1 From Data to Decision: Exploring the Role of Digital Twins For Circular Decision-Making in Construction and Facility Management Firms.

1. Introduction

The environmental, economic, and social impact of the current take-make-use-dispose model has heightened the popularity of the Circular Economy (CE) among academic scholars, industry practitioners, and policymakers in recent years due to its capacity to narrow, slow, and close production and consumption cycles for materials and products. As opposed to the current practice linear model, the Circular Economy, dubbed as “Circularity,” is an emerging model envisioned to reduce reliance on limited natural resources, extend the life cycle of assets, minimize waste, and other externalities such as carbon emission, through principles of circularity.

Digital technologies, on the other hand, are identified as critical enablers of the circular economy across sectors, including the built environment. These technologies can facilitate the integration of circularity in different life cycle phases of built environment facilities. Such advanced technologies include Building Information Modeling, Digital Twins, Material Passport, Internet of Things, and Artificial Intelligence, to name but a few (Charef, 2024). While digital technologies have been theorized as critical enablers of CE, the question of which technology and how technology can support material circularity in construction and facility management firms is yet to be thoroughly investigated. As a result, this study explores how digital twins support circular decision-making to extend the life cycle of built assets.

2. The Rationale for Studying the Case

2.1. Motivation for the Problem

The linear construction model of design-build-operate-demolish-dispose is a wasteful and economically, environmentally, and socially unsustainable practice. In response, the circular economy emerged as a strategy to combat wasteful practices and promote sustainable construction practices. Meanwhile, digital technologies such as digital twins (DT) offer new potential for monitoring building performance, predicting maintenance needs, and guiding decisions on material reuse, refurbishment, or recovery. (Meng et al., 2023; Pasca et al., 2025; Tagliabue et al., 2021). While DT provides these benefits, several construction and facility management firms lack effective strategies to translate real-time facilities data into circular actions. This case study offers a real-world lens of how this technology is implemented and how it influences sustainable outcomes in asset lifecycle management to slow the material loop in the built environment.

2.2. Purpose and Focus

The primary purpose of this study is to explore how construction and facility management organizations use digital twin technology to manage built assets to extend their lifecycle. It focuses on how DT supports CE goals such as resource efficiency, material recovery, and extending asset lifespan. Further to that, the study also explores how external and internal organizational factors influence the adoption of DT for integrating circularity into built assets through a case study.

2.3. Research Question

The main research question of the study is to investigate:

How do construction and facility management organizations use Digital Twin technology to support material circularity across the building lifecycle?

This question investigates how construction and facility management firms use DT for circular decision-making and explores how external and internal organizational factors influence such decisions.

2.4. Unit of Analysis

The unit of analysis for this study focuses on the experiences and perspectives of professionals within the organization. Specifically, it examines how individuals involved in adopting DT technology at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport perceive its influence on the material circularity of the airport’s built assets. This includes their views on perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and the impact of external factors, such as technological, environmental, economic, and organizational variables, on adopting DT for circular economy purposes. By exploring these personal and professional insights, the study aims to understand how organizations plan to integrate circularity goals into their broader sustainability initiatives.

3. Literature Review

3.1. Purpose of Digital Twin in the Built Environment

A Digital Twin is a digital replica of a physical asset that uses real-time sensor data to monitor, analyze, and improve its performance, enabling predictive maintenance and decision-making. It is not limited to visual replication but extends to simulating state changes, including mechanical movements, environmental interactions, and operational performance (Dervishaj & Gudmundsson, 2024). This digital counterpart evolves with its physical twin, enabling continuous synchronization throughout the asset’s entire lifecycle, from concept design and construction to operation, maintenance, and eventual decommissioning. In the built environment context, digital twins offer an advanced means to enhance the design, construction, operation, and sustainability of buildings and infrastructure. These systems help stakeholders gain insights into energy use, material efficiency, and occupant behavior, thus supporting more thoughtful planning and asset optimization.

A typical Digital Twin architecture consists of three core components:

• The physical asset – the actual infrastructure or system.
• The virtual model – the digital representation that simulates the behavior and performance of the physical asset.
• The data layer – real-time or historical data streams that connect the physical and virtual elements, enabling feedback and updates.

Digital Twin can provide virtual replicas of built assets and facilities, encompassing all relevant building information such as material properties, maintenance schedules, assembly and disassembly procedures, and operation manuals. With DT technology, built assets are viewed as material banks, creating new end-of-life possibilities for these materials beyond simply becoming waste (Taherkhani et al., 2024). This facilitates the implementation of two fundamental circular economy strategies: slowing the loop (extending the lifecycle of built assets) and closing the loop (reusing materials or post-consumer recycling) in the built environment.

3.2. Theoretical Exploration

Innovation scholars have proposed various theoretical frameworks to evaluate the acceptance or rejection of innovation and to examine influencing factors driving the adoption by individuals and organizations. This case study builds on two prominent innovation theories: the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) (Davis et al., 1989) and the Technology Organization Environment (TOE) models (Qin et al., 2020) to investigate the adoption of circular economy practice in construction and facilitate management organizations using digital twin technology. The TAM is globally recognized as one of the most influential and well-balanced models for examining users’ acceptance and use of innovative technology. The model draws strength based on solid explanation and simplicity, making it highly accessible and applicable across various fields. Similarly, the TOE framework highlights three critical factors influencing organizational adoption: technology, organization, and environment (Bryan & Zuva, 2021), making the framework most appropriate for this paper, considering the socio-technical dynamics of transitioning toward a circular economy.

The TOE model was developed by Tornatzky and Fleischer (1990) to analyze the impact of Technology-Organization-Environment in adopting technological innovations in an organization (Qin et al., 2020). Technological context refers to both the internal and external technologies currently utilized by the organization and those available in the market but have not yet been adopted. Organizational context encompasses factors such as company size, organizational structure, and level of digital literacy. Environmental context involves external influences beyond the organization’s control, including competition, partnerships, and the broader industry environment (Davis, 1989). These external factors influence innovation adoption within organizations. In addition to technology, organizational and environmental factors, Songer et al. (2001) suggest that economic factors should be incorporated into the innovative adoption model. The authors argued that organizations will likely adopt innovation when initial costs are reasonably low, and return on investment will significantly influence the firm’s decision to accept or reject technological innovation. Building on this line of thought, this paper includes economic considerations as a fourth dimension in the TOE-based model for digital technology adoption to facilitate circular strategies within an organization

3.3. Hybrid TAM-TOE Development

Implementing the circular economy in construction and facility management firms is a socio-technical endeavor that requires the integration of advanced technologies and organizational processes. While the TAM is effective in explaining technology adoption at the individual level, it does not fully support the transition to a circular business model. Conversely, the TOE framework is well-suited for understanding innovation adoption within organizations but overlooks individual user perspectives. Therefore, a hybrid model that fully captures individual and organizational dynamics is essential to transitioning to a circular built environment. Considering these factors, a hybrid TAM-TOE framework that captures the individual and organizational dynamics was developed to support a transition toward a circular economy, as shown in Figure 1. The proposed TAM-TOE model offers a comprehensive pathway for an organization seeking to transition to a circular-oriented business model and highlights how internal and external factors could influence such a transition. The TAM was considered because of its strength in analyzing the innovation adoption at the individual level, and the TOE was incorporated to overcome the shortcomings of TAM, which does not capture the complex organizational setting, such as the built environment.

Figure 1: Proposed Hybrid TAM-TOE Model

4. Detailed Description of the Facts Related to the Case

The study examines how digital twin technology was used at the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport across the building’s lifecycle, including operations, maintenance, and potential future activities such as refurbishment, repurposing, or deconstruction. Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) opened in 1974 and has grown significantly over the past 50 years. The facility is a key airport for international travel, serving over 73 million passengers annually. It is one of the busiest airports in the world. DFW has 193 domestic flights and connects to 67 international places. Also, 22 cargo airlines use DFW regularly. DFW covers 17,207 acres, making it the largest in Texas and the third in the world for aircraft movements. The airport is located between Dallas and Fort Worth and adds over $37 billion to the economy yearly, supporting more than 634,000 jobs in northern Texas (Dimitrov, 2024). DFW has seven runways, five terminals, and 171 gates, and requires highly skilled personnel for management. The airport has advanced technology, like Digital Twin, to improve energy use and sustainability initiatives. Digital twin was deployed to enhance airport sustainability/circularity initiatives in the following projects:

4.1. Athena Project: Mobility Digital Twin

The Athena project is a $5 million initiative funded by the U.S. Department of Energy at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport to develop a mobility digital twin in partnership with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to tackle curbside congestion, traffic inefficiencies, and excessive fuel consumption by airport vehicles (athena-mobility.org). The project integrates previously siloed data across departments to facilitate real-time optimization of vehicle routes to reduce fuel use, shorten travel times, decrease congestion, and enhance the passenger experience (DFW Airport, 2023). The project leveraged advanced data analytics to improve operational efficiency, which aligns with its strategic goal of sustainable resource management.

Circular Economy Alignment:

The Athena project supports the circular economy goal of minimizing waste and maximizing resource efficiency, primarily through the “reduce” principle. By lowering fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, it optimizes resource use, indicating a key circular economy objective. The DFW ESG Report of 2023 highlights a 10% reduction in vehicle-related emissions from these initiatives, which underscore Athena’s contribution to sustainability/circular economy goals. This indirectly aligns with the “reuse” principle by reducing vehicle wear through optimized operations to potentially extend vehicle lifecycles.

4.2. Morpheus Project: Energy Optimization Digital Twin

The Morpheus project is a $200 million contract with Willow Technologies funded Department of Energy. The project deployed a digital twin technology to optimize energy consumption in DFW’s Terminal D during the COVID-19 pandemic, when passenger numbers fell from 200,000–1 million daily to under 10,000, yet energy use remained high. The project integrates building information modeling (BIM) with occupancy sensors, air handling unit sensors, and carbon dioxide detectors. Morpheus adjusted cooling and lighting in real time to achieve a 16% energy reduction (21% in proof-of-concept simulations) (DFW ESG Report, 2023). It also detected faults, such as chilled water spills, reducing environmental and financial penalties under Texas’s demand-response system. DFW’s sustainability documentation notes that Morpheus contributed to a 15% reduction in terminal energy intensity, supporting the airport’s net-zero carbon goal by 2030 (DFW ESG Report, 2023).

Circular Economy Alignment:

Morpheus aligns with the circular economy goal of resource efficiency, primarily through the “reduce” principle, by minimizing electricity and thermal resource use, decoupling energy consumption from passenger growth (projected 100 million by 2030).  DFW’s 2022 sustainability report credits highlight $2.5 million in annual energy cost savings through this initiative, reinforcing CE’s economic benefits. The Morpheus supports the “reuse” principle by enhancing the operational efficiency of Terminal D’s infrastructure, extending asset lifecycles, and delaying replacement needs. Using digital twin for runway material reuse, assessing material conditions via BIM, indicates potential for the “recycle” and “recover” principles, as supported. DFW’s existing practice of crushing concrete onsite for reuse, though not yet DT-integrated, saved 20,000 tons of material from landfills in 2022, aligning with CE goals (DFW Airport, 2023).

4.3. Runway Operations and Maintenance

The DFW has also extended the use of Digital Twin technology to the airside infrastructure by developing a twin for Runway 18R/36L and Terminal D airfield systems (DFW ESG Report, 2023). This effort is in partnership with Willow (a DT platform provider) and Parsons Corporation, a global infrastructure firm. This runway-focused digital twin integrates Geographic Information Systems, Building Information Modeling, FAA inspection records, Weather, and environmental data. The integration of these data sources enables DFW to monitor runway conditions in real-time, schedule preventive maintenance, detect and address performance issues early, and improve the safety and availability of critical airfield assets.

Circular Economy Alignment:

The digital twin for Runway 18R/36L and nearby infrastructure uses different data sources like GIS, BIM, FAA inspections, and weather data. This helps with better maintenance and long-term planning of assets. This project also supports CE initiatives in certain areas.

• Using predictive insights, DFW can extend the usable life of the runway and airfield infrastructure, reducing the need for early replacement, minimizing waste, and slowing the material loop.
• Condition-based maintenance prevents premature failure, saves materials, avoids emergency overhauls, and supports resource efficiency and waste reduction.
• The use of digital documentation (BIM and GIS) enables future reuse or recycling of components (e.g., concrete, asphalt) by preserving exact material specifications, aligning with closing the loop of material circularity.

4.4. Terminal D and Central Utility Plant (CUP)

The DFW initiated a digital twin pilot project in 2021 that focused on Terminal D, the parking garage, and the Central Utility Plant (CUP). This project explored how DT could support better decision-making for facility operations. The digital twins integrate real-time sensor data with static building data to allow airport operators to simulate different conditions and scenarios (DFW ESG Report, 2023). This capability enables the team to predict and optimize energy consumption, adjust heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) performance, and schedule maintenance based on actual asset conditions. This pilot forms part of the broader “Morpheus” project, which aims to use predictive analytics and simulation to manage building systems more efficiently, particularly during peak energy demand periods. The ultimate goal is to cut energy costs, extend equipment life, and reduce the airport’s carbon footprint while improving indoor comfort for travelers.

Circular Economy Alignment:

The creation of digital twins for Terminal D, its parking garage, and the Central Utility Plant is a strong example of how circular economy goals, especially narrowing and slowing the resource loop, are achieved through technology. Specifically, these projects align with CE initiatives in the following areas:

• Energy optimization through real-time simulation reduces unnecessary energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, narrowing the loop by using fewer resources for operations.
• Predictive maintenance enabled by digital twin allows building systems to operate longer and more reliably, slowing the loop by extending equipment life and delaying replacement.
• By digitally modeling equipment performance, the airport can make data-driven decisions about repairs versus replacements, which supports the CE goal of resource retention over disposal.

These projects boost operational efficiency and enhance the airport’s ability to respond quickly to maintenance needs, reducing delays and minimizing operational disruptions.

5. Data Collection and Analysis

This study seeks to collect detailed insights into how digital twin technology was used to support decision-making processes aligned with circular economy goals at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. Specifically, it aims to document the ways in which DT facilitates the planning, execution, and monitoring of circular economy strategies throughout the lifecycle of airport infrastructure. The investigation focuses on identifying how core CE principles, such as reuse, recycling, refurbishment, and repurposing, are considered the project decision-making through the use of DT technology.

The study also explores the organizational, technical, and operational challenges encountered during the implementation of DT for circularity. These may include issues such as stakeholder alignment, data interoperability, cost barriers, or institutional resistance to change. To gather this information, a semi-structured interview was conducted with the lead environmental scientist and planner at DFW Airport, who previously held a leadership position within the airport’s Special Projects Program. This individual offered valuable, first-hand insights based on direct involvement with DT initiatives and provided a contextual understanding of both the strategic and practical dimensions of DT deployment for circular economy objectives.

5.1. Data Collection Approach

This case study employed a semi-structured interview to gather in-depth insights from a professional with first-hand experience in the implementation of digital twin technology at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. This data collection approach enabled the researcher to explore rich, contextual information directly from a key stakeholder involved in the planning and execution of the digital twin system. As noted by Merriam and Tisdell (2015), qualitative interviews are effective for uncovering how individuals interpret and assign meaning to their experiences, making them suitable for examining complex innovations such as digital twin adoption. A semi-structured interview was conducted via Zoom, which allowed for real-time interaction and detailed narrative responses. Virtual platforms have been shown to be effective for qualitative data collection, particularly when face-to-face access is limited (Archibald et al., 2019). The interview provided valuable perspectives on the strategies adopted, challenges encountered, and the role of digital innovation in advancing resource efficiency, lifecycle optimization, and environmentally responsible facility management.

5.3. Data Analysis

The data analysis in this study used a qualitative thematic approach to examine how digital twin technologies, specifically the Athena and Morpheus projects at DFW, support circular economy practices. The interview was transcribed and analyzed to identify themes and patterns. The process involved identifying and coding recurring concepts such as energy savings, resource efficiency, and operational optimization, then organizing these codes into broader themes like Resource Efficiency, Asset Longevity, Material Circularity Potential, and Adoption Challenges. The analysis linked these themes to CE principles and framed them within the hybrid TAM-TOE model. For example, reduced fuel and energy consumption aligned with the “reduce” principle, while the extension of system lifecycles reflected “reuse.” The findings highlighted the high perceived usefulness of digital twins and revealed challenges.

6. Data Analysis and Discussion of Findings

6.1. Background Information of the Interviewee

The interviewee is an environmental scientist with both bachelor’s and master’s degrees, currently employed at HDR, a firm specializing in architecture, engineering, environmental, and construction design. Her career began at DFW Airport in 2014, where she initially worked as an intern in stormwater management. She later transitioned to planning and development, concentrating on compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act for various projects, including roadways, buildings, and wastewater treatment. While she assists DFW in digital twin ideation, problem definition, and procurement, her focus is not on building DT platforms but rather on data acquisition, such as point clouds and BIM development.

6.2. Technology Acceptance (TAM Constructs)

Perceived Usefulness (PU)

The interviewee highlighted that the integration of Digital Twin (DT) technology in the Athena and Morpheus projects at DFW Airport is intricately linked to the airport’s long-term sustainability and CE objectives. The primary aim of the project is to decouple the airport’s energy consumption from the anticipated increase in passenger volume, projected to reach 100 million by 2030. Instead of allowing energy use to rise with passenger growth, the goal is to reduce per capita energy consumption through smarter, data-driven operational strategies. According to the interviewee, the implementation of DT in these projects has yielded tangible benefits in optimizing energy efficiency, reducing emissions, and enhancing system performance, thereby affirming the perceived usefulness of the technology.

While the interviewee acknowledged that direct applications of CE principles in these DT projects are still evolving, she noted examples of emerging alignment. For instance, she cited the on-site crushing and reuse of concrete from airport projects as a practical application of the CE “reuse” principle. Although not yet a core feature of the current digital twins’ systems, she suggested there is significant potential to expand CE integration through future developments. These include using DTs for real-time waste monitoring, tracking construction material flows, and assessing the feasibility of reusing runway materials. Through these use cases, the interviewee demonstrated how DT technologies could serve as enablers for deeper circular practices, supporting resource efficiency, extended material lifecycles, and more sustainable infrastructure management.

Perceived Ease of Use (PEOU)

The interviewee remarked that while digital twins offer powerful capabilities, the technology is not inherently easy to use, particularly for professionals unfamiliar with emerging technologies. She explained that successful adoption often depends on individuals’ curiosity, adaptability, and willingness to experiment with new tools and workflows. Because digital twin integration at DFW was among the first of its kind in the organization, there was initially no structured training program or formal onboarding to guide users through the system’s features and potential. This gap created hesitation and resistance, particularly among staff who were not early adopters or technologically inclined.

Reflecting on the challenges encountered during the integration process, the interviewee identified the lack of standardized training and limited understanding of digital twin functions as major barriers. These issues hindered broader organizational buy-in and slowed down implementation. To address this, the project team conducted a stakeholder survey to assess knowledge gaps and training needs, which helped inform targeted support efforts. Although not all issues were fully resolved, the interviewee noted that the team adopted a collaborative and proactive approach to embrace digital twin technology as a worthwhile and forward-looking innovation. Despite the initial learning curve and resistance, the team remained committed to exploring the tool’s potential, underscoring a culture of innovation and adaptability within DFW’s planning and sustainability initiatives.

6.3. Organizational Factors: TOE Constructs

Technological Context

The digital twin systems deployed in the Athena and Morpheus projects at DFW Airport are technically robust, integrating a variety of technologies such as Building Information Modeling (BIM) and real-time sensor networks. These sensors capture a broad spectrum of operational data, including occupancy levels, CO₂ concentration, temperature, and pavement conditions. According to the interviewee, HDR’s expertise in BIM development and point cloud data acquisition laid the foundation for successful DT implementation. The DT platforms were described as relatively well-standardized and compatible with existing systems, facilitating seamless integration into DFW’s digital infrastructure.

However, some technological challenges were encountered. The primary issue was initial data silos that hindered system-wide situational awareness. This was eventually resolved through the centralized capabilities of the DT platforms, which aggregated siloed data and enabled real-time monitoring and decision-making. Another limitation arose from staff turnover at Willow, the DT service provider. When original team members who understood DFW’s long-term vision left, their replacements lacked sufficient onboarding, causing temporary setbacks in project continuity and understanding of goals.

Organizational Context

DFW Airport demonstrated strong internal leadership support for digital transformation. The Vice President of Sustainability (now the CEO), who has an engineering background, played a critical role in championing the adoption of DT technologies. As noted by the interviewee, the CEO’s commitment to sustainability ensured that DT implementation was strategically aligned with the airport’s broader net-zero and circular economy objectives. This top-down leadership helped embed DT into DFW’s operational culture and long-term planning. Despite strong leadership and a clear vision, DFW’s organizational digital maturity was described as mid-level.

However, the interviewee highlights some internal organizational barriers, including the lack of formalized training programs, resistance from non-early adopters, and a shortage of in-house data scientists, which has led to dependence on external partners like NREL for advanced data analytics.

Environmental Context

External environmental factors played a significant role in the adoption and implementation of digital twin technologies at DFW. A major driver was regulatory pressure, particularly from Texas’s energy demand response system, which imposes penalties for overconsumption during peak energy periods. The DT systems helped mitigate these penalties by enhancing operational efficiency, such as through chilled water system optimization. Safety concerns, especially related to runway operations during extreme weather events like snowstorms, also encouraged investment in DT-enabled monitoring and predictive maintenance.

Additionally, client expectations and industry competition are major factors. As one of the largest and busiest airports in the U.S., DFW faces increasing demands for advanced, data-driven infrastructure from stakeholders. However, environmental adoption was not without concerns. The interviewee noted pushbacks regarding data privacy, particularly around passenger tracking and sensor use in public spaces. These concerns underscore the critical need for transparent data governance policies and robust cybersecurity frameworks to protect public trust and ensure compliance with legal standards.

Economic Context

From an economic perspective, while the initial investment in DT technology is substantial, the return on investment (ROI) has proven to be high, according to the interviewee. The Athena and Morpheus projects benefited from Department of Energy grant funding, which helped offset upfront costs and accelerate adoption. Beyond grant support, DFW tracks ROI based on operational and energy cost savings. One notable success involved fuel optimization in the Athena project, where projected savings of 2% were exceeded with actual reductions of up to 8%, a figure the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) considered highly valuable. Similarly, in the Morpheus project, digital twin tools reduced costly issues such as chilled water spills and enabled more efficient energy management. These financial gains support the economic case for scaling DT adoption across other airport operations and potentially serve as a model for other large infrastructure facilities.

6.4. Patterns/Theories

The study is grounded in two well-established theoretical frameworks: the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) framework. By combining these perspectives, the research explores how DFW Airport adopts and utilizes digital twin technology to support the circular transition. The TAM framework helps examine the perceived usefulness and ease of use of digital twin technology among stakeholders. In contrast, the TOE framework provides a broader view by analyzing how organizational factors, technological capabilities, and external environmental pressures influence the adoption and implementation of digital twins for sustainability/circularity purposes. Through a semi-structured interview, the case study offers insights into the drivers and barriers of digital innovation for circular transformation in the construction and facility management firm.

7. Connection to the Larger Scheme of Things

This study bridges significant areas in construction: circular economy and emerging digital technologies, with a focus on digital twins. It explores the transition from the traditional “take–make–dispose” model to a circular approach that emphasizes resource conservation, reuse, and lifecycle optimization. By examining the Athena and Morpheus digital twin projects at Dallas-Fort Worth Airport, the study illustrates how public infrastructure clients are facilitating this shift.

Digital twin technology plays a crucial role by creating a detailed, real-time replica of physical assets, enabling improved decision-making throughout the asset’s lifecycle from design and construction to operations, maintenance, and end-of-life. By leveraging sensor data and BIM models, DTs allow stakeholders to monitor performance, detect issues early, extend asset lifespan, and identify opportunities for material reuse and recovery. As demonstrated in this case study, digital twins contribute to decoupling resource use from growth, a primary CE objective.

In a broader context, the study addresses the knowledge gap regarding how infrastructure owners can integrate CE strategies with advanced digital tools. It contributes to discussions on climate resilience, net-zero emissions, and smart asset management, highlighting digital twin adoption as an enabler of circularity. The findings offer insights to policymakers, digital innovation leaders, and construction and facility management firms to align their objectives with environmental performance and regulations. The study advocates for a comprehensive move toward sustainability in the built environment.

8. Conclusion

This case study illustrates how digital twin technology can support the circular economy in construction and facility management firms. It examines real-world examples from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, with a focus on the Athena and Morpheus projects. The study details how digital twins contribute to fuel and energy savings, maintenance prediction, and the extension of building lifespans. These efforts align with CE objectives such as resource reduction, material reuse, and material recovery. At DFW, the implementation of DT relied on both technological capabilities and organizational readiness. While the technology proved beneficial in terms of cost savings and efficiency improvements, its adoption faced challenges due to limited training and some resistance. Nevertheless, strong leadership, partnerships, and regulatory frameworks facilitated its integration. This underscores the necessity of both technological and organizational support to fully leverage digital innovations for sustainability.

The study links digital transformation with circular economy goals by demonstrating how infrastructure owners can utilize DT for improved decision-making, asset value extension, waste reduction, and resource optimization. It provides a roadmap for construction and facility management firms, as well as policymakers, to reconsider sustainability through digital technology. As the built environment seeks to reduce carbon emissions and enhance resilience, digital twins offer a means to incorporate circularity into infrastructure systems.

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About the author

name: Idris Soliu

institution: University of Washington

I am a Ph.D. student with a drive to make a meaningful impact in advancing the implementation of material circularity in the built environment. My research focus lies in the intersection of circular economy, built environment and emerging technologies.