, product or platform.
Registration is essential.
THE 3RD WEDNESDAY OF EVERY MONTH, 10:00AM AEST, 30MIN
0.6 NEW HORIZONS
With John Holden
Associate North America | TEMPO Institute
John D Holden is an American professional with a global perspective, having worked in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada. John started his career in international law and relations, focusing on building mutually beneficial economic relationships between the United States and Chinese institutions After relocating to the United Kingdom, John combined his experience in international relations with his love of innovative technology by joining the Digital Twin Hub project at Connected Places Catapult
The Digital Twin Hub is a knowledge-sharing community of digital twin enthusiasts from around the globe aiming to advance connected digital twins. As a vital member of the DT Hub team, John helped grow the community to over 5,000 members across 90 countries He focused on bringing awareness of digital twins through presentations on digital twin strategies and their benefits at international conferences Additionally, he collaborated with colleagues on digital twin projects in various sectors, including maritime, highways, energy, and rail. John has now returned to North America and joined the DT Hub Community Council to continue advancing digital twins globally.
Hear more from John:
“I originate from a political and legal background, so when I first heard of digital twins, I wasn’t sure of their benefits and relevance outside engineering However, once I learned from valuable members of the Digital Twin community, it was a eureka moment. I came to understand that digital twins have endless benefits and uses.
For Digital Twins to impact businesses, individuals, and society, we must know what they are, how to incorporate them into longterm strategies, and understand the technology and data enablers that underpin them. This is why I am excited to progress the work of TEMPO Institute as their North American Associate.
Through TEMPO and their Digital Twin Microcredential, I want to help North America’s physical and digital infrastructure by raising awareness of digital twins and helping to up-skill individuals on how this innovative technology can be used in their work My goal is to help everyone have their eureka moment with digital twins and understand their impact on our society.”
John will be spearheading the expansion of the TEMPO Institute into North America. If you, your colleagues, or any of your contacts within North America are interested in learning more about TEMPO, our North American strategy, don’t hesitate to contact him via the TEMPO website
0.7 CANADA SPOTLIGHT
After spending a week in Toronto last month with digital planning stakeholders from public and private sectors as well as industry bodies, the TEMPO team wanted to share what they found on their travels.
STANDARDS COUNCIL OF CANADA
The Standards Council of Canada has commenced a Digital Twin Initiative, but little has been published in terms of progress Here’s what we know
DIGITAL TWIN SOFTWARE COMPANIES & START UPS
There are a cohort of software companies that are plugging into the Digital Twin ecosystem in Canada: Here are some companies making moves
NATIONAL RESEARCH CENTRE OF CANADA
The National Research Centre of Canada has released an emerging technology snapshot on Digital Twins: Check it out here
DIGITAL TWIN ONTARIO
Digital Twin Ontario is a new not-for-profit cooperative membership organisation dedicated to elevating the level of dialogue, raising standards and promoting growth and innovation within the public infrastructure sector: Check it out here
CANADA HOUSING ACCELERATOR FUND
The Canada Housing Accelerator Fund seeks to remove barriers to encourage local initiatives to build more homes, faster The Fund is helping to boost housing supply, while supporting affordable, diverse and climate-resilient communities. One of the best practices being funded is increasing process efficiency through the implementation of new technologies to speed up development approvals, such as e-permitting, Building Information Modelling and Digital Twin. Listen to our interview with one of the lead Advisors to the porgram - Bert Pereboom (see next page).
So we thought Digital Twin was a great way to better understand what would be the bottlenecks to housing supply at a very local and regional level, and what opportunities there might be as governments invest in transit infrastructure and so on, to build more intensively where it made sense.
0.8 PLANNING FOR THE BEYOND
BY PETRA HURTADO CHIEF FORESIGHT & KNOWLEDGE OFFICER
AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION
In the “Western” world, time is seen as linear. How can we include the futures of cultures where time is circular?
FORESIGHTING THE FUTURE
In this article we asked Petra three questions, and here is what she had to say:
Q1: How has the practice of foresight supported the efforts of APA and its members?
The American Planning Association (APA) foresight program has three main pillars:
1. Identifying Drivers of Change
We identify drivers of change (trends and signals) that will impact the future of the planning profession, the way planners work, and how they connect and communicate with their community members. This also encompasses the future of the communities planners make plans for, including how people will live, work, and play. These trends and signals are published annually in our Trend Report for Planners, an open-access document available for download here. Additionally, our Upskilling Planners program provides training on how to address emerging trends new to the planning profession More information can be found here.
2. Education and Training in Strategic Foresight
We provide education and training for planners on using strategic foresight in planning Planners shape the future of their communities, yet traditional planning methods often do not adequately incorporate future considerations, leading plans to reflect the period in which they were created rather than the intended future timeframe. The Trend Report can be a valuable tool in this process 25.
3. Informing APA’s Organizational Strategy
We use strategic foresight and our Trend Report to guide APA’s organizational strategy This is crucial for APA to remain a resilient and future-proof organization, offering our members thought leadership, timely solutions to emerging challenges, and the necessary knowledge and expertise to thrive today and in the future.
Foresight is an approach that aims at making sense of the future, understanding drivers of change that are outside of one's control, and preparing for what may lead to success or failure in the future
This APA QuickNote is available for download here.
FORESIGHTING THE FUTURE
Q2: What have been the noticeable 'trends' over the past few years that have resonated with planners most?
Our Trend Report describes over 100 trends and signals The most noticeable issue is the pace of change and the number of potential disruptors we are seeing
For example, when we started this work four years ago, we categorized artificial intelligence as a potential future trend in our "learn and watch" timeframe, meaning we needed to start learning about it and keep an eye on its development In these last four years, this topic has moved from the "learn and watch" category to the "prepare" category, and for the last two years, it has been in the "act now" category (indicating high urgency).
There are many noticeable trends, and the main challenge is how to prepare for all of them In addition to individual trends such as climate change, tech innovations, and political polarization, we need to understand the big-picture developments, what we call "trend patterns," and the interrelations between these trends. To showcase some examples, we created future scenarios for the years 2034, 2044, and 2054, illustrating how the world might look based on different trend interconnections These scenarios are also included in the Trend Report
Hurtado at the 2024 Planning Institute of Australia Congress in May
Q3: What trend are you most excited to see the planning profession embrace that can have a profound impact for the profession?
I am generally an optimist, and while many trends in our report might seem dystopian, I believe there are many developments that can become great opportunities if tackled responsibly and prepared for in a timely manner.
Many people worry about AI taking their jobs and causing mass unemployment. Similar worries arose during the Industrial Revolution, yet there was never a time of mass unemployment. We need to continue upskilling ourselves and learning how to use these new tools Jobs have always evolved. New roles such as data ethicists or VR therapists will emerge. [Cont’d]
FORESIGHTING THE FUTURE
[Cont’d]
I am personally very interested in the trend of “decolonizing the future,” which involves integrating cultural intersectionality and including diverse values in futures work. Futurism is often viewed as tech-centric and white-dominated (which, unfortunately, has often been the case), but it doesn't have to be that way. We need to ask ourselves whose future we are discussing and what their values are
In the “Western” world, time is seen as linear. How can we include the futures of cultures where time is circular?
Additionally, we need to consider who will be living in that future. A mid-career or senior planner who plans for a future 30 or 50 years from now might not even be part of that future So, who will be? These are the considerations we need to include in our thinking and our work as planners. It’s encouraging to see that futures literacy and long-term approaches are gaining more attention in many professions and sectors Now we need to make sure it’s done in inclusive and responsible ways
TEMPO AND PLANNING
The 2024 Trend Report for Planners, developed in partnership with the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, features more than 100 existing, emerging, and potential future trends that APA identified as relevant to planning The trends are structured within three timeframes (Act Now, Prepare, Learn, and Watch), which indicate the urgency of planners' actions
The TEMPO Institute Digital Twin Microcredential is being used as a basis for an ongoing series of education modules for the American Planning Association Subscribers of the APA’s ‘Passport’ platform can access the first session - Digital Twins 101 - on their website here. Further APA webinar sessions with TEMPO are planned for 2024 and beyond
0.9 NOTABLE MENTIONS
THE DRAFT NATIONAL URBAN POLICY | JULY 2024
In May the Australian Government released the draft National Urban Policy Australia for consultation with the aim to build a strategic framework to guide the development and management of cities and urban areas across the country. Its main purposes are
Digital Built Australia is a podcast that explores digital and data innovation in the built and natural environments.
On the DBA podcast, you'll hear from experts and thought leaders who have transformed their fields and have valuable advice and best practices to share
Season three has launched, with a focus series on industry leaders who share the career journey’s and offer insights for emerging leaders.
