A BIM-Based Framework Proposal for Reliable Information Governance in Urban Digital Twins

Abstract

Digital Twins (DT) are increasingly positioned as key enablers of sustainable urban development, yet many implementations remain fragmented, technology-driven, and weakly connected to clearly defined decision-making needs. The present study develops a structured information governance framework for DTs, drawing on the principles of ISO 19650. The framework establishes a traceable hierarchy linking organizational objectives, DT use cases, information requirements, the Level of Information Need, information exchange processes and machine-readable Information Delivery Specifications. Its purpose is to ensure that information is clearly defined, exchanged, validated, and maintained in a consistent and verifiable manner before it is used for monitoring, simulation, predictive analytics, or decision support. The proposal is illustrated through an urban air-quality Digital Shadow demonstrator integrating BIM, GIS, weather services, and a real-time visualization environment. Candidate information-quality indicators are also introduced and demonstrated through synthetic calculations intended to explain their application. Neither the demonstrator nor the calculated KPI values constitute validation of the framework or evidence of improved operational performance. Instead, they establish a structured basis for future testing in operational Urban Digital Twin (UDT) implementations. The contribution lies in integrating established BIM concepts into a single DT-oriented traceability chain rather than introducing them as new standards or methods.