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“Since the BIM mandate, the level of information we receive to manage buildings has increased…it is still
often sporadic and inconsistent, but it is definitely more substantive than previous, and this is across both
public and private sector projects”.

[51]
This aligned with findings in the literature that Government policy can drive market demand .
Interestingly, the results of this study built on these literature findings by exploring the barriers currently
preventing wider DT adoption. Participant S summarised these quite well, which reflected the points made
by numerous other participants:

“We currently have greater BIM and DT technology capacity than contractors want… we can offer so much
more, but mostly where we really innovate…it’s for internal use only…to showcase what we can do…we sell
such basic products that customers call DTs but really they’re not DTs at all”.

This was further articulated by Participant U who stated:

“Our customers [both contractors and clients] want DT technology and capability because they will either
gain a competitive edge in procurement] or because they are being forced”.

The findings of this study agree with those in the literature that policy needs to be specifically focused on
[51]
technology adoption incentives and build on such findings by illustrating the real time benefits that can
be achieved with a more DT focused national policy.

The project described by participant W of the city wide DT used to model transport changes was created
directly to inform policy, so the advantages of the change could be established and communicated alongside
the introduction of policy requirements. Adopting such an approach on a broader policy related scale could
yield sustainable benefits. Just as literature confirms the UK Government BIM mandate of 2016 drove the
adoption of BIM , and answering the calls for an evolution of the policy environment to help support SDG
[43]
[52]
achievement . Analysis of the interview results also reveals the need for both mandated policy and
procurement in order to drive forward DT technology adoption and help achieve the SDGs. It appears only
through forced change, such as a government mandated requirement or introduction of a procurement
criterion, will contractors truly embrace collaborative DTs. It is only though the use of DTs that
sustainability targets, such as the SDGs, can be achieved. Therefore, specific policy changes need to be
implemented. Analysis of the research findings indicates the priority should be on a procurement based
policy that requires DTs to be undertaken for all future projects, for both public and private sector assets.
Procurement as a policy tool is key and serves to drive behaviour change across contractors. The
Government could also introduce broader incentives such as green tax breaks for projects implementing
DTs and financially support both public and private sector projects that embrace such technologies and
approaches. Accompanying the introduction of DT focused procurement changes should be clear
Government guidance on the links between SDGs, carbon reduction, and DTs. This will provide comfort
and reassurance to those organisations and professionals seeking to utilise DTs to achieve sustainability
targets, and help broaden education around the interlinkages and interdependences of DT and carbon
reduction, serving to further the evolution and achievement of both.

CONCLUSION
The evolution of Digital Twin’s has afforded the construction industry the opportunity to embrace a new
technology that can aid in the support of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Despite the
increasing focus on the interconnection of DTs and SDGs research, there remains a gap in existing