Utilities, Infrastructure and AEC

Digital Twins at the 2024 Esri User Conference

Welcome to the world’s largest gathering dedicated to Geographic Information Systems (GIS)! The Esri User Conference, taking place from July 15th to 19th in San Diego, California. Themed “GIS—Uniting Our World,” this conference highlights the power of geography as a universal language to cultivate inclusivity, collaboration, and holistic problem-solving. Join us as we explore how leveraging the common language of geography empowers individuals and organizations to make a meaningful difference on a global scale.

A digital twin, built on GIS technology, emerges as the most versatile and comprehensive form of digital twin as technology evolves. It acts as a central hub for aggregating data from various sources, including sensor networks and IoT devices, all tied together by their common attribute: location. This interconnected data offers decision-makers valuable insights into critical locations through the universally understood visual language of maps, enabling them to determine patterns, connections, and relationships.

By leveraging location intelligence, leaders seamlessly integrate geospatial digital twins into their decision-making processes, offering a space to explore ideas without investing significant time, money, or disrupting projects. It provides leaders with essential information for decision-making and action, while also facilitating operations monitoring, allowing for the observation of current states or changes over time, leading to the emergence of effective strategies.

As you prepare for the 2024 Esri User Conference, this blog will guide you in navigating and maximizing your experience by highlighting Digital Twin-focused sessions and activities. It provides a curated selection of sessions on digital twin technologies, special interest groups, partner presentations, and customer showcases, ensuring you make the most of this event.

Agenda Highlights

Esri Showcase

If you will be joining us at the San Diego Convention Center, you can find the dedicated product areas and a focused infrastructure zone on the main show floor(Ground Level, Exhibit Halls A/B/C/D).  Visit us to speak with industry and product experts, see demonstrations, and learn more about creating a connected Digital Twin across all infrastructure Industries.

Infrastructure Showcase Hours

The Esri Infrastructure Showcase is in exhibit halls A/B/C/D on the ground level of the San Diego Convention Center (SDCC).

Tuesday, July 16: 9:00 a.m. — 6:00 p.m.
Wednesday, July 17: 9:00 a.m. — 6:00 p.m.
Thursday, July 18: 9:00 a.m. — 4:00 p.m.

View Sponsors and Exhibitors

Special Interest Group Session

Digital Twin SIG

Attend this SIG to meet and engage with other users who are focused on deploying Digital Twins in their industry. Esri will have experts on site to hope facilitate conversations and connect you with like minded peers.

Micah Micallough, Esri

Please take a moment to fill out this survey before this session begins. Your responses will help shape our conversation and allow you to share your insights.

Customer Sessions

Preserving Your Community by Planning for the Future

How do planners address climate change and preserve communities? Planners are integrating digital twins into scenario planning to make data driven decisions that best serve the needs of communities. Communities across the world are prioritizing GIS to address sea level rise, redevelopment challenges, and preserving community character. Learn how GIS solutions have been used to plan for the future and enable community leaders to visualize multiple scenario impacts.

Husam A Samman, Infrastructure Planning Department- Ministry of Municipality | Tech-Driven Renaissance: Magna’s Historic District Revival, Great Salt Lake Municipal Services District

Leveraging Digital Twins

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn best practices and practical tips for leveraging ArcGIS in your organization’s digital twin initiatives. Join industry experts and revolutionize your approach to asset management and planning. Discover the power of ArcGIS in driving innovation and unlocking the full potential of digital twins across industries.

Gord Reynolds, Infrastructure Ontario | Alois Brunel, Deepomatic | Stephane Guindolet, Altice France

GIS Solutions in AEC: From Digital Twins to Facility Asset Management

Discover how GIS applications address business challenges in facility design, construction, and operations. The session starts with a case study using ArcGIS Indoors to explore the benefits of Digital Twins in the AEC industry. Next, learn how the Detroit Zoo utilized GIS to improve facility asset management. From mapping utility assets to integrating data, managing inventory, planning maintenance, allocating resources, and assessing risks, GIS provides precise location and attribute information for informed decision-making.

Robert Mabe, Spalding DeDecker | Suzanne Manhire, GSA Pacific Rim Region

Visualizing Data and Improving Stakeholder Decision Making with Precision

A streamlined approach to manage a collection of regional data improves stakeholder engagement and helps ease the process for decision makers to understand the impact of urban scenarios. Learn how creating digital twins has transformed the way cities across the world are envisioning and designing urban development.

Dan Meehan, Houseal Lavigne | Cody Ferguson, Montana Department of Commerce

Esri Demonstration Sessions

ArcGIS 3D Analyst: 3D Feature and Surface Analysis

How do different 3D data types help to solve problems? This presentation demonstrates how to use lidar data, 3D feature analysis, and surface analysis tools to develop digital twins, create asset inventories, maintain protected sightlines, and examine shade equity.

Khalid Duri, Esri | Jinwu Ma, Esri

Building Broadband Networks in an Immersive Era

Building communications networks has never been more needed or more complex. Join us to learn how to use ArcGIS technology to modernize the network planning and build-out process in an immersive era of 3D maps and digital twins. See in action how ArcGIS streamlines the process of analysis-driven decision-making.

Eileen Kelsey, Esri | Patrick Ryan, Esri

Partner Demonstration Sessions

usBIM.geotwin: The Seamless Integration of openBIM, GIS, and AI

The seamless integration of openBIM, GIS, and AI technologies, revolutionizing the creation of geospatial Digital Twins and Smart Cities.

Alfonso Perna | ACCA software S.p.A

ArcGIS: How to Create a Digital Twin

Digital twins are everywhere, but how do you build one within the ArcGIS system? This presentation highlights the different phases of building a digital twin, including subsurface assets, ground elevations, and visualizing the natural and built environments while connecting to real-time data sources.

Brian Baldwin, Esri | Michael Gould, Esri

ArcGIS Urban: Creating the Planning Digital Twin

The term “digital twin” is everywhere these days—but what is a digital twin? And what is the role of GIS in implementing digital twins in your urban planning work? Join us to learn how ArcGIS Urban helps you build a foundation for your planning digital twin, answer essential questions, and represent the future of communities in realistic and immersive experiences.

Christine Ma, Esri | Brooks Patrick, Esri

ArcGIS Reality: An Overview of Reality Mapping

Do you want accurate digital representations of the physical world in your mapping workflows? This presentation shows how ArcGIS Reality enables you to generate accurate and up-to-date 2D and 3D data products from drone, aerial, or satellite imagery and how these products enhance your GIS and create a foundation for digital twins. Explore the apps that support reality mapping within ArcGIS and the Reality Engine and its outputs. Presenters provide an overview of the workflow and present common uses for the generated data.

Camilio Cortes, Esri | Jonah Hall, Esri | Jorge Nieto, Esri

Digital Twin Resources

Interested in expanding your knowledge further? Download our latest Digital Twin Ebook and Digital Twins Resources brochure to learn how other users have leveraged GIS to develop their organizations’ Digital Twins and discover practical applications of our products.

Service Appointments

If you are looking for guidance and feedback on how best to design, implement, and strengthen your organization’s geospatial solutions. From July 16-18, we are offering in-person attendees the opportunity to connect one-on-one with Esri experts through service appointments.

Sign up for an appointment by choosing your appointment type and completing the form. An Esri staff member will follow up with you to schedule your appointment. Please note that while appointments are complimentary, availability is limited and we are currently offering one appointment per in-person attendee.

Join us at the 2024 Esri User Conference

Register today to attend in-person, virtually with digital access, or for the plenary only.

About the author

As the global industry director for utilities and AEC at Esri, Matt Piper leads the solutions teams for electric; gas; telecommunications; water; and architecture, engineering, and construction. Matt is an industry thought leader who helps to shape the role of location intelligence within organizations. He has worked extensively with global utilities to help them harness digital transformation and create enterprise-wide value through location intelligence. Matt holds a degree in electrical and electronic engineering and has worked for 20 years in the power industry, acquiring deep experience in asset management, GIS, and business intelligence.

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