Scan-to-Energy Digital Twins (Scan-to-EDTs): Automated Generation of Energy Digital Twins from 3D point clouds

Digital Twins (DTs) are transforming construction and energy management sectors by integrating 3D surveying, monitoring, Building Performance Simulation (BPS) and Building Energy Simulation (BES) from the earliest design or retrofit stages. Moreover, dynamic thermal simulations further support energy performance assessments by modeling indoor conditions to meet comfort and efficiency targets. Yet, their reliability depends on accurate, standards-compliant building 3D models, which are costly to be created. This research introduces a complete framework for automatically generating energy-focused Digital Twins (EDTs) directly from unstructured point clouds. Combining Deep Learning–based instance detection, Scan-to-BIM techniques and computational geometry, the method produces simulation-ready models without manual intervention. The resulting EDTs streamline early-stage performance evaluation, enable scenario testing and enhance decision-making for energy-efficient retrofits, advancing smart-building design through predictive simulation.