Middlesex University
Keywords: Digital Twin, Heritage Conservation, UN Sustainable Development Goals, Sustainable Engineering, AI in Construction, Tourism Development, Carbon Reduction, Interdisciplinary Education, Community Engagement
Sector: digital and technologies
Project lead: Dr. Noha Saleeb, Associate Professor of Creative Technologies/Digital Creativity in Construction, Middlesex University, UK, Principal Investigator, FRESHBIM-FRESHDT Projects
Project collaborators: Historic Environment Scotland; Ministry of Antiquities, Egypt; Cairo University; BuroHappold UK; Karnak Egypt; Departments of Engineering, Computer Science and Business at Middlesex University
Issues addressed by the project
The project addressed the enhancement of sustainable renovation and operation of heritage buildings within Egypt, which was also transferred to other countries globally e.g. UK. This is a critical issue intersecting environmental sustainability, economic development, and cultural preservation. By creating a Digital Renovation Framework based on BIM/Digital Twin/AI, this project responded to global concerns about:
- Reducing CO2 emissions in construction and heritage sectors
- Enhancing heritage tourism-driven economies, with special view of enhancing Egyptian GDP from heritage tourism as a direct result of the project
- Creating more equitable employment opportunities due to adoption of the olution and increased tourism to enhanced heritage assets
- Preserving biodiversity and local ecosystems
Future impact of the project
The project involved building a BIM / Digital Twin system coupled with AI for the listed Toson Palace in Cairo to enhance renovations and sustainability of operations. The overall aims were enhancing tourism at the site and creating a model for other touristic sites in Egypt, as well as listed buildings globally. This was later utilised for Westminster Palace UK.
The 5 main outputs of the research were aligned with all UN 17 SDGs: Heritage Classification System (SDGs 9,11,17), Structural Analysis Framework (SDGs 3,9), Renovation Expert System (SDGs 4,6,8,11), Social Behaviour Simulations (SDGs 5,10), Visual Analytics Platform (SDGs 3,7,12,13) and aligning some project workflows with the SDGs 1,2,14,15,16 as the work was taking place.
Examples include; SDG 14 through protection methods for wildlife like bats and snakes on site instead of elimination; SDG 15 through improving drainage systems for reduced pollution in waterflow to the nearby Nile River to protect under-water life; SDG 1 through providing local jobs through the project, and SDG 2 using digital twins of fruit and vegetable farms on the estate to improve produce.
By embedding all 17 UN SDGs into this real-world heritage renovation project, FRESHBIM-FRESHDT offered a replicable model for sustainable development. It:
- Reduces carbon emissions (~2.8 tonnes annually per building)
- Creates inclusive jobs (~3 million projected over 5 years)
- Enhances local food production and biodiversity
- Empowers students and communities to co-design solutions
- Provides a scalable digital twin system for global heritage sites
This future-facing approach prepares regions for climate, economic, and social challenges.
This project was published on the EAUC SDG Accord Report 2024 Case Studies website as an impact case study of achieving the UN SDGs and was also presented by our university in the Sustainable Cities Design module in Times Higher Impact rankings 2024
Place-based local and regional benefits
- Cairo, Egypt: Enhanced tourism at Toson Palace, local job creation, improved drainage and biodiversity protection
- University Community: Students gained hands-on experience in sustainable engineering and digital innovation
- Local Farms: Digital twins improved produce quality and sustainability
- Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities: Adoption of renovation system across heritage assets in Egypt for better renovation and creation of jobs nationwide
The project directly supports regional growth, education, and environmental resilience.
National and global benefits
Nationally (Egypt):
- Rollout of digital renovation systems across heritage assets
- Economic boost via tourism (~£12 Billion GDP increase annually)
- Gender-inclusive employment in tech, tourism, and maintenance – generation of expected 3 Million jobs over the next 5 years
Globally:
- Reduction of carbon emissions (~2.8 tonnes annually per building)
- Heritage Classification System adopted globally e.g. Westminster Palace, UK
- Case study featured in EAUC SDG Accord Report 2024 hence made accessible through publications to general public
- Scalable model for listed buildings worldwide
Level of investment and timescale
The British Council UK and STDF Egypt both funded this project bringing in a total investment of £400,000. The project was completed from 2016-2023.
Risk vs reward
There was moderate risk involved in integrating emerging technologies and stakeholder coordination. A large portion of the budget was related to acquiring new technologies for example IoT devices. However, it yielded a high reward with measurable environmental, economic and educational impact as well as scalable outcomes and policy influence.
Further aspects
FRESHBIM-FRESHDT integrated AI and digital twin technologies into heritage renovation, creating five core outputs aligned with the UN SDGs. Students were actively involved in co-creating solutions, engaging with community users, and critically analysing sustainability strategies.
The project developed a Heritage Classification System, Structural Analysis Framework, Renovation Expert System, Social Behaviour Simulations, and a Visual Analytics Platform. These tools not only improved the renovation and operation of Toson Palace but also influenced national policy and international practice.
The project’s holistic approach – embedding all 17 SDG – enabled environmental protection (e.g., wildlife conservation, water pollution reduction), economic development (e.g., job creation, tourism growth), and social equity (e.g., gender-inclusive employment). It has been adopted by the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities and inspired similar initiatives in the UK. The project also won the Hong Kong Institute of BIM Award 2024, Green Gown UK & Ireland Sustainability Champion Award 2024 and is now being used by university estates to reduce carbon emissions. It exemplifies how engineering R&D can solve real-world problems and prepare communities for future challenges.
