Digital Twins: Seeing the Future Before It Happens

What if every building, hospital, network and city had a mirror? A digital reflection that could show us not only how it works today, but how it could work tomorrow?

That’s the promise of the Digital Twin, a virtual model that allows engineers and energy experts to test, refine and imagine without risk. It’s the difference between guessing and knowing, between reacting and anticipating.

A Digital Twin gathers live data from sensors and systems to create a realistic model that behaves like its physical counterpart. It can reveal inefficiencies, predict failures and test new approaches before they are implemented in the real world.

“A Digital Twin gives you a sandbox to experiment, simulate and optimise before you ever touch a physical valve,” says John Fonseka, Energy Projects Development Manager at Vital Energi. “When you start with accurate data, you can turn ambiguity into clarity. You’re no longer guessing, you’re driving.”

In the energy sector, this technology is already transforming how we manage resources. At Bridlington Hospital, heat utilisation improved from 83.4% to 98.5% simply by analysing the digital model and adjusting how the system was run. Nothing physical was changed, only knowledge was applied.

“It’s where curiosity meets engineering,” John explains. “We can test how a system behaves under different conditions and uncover small changes that lead to big efficiency gains.”

The reach of Digital Twins now extends far beyond energy. Cities use them to model traffic flow and air quality so they can design cleaner, safer transport systems. Water companies build digital maps of rivers and reservoirs to predict floods and protect ecosystems. Manufacturers use them to extend the lifespan of products and reduce waste. In healthcare, researchers are developing Digital Twins of the human body to personalise treatment and improve patient outcomes.

Each of these examples has a shared purpose: to understand before acting.

By revealing how things truly work, Digital Twins help us make decisions that support both people and the planet. They allow us to reduce emissions, cut waste and make smarter use of existing infrastructure rather than replacing it unnecessarily.

“Digital Twins invite us to think differently about how we manage energy and plan for change,” says John. “They turn ambition into action and potential into performance.”

In an age where sustainability depends on foresight and imagination, this technology offers something rare... a way to see into the future, and to shape it wisely.