Johnson Controls is working with Australian digital-twin specialist Willow to transform buildings and facilities digitally into healthier, safer and more sustainable environments.

Digital twins are playing an increasingly important role in the design, construction and ongoing operation of healthy buildings and facilities and can be particularly valuable when analysing large datasets and predicting patterns and trends.

“When it comes to our OpenBlue suite, our customers see the return on their investment for creating smarter, healthier and more sustainable buildings; it’s a win for them and the environment,” said Rodney Clark, vice president at Johnson Controls. “We look forward to working with Willow to provide increasingly robust digital twins to our mutual customers.”

Johnson Controls and Willow have entered into go-to-market and licence agreements for the use of digital-twin technology patents held by Johnson Controls. The companies also agreed to strengthen their technology and business collaboration in marketing, implementation and interoperability.

“Through this partnership we have an incredible opportunity to help customers reimagine what is possible when they digitise their buildings and facilities at scale,” said Joshua Ridley, chief executive officer of Willow. “By integrating the power of WillowTwin with Johnson Controls OpenBlue digital-twin platform, customers can obtain operational efficiency and cost reductions, improve their sustainability management and improve IoT and operational technology security across their buildings and facilities portfolios globally.”

With a global team of 100,000 experts in more than 150 countries, Ireland-based Johnson Controls offers a portfolio of building technology and software as well as services.

Willow is a provider of digital-twin technology for critical infrastructure and real estate. Willow’s digital-twin software, WillowTwin, assembles and structures data across static, spatial and live sources, into a virtual replica of the built form. Through the twin, users can drive savings through operational efficiency and cost reductions, transform their sustainability management, and improve IoT and operational technology security across their assets. Willow has offices in the USA, Europe and Asia Pacific.