The greatest challenge facing many existing buildings is not the age of their structure, but the lack of reliable information about their actual condition, argues Nemetschek’s Sunil Pandita
For almost 10 years, Buckingham Palace has been undergoing a £369m reservicing project to replace its ageing plumbing, wiring and heating systems. To date, the project has gone relatively smoothly and is on track for completion in 2027. While this large-scale refurbishment has advanced fairly effortlessly, not all do; Metro Loft Development’s repurposing of the former Pfizer headquarters in Manhattan into 1,600 apartments is a recent example of what can go wrong.
In fact, the development is a shining example of how complex and sensitive the renovation, refurbishment and repurposing of existing buildings can be, and the fundamental problems that such a project can suddenly expose. While the exact cause of the identified structural issues within the building is still under investigation, one thing is already clear: reliable building data is increasingly becoming a critical factor for safety and success in renovation projects.
Without a clear understanding of a building’s actual structure, planning inevitably involves uncertainty. Today, digital tools and AI-based methods can help uncover hidden relationships within building data and identify potential risks much earlier in the planning process.
Plans designed for the future
Particularly when refurbishing buildings, it is no longer sufficient to rely on fragmented plans, historical records or isolated inspections. What is needed instead is a highly accurate digital representation of what has actually been built, enhanced by AI-driven analysis. AI can process large volumes of heterogeneous building data more efficiently and identify patterns, while improving the quality of existing information.
Combining BIM, digital twins and open data standards with AI enables scenario simulations, deviation detection, and data-driven decision-making.
This is particularly relevant where existing documentation is incomplete, outdated or stored in decentralised systems – a situation that is far from uncommon. Digital twins make it possible to create reliable digital representations even for buildings with incomplete documentation, thereby providing a solid foundation for safe renovations, modifications and long-term operation. Decisions become more transparent, interventions in the building structure are easier to assess, and risks are more visible at an earlier stage.
This issue extends beyond individual buildings to the modernisation of infrastructure as a whole, especially when making substantial future investments in bridges, roads, public buildings and climate-resilient cities; creating safe and resilient infrastructure is imperative. Therefore, what matters is planning, coordination, transparency and end-to-end digitalisation.
Bringing buildings to life from day one
Where analogue processes, data silos and incomplete documentation dominate, delays, cost risks and information loss are inevitable. In contrast, consistent use of BIM, digital twins and open standards enables a deeper understanding of buildings across their entire lifecycle – supporting better planning, renovation and operation to identify risks early and deliver complex projects more transparently.
The technologies are already available. The task now is to scale their adoption – not as an added benefit, but as a prerequisite for safe, efficient and future-proof design and construction.
Regardless of the specific causes, the Manhattan case clearly demonstrates how critical reliable data, transparency and digital planning methods have become for the safe modernisation of existing buildings and infrastructure. Today, the greatest challenge facing many existing buildings is not the age of their structure, but the lack of reliable information about their actual condition.
Modernising 21st-century infrastructure requires not only concrete and steel, but above all transparency about what has already been built – and the ability to leverage this information effectively using digital tools and AI. And even when refurbishment projects run as smoothly as the one at Buckingham Palace, they would still benefit from a technology-led approach – and they certainly will in the future when the time comes for them to be refurbished again.
Watch how CBS News covered the former Pfizer HQ’s issues:
