In this episode of Smart Twins, Jimmy Abualdenien is joined by Fernanda Leite, the Associate Dean for Research at the Cockrell School of Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin. Together, they delve into the transformative concepts of BIM and digital twins within the architecture, engineering, construction, and operations industries.

Fernanda shares her fascinating journey from childhood inspiration to her pioneering work in Building Information Modeling (BIM), highlighting impactful research that compares 2D and 3D design coordination and the evolution of BIM in the construction industry.

She details how visualization in design can uncover critical errors and the significant role of virtual reality applications in construction, underscoring the necessity for strategic and purposeful technology implementation.

Listeners will gain insights into her current role overseeing 300 faculty, 6,000 students, and multiple research centers, as well as her leadership in four ongoing capital projects. Fernanda elaborates on her cutting-edge work to minimize construction waste through a circular economy mindset and highlights the rapidly advancing role of scan-to-BIM technologies to facilitate efficient facility management.

Throughout the episode, Fernanda emphasizes the importance of incorporating real-world considerations into digital construction practices. This episode is a deep dive into the future of smart buildings, BIM, digital twins, and AI, revealing how these innovations can enhance asset performance, reduce costs, and improve safety in construction and beyond.