A pilot project at New York’s iconic Brooklyn Navy Yard aims to show how Cityzenith’s SmartWorldOs digital twin platform can help city planners and building owners make savings.

These include a 35% reduction in operating costs, 20% in productivity and 50 to 100% in emissions according to a recent Ernst & Young digital twins report. And ABI Research suggests that digital twins can save city planners and building owners $280bn over coming years, a fit with the US government’s Build Back Better drive and $3.5trn infrastructure bill.

The Navy Yard project also launches Cityzenith’s global Clean Cities, Clean Future initiative to enable major world cities to apply SmartWorldOs to achieve carbon neutrality commitments.

New York took the lead by allying with Cityzenith, NYC 2030 District, and energy resilience and security company Agile Fractal Grid to transform the 91-hectare Navy Yard’s energy footprint. Phoenix and other cities plan to join Clean Cities, Clean Future.

“We are honoured to start with New York,” said Cityzenith CEO Michael Jansen. “Cities produce more than 75% of global carbon emissions and buildings account for 50 to 70% of that – possibly 80% in Manhattan – making them the planet’s biggest polluter.”

Of America’s 5.9 million commercial office buildings, fewer than 100,000 are green (1.7%), and only 500 (0.008%) are net zero, said Jansen.

“But change needs simultaneous strategies, including real-time energy monitoring, onsite renewable power generation and buying carbon offsets,” he said. “The Navy Yard project will automate these into one easy-use, comprehensive, and accurate solution using digital twin technology’s unparalleled ability to aggregate, visualise and analyse 3D space plus 4D time data and correlate efficiencies.”

NYC 2030 District chairman Haym Gross added: “We are proud to partner Cityzenith to develop the digital twin for Brooklyn Navy Yard Building 77, a one million square foot warehouse – equivalent to 21 football fields – recently renovated for commercial and manufacturing use. NYC 2030 District, a non-profit partnership, will work with Cityzenith, Brooklyn Navy Yard, Cuny Building Performance Lab, Buildee and others.”

The digital twin, to be produced for a group of Navy Yard buildings, systems and infrastructure, will provide the capability to monitor building performance and plan energy sustainability and climate resilience projects.

Agile Fractal Grid ‘s CEO John Reynolds said: “We’re delighted to work with Cityzenith on the NYC area digital twin, focusing first on the Brooklyn Navy Yard. The plan is to then expand into a nationwide roll out, transforming energy, security and infrastructure.”