May 14, 2025 – Kaunas, Lithuania & Online
The 5th Building Digital Twin International Congress (BDTIC) brought together leading voices in the digital built environment to discuss current trends, challenges, and innovations in Digital Twin technology. Hosted in Kaunas, Lithuania, and streamed online, the event welcomed researchers, industry leaders, public sector representatives, and solution providers from across Europe.
Key Topics and Main Themes
BDTIC5 focused on the implementation of Digital Building Logs (DBPs) and Digital Product Passports (DPPs) as critical enablers for Digital Twin deployment across the building lifecycle. Additional core topics included simulation calibration, ontologies, interoperability, and increasing alignment with evolving European digital and sustainability policies.
Keynote Speakers
- Gazmend Ajrulovski (INS, North Macedonia) offered a strategic view on national digital transformation policies and the integration of BIM and DTs into public sector initiatives.
- Alain Zarli (ECTP) emphasized the importance of harmonized frameworks and collaborative R&D initiatives under Horizon Europe to scale up Digital Twin innovation.
- Tobias Heimig-Elschner (BBSR, Germany) discussed the relevance of structured data and regulatory alignment in enabling large-scale Digital Twin applications in public construction.
- Paris Fokaides (KTU, Lithuania) presented emerging research on environmental performance simulation and the potential of DTs to drive energy efficiency in buildings.
Session 1: DBPs and DPPs as Enablers of Digital Twins in the Built Environment
This session showcased a rich array of applied research and pilot projects across Europe:
- Rita Lavikka (VTT) shared progress from the Finnish ACCORD project on automating building permit processes through Digital Building Logs.
- Ricardo Romero (TEKNIKER) presented scalable DBP models and their interoperability with EU standards.
- Siham El Yamani (TU Delft) introduced a holistic vision for urban Digital Twins and their integration into city governance.
- Dr. Edlira Vakaj (Birmingham City University) explored how blockchain can support trusted and traceable product data in construction.
- Gülfem Inaner (EcoWise) highlighted use cases where DPPs empower circular economy models.
- Flavio Magno (CERTI, Brazil) provided a global perspective on how Latin American cities are adapting DPPs in public infrastructure.
- Mayte Toscano (OGC) emphasized the role of semantic standards in ensuring interoperability across systems.
- Susheel Nath (FARI Brussels) outlined the ethical and governance challenges of deploying AI-enhanced Digital Twins in cities.
- Daniel Mattos (University of Barcelona) closed the session with a research-based perspective on modelling and simulation tools for sustainable construction.
Session 2: Simulation Calibration Across the Building Lifecycle Using ADTw
This technically intensive session focused on calibration methods, tools, and open-source approaches for real-time simulation of building systems:
- Laura Zabala (R2M Solution Spain) introduced the BOPTEST framework, a testbed for validating control strategies in building energy systems using co-simulation.
- Hyacinthe Ménard (EIFER) presented PandaProsumer, a tool developed under the SenergyNets project, enabling co-simulation of multi-energy systems.
- Rossano Scoccia (Politecnico di Milano) showcased SIMBOTS, an innovative simulation engine applied to data centers in the HYCOOL-IT project.
- Pablo Vicente Legazpi (BDTA) discussed the result of simulation Working Group
- Peter Hellinckx (University of Antwerp) demonstrated how data-driven models are improving predictive analytics in Digital Twins.
- Dr. Simeon Oxidis (IES) explored practical calibration workflows for improving simulation accuracy in commercial buildings.
Workshops & Networking Opportunities
May 13 – Pre-Congress Activities:
- Cities Workshop, organized by the Building Digital Twin Association (BDTA), brought together municipal stakeholders and researchers to explore urban-scale digital twin applications.
- The evening concluded with a Social Dinner at Mamma Kitchen Stories, offering a relaxed setting for networking.
May 14 – Morning Workshops:
- Simulation Methods Workshop, led by Pablo Legazpi (R2M), explored novel techniques for real-time simulation across the lifecycle.
- Ontology Frameworks Workshop, hosted by Bram Bazuin (Semmtech), examined semantic interoperability and open data models.
- The ACCORD Webinar, facilitated by Rita Lavikka (VTT) and Mayte Toscano (OGC), provided insights into digital permitting processes and policy frameworks.
Gala Dinner
Held at the Victoria Hotel, the Gala Dinner offered a memorable close to the day, with live music and a three-course meal, reinforcing the Congress’s sense of community and shared purpose.
A European Platform for Collaboration
BDTIC has solidified its role as Europe’s leading forum on Digital Twins for the built environment, uniting academia, industry, and public administration. With over 80 attendees in Kaunas and many more joining online, the Congress