About DTERBIMConnecting digital innovation and circular practices for a sustainable built environment
The construction and renovation sector is vital to Europe’s climate and energy ambitions, yet it remains one of the least digitalised industries. Accounting for nearly half of the EU’s total energy use and one-third of its waste, the built environment plays a decisive role in achieving the European Green Deal, the Renovation Wave, and the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD).
Despite its importance, the sector continues to face long-standing challenges:
Low productivity growth and limited digital adoption
Limited integration of circularity and sustainability principles
Fragmented tools and poor interoperability, causing data loss and inefficiency
Skills gaps, preventing SMEs from adopting innovative tools
DTERBIM addresses these challenges by shifting from linear, fragmented processes to open, collaborative, and circular renovation workflows.
The project integrates Building Information Modelling (BIM), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Digital Twins within an openBIM ecosystem, enabling seamless data exchange, informed decision-making, and more efficient resource use across the entire building lifecycle.
By connecting digital innovation with practical application, DTERBIM helps Europe’s construction sector become more productive, circular, and resilient — turning Europe’s sustainability ambitions into actionable results.
DTERBIM aims to create an open, interoperable, and adaptable BIM-based framework that enables collaborative, circular, and efficient construction and renovation processes.
Ourambition
Advance circular renovation through innovative BIM-based methodologies.
Enable better data management and semi-automatic BIM model checking and upgrading.
Promote standardised, interoperable workflows across the construction lifecycle.
Integrate AI-powered and Smart Readiness Indicator (SRI)-aligned services for proactive operation and maintenance.
Foster greater innovation acceptance and digital adoption in the construction sector.
DTERBIM advances the state of the art by:
Defining a transparent, openBIM-based renovation process aligned with EU standards that embeds sustainability and circularity principles.
Delivering an easy-to-use, cost-effective Toolkit integrating AI-powered and BIM-based tools to enhance efficiency, circularity, and user experience.
Developing Digital Twins for construction and operation to optimise energy, resource, and material management.
Creating an openBIM framework and Common Data Environment (CDE) that ensures interoperability, data security, and integration with existing platforms.
Validating and demonstrating these innovations in three real and two virtual pilots, engaging SMEs to achieve measurable results.
To ensure long-term impact, we also focus on:
Empowering stakeholders, particularly SMEs, through training, capacity building, and open access to data and tools.
Developing business models and exploitation strategies that foster digital and circular renovation.
Communicating, disseminating and standardising the DTERBIM approach to encourage replication and EU-wide adoption.
Expected results and impact
Better integration between BIM and Digital Twins
20% reduction in integration costs and 95% real-time monitoring across pilots.
Improved building performance and sustainability
35% energy savings, 90% improvement in user comfort and 100% accessibility compliance.
Reduced time and cost in construction and renovation
Up to 15% cost and time reduction, 30% less rework and 50% fewer coordination errors.
Increased material reuse and recycling
10–15% of materials saved for reuse and 95% tagged for traceability.
Wider adoption among SMEs
With 60+ SMEs engaged and 25+ training and exploitation activities carried out.
Enhanced and interoperable building information
80% adoption of open standards, >90% lifecycle data coverage and 50% fewer data conflicts.
The DTERBIM methodology combines digital innovation with practical implementation to enable circular, efficient and collaborative renovation.
It defines transparent processes, standardises data and integrates BIM-based tools, AI-powered services and Digital Twins within an openBIM framework that orchestrates data flows and interoperability across platforms.
This approach ensures resource optimisation, smooth collaboration, and greater innovation acceptance across the construction sector.