University facility management teams face a common challenge: fragmented information systems. Paper records, isolated PDF collections, and multiple disconnected platforms for CMMS and BMS create operational inefficiencies. Toyo University tested an alternative: integrating Matterport Digital Twin with SIM-ON to create a 3D spatial interface where all documentation, maintenance records, task histories, and operational data link directly to building locations. Results included dramatically shortened information retrieval times, reduced miscommunication, and comprehensive work documentation in one centralized system.
Article Overview:
Campus digital transformation needs
SIM-ON spatial building management overview
Toyo University’s testing methodology
Performance metrics and lessons learned
Future directions for educational facilities
Summary and practical applications
Executive Summary
Initial conditions involved paper-based processes, 2D architectural drawings, and dispersed file systems creating prolonged search periods and elevated error probability during personnel changes.
Implementation strategy centered on SIM-ON as maintenance navigation—selecting objects within the 3D model provides immediate access to correct manuals, historical data, photographs, service planning, and IoT/BMS information.
Toyo University’s testing produced quantifiable improvements:
HVAC system downtime resolution accelerated by 55% (from 5h 50m reduced to 2h 36m)
Maintenance record retrieval speed increased by 92% (from 11m 52s decreased to 56s)
Additional capabilities included timeline visualization for scheduled work, integrated ticketing with responsibility assignment, and standardized interdepartmental communication protocols.
Campus Infrastructure Management Context
Facilities departments at universities consistently encounter documentation fragmentation and tool disconnection. Toyo University acknowledged this reality: maintenance procedures anchored in paper systems and 2D drawings impede efficiency because information lacks consolidation and remains difficult to locate during routine inspections or emergency repairs.
Professor Shuhei Tazawa’s team at Toyo University’s School of Architecture initiated research testing whether spatial management interfaces constructed from Matterport scans and SIM-ON could meaningfully decrease time investment and systematize Facility Management operations.
SIM-ON Platform Capabilities
SIM-ON consolidates 3D models captured through Matterport technology, technical and service documentation, IoT/BMS data streams, and maintenance workflow management. Instead of filename searches, users interact with devices in the model to immediately display manuals, electrical wiring schematics, plumbing diagrams, construction photographs, ticket histories, and scheduled inspection data.
Toyo’s implementation tagged 112 distinct assets encompassing fire extinguishers, hydrant systems, HVAC components, emergency lighting units, fire doors, and audio speakers. Each asset linked to PDFs, imagery, video content, alarm notifications, and inspection timetables—all retrievable through virtual object interaction.
The platform includes ticketing infrastructure supporting task creation, personnel assignment, priority classification, and status monitoring, complemented by event timeline functionality tracking activity completion, scheduling, and personnel accountability.
Research Methodology at Toyo
Project scope encompassed building selection, Matterport Pro2 scanning execution, and 3D model generation. Operational datasets were incorporated into the model, with mandatory inspection elements exported to COBie specification, establishing comprehensive as-built documentation with integrated inspection frameworks.
Comparative analysis examined two methodologies:
Traditional processes utilizing paper, 2D drawings, network-based PDF storage, and separated CMMS/BMS platforms
Digital processes employing SIM-ON for direct 3D model interaction with timeline and ticketing integration
FM activity measurements included instruction and plan location, fault documentation, technician task distribution, and status updating. Testing included simulated HVAC system failure scenarios and timed assessments of maintenance history and schedule access.
Performance Metrics
HVAC outage management demonstrated substantial efficiency gains. Traditional methodology consumed 5 hours 50 minutes, whereas Digital Twin utilization through SIM-ON required 2 hours 36 minutes—approximately 55% labor time reduction. Efficiency improvements stemmed from direct model-based specification and device history access, coupled with consolidated communication channels for photographs, annotations, and progress tracking.
Maintenance documentation and scheduling retrieval achieved remarkable acceleration. Traditional approaches necessitated 11 minutes 52 seconds, while Digital Twin implementation required merely 56 seconds—92% time savings. Primary efficiency driver involved eliminating conversion processes between room identifiers, inventory coding systems, and directory structures—object selection directly accessed appropriate documentation.
Communication precision and responsibility tracking improved markedly. Unified 3D model integration with timeline and ticketing capabilities maintained team coordination and minimized version control disputes. Personnel transition management and activity verification simplified through location-based contextualization.
Organizational analysis revealed cultural adaptation importance alongside technological implementation. Established service provider workflows may resist owner-centered knowledge consolidation. SIM-ON empowers ownership of building geometry understanding and inspection inventory management, producing enhanced investment returns and decreased proactive FM expenditures.
Educational Sector Applications
Digital Twin technology extends beyond operational utility—it represents educational infrastructure. Architecture, construction management, and engineering programs can examine functioning installations, model hypothetical scenarios, and develop optimization strategies using live facility data.
Integration architecture enables SIM-ON connectivity with IoT/BMS systems including KNX and NETxAutomation protocols, alongside EAM/CMMS solutions like IBM Maximo, establishing unified spatial interfaces encompassing technical, service, and operational information. Testing successfully integrated existing building automation infrastructure with SIM-ON through KNX sensor data acquisition, validating scalability potential.
Sustainability and efficiency advantages include documentation digitization reducing environmental impact, while spatially contextualized sensor information accelerates energy consumption anomaly identification and occupant comfort optimization, supporting centralized information governance and enhanced inspection protocol management.
Conclusions
Toyo University’s implementation validates Digital Twin technology as functional operational infrastructure rather than visualization novelty. SIM-ON integration reduces incident response duration, expedites documentation retrieval, optimizes communication workflows, and establishes authoritative information repositories spanning initial service requests through completion documentation. The operational paradigm shifts from directory navigation to spatial object interaction.
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