Birmingham is preparing to set out how digital-twin technology could help guide investment, infrastructure and regeneration as a national conference arrives at Millennium Point on Wednesday, 11 November.
Birmingham City Council is supporting the fourth annual UK Digital Twin Conference and Exhibition. Pre-conference workshops began on Tuesday, with the main programme scheduled for Wednesday.
What a digital twin could do
A digital twin is a virtual representation of a place, system or asset that can combine data to test options and support decisions. In a city, the approach can be used to examine transport, housing, energy, planning and other infrastructure.
The council said it wants digital innovation to attract investment, improve decision-making and help ensure that economic growth creates opportunities for communities across Birmingham.
Those ambitions are proposals rather than guaranteed outcomes. Any future digital-twin programme would still require clear governance, reliable data, privacy safeguards and evidence that benefits reach local residents.
Conference brings sectors together
The conference is expected to bring together representatives from local government, universities, industry and technology organisations. Organisers say the programme will focus on smart cities, construction, transport, utilities and the built environment.
Andrew Williams, Birmingham City Council’s Director of Economy and Skills, is expected to deliver a keynote address setting out the city’s approach.
The event offers Birmingham a platform to discuss how new technology can support public planning, but BaretaNews will continue to distinguish between stated ambitions and projects that have secured funding, approval and measurable results.
Featured image: Birmingham skyline in winter mist, photographed in January 2022. Illustrative archive photograph; it does not depict the digital-twin conference. Credit: John Gilbert/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0.
Sources
UK Digital Twin 2026 official event page
Birmingham City Council announcement, republished by England Today
