Siemens has signed a deal to acquire digital twin software from US-based smart-building design company EcoDomus. The transaction fee was not disclosed; a statement implied the agreement is for the EcoDomus software, rather than the company itself. The deal is expected to close in the “next few months”.
The acquisition is by Siemens Smart Infrastructure, which works alongside the Germany-based firm’s Digital Industries division, to focus on design solutions for “energy systems, buildings, and industries”. The EcoDomus software, which creates and visualizes digital twins based on BIM (building information modeling), will be integrated into its smart-buildings offering; it is unclear whether the brand will be retained.
The Siemens Smart Infrastructure digital building portfolio comprises its Desigo CC management platform and cloud-based twin software. It allows customers to generate digital replicas of their real buildings and assets, creating a common data environment that integrates BIM, building management systems (BMS), computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS) and IoT systems.
A statement said: “In the past, BIM data usage has mostly focused on a building’s construction phase. Today, its benefits can also be leveraged in the operations and maintenance phase. This is crucial because this is where 80 percent of a building’s total lifecycle costs will occur. Leveraging the acquired data creation and visualization capabilities, Siemens’ digital building software portfolio will bring substantial benefits to customers.
“[These benefits include] enhanced insights into the performance of their building, real-time issue identification and resolution, better space and energy utilization, and many others. Customers will be able to turn their buildings into more sustainable, comfortable and safe places to live and work, while at the same time streamlining processes and reducing operational costs.”
Henning Sandfort, chief executive of building products at Siemens Smart Infrastructure, said: “The way we operate buildings is fundamentally changing, thanks to the power of digitalization and digital twins. By enhancing our existing offering for digitalized buildings with EcoDomus’ software, we are strengthening our leading industry position in that dynamic market, offering our customers the full-spectrum benefits of BIM-based operations.”
