DRF Clinic with Anthony Tuffour, Buro Happold

The DRF Lunchtime Clinic is looking forward to welcoming  Anthony Tuffour, Global GIS and Digital Twins  Director at Buro Happold, and an expert Geospatial Data Science and Digital Twins professional with over 20 years of experience. Anthony will be talking on Smart Infrastructure Planning and Delivery Using Digital Twins.

About Anthony Tuffour

Anthony Tuffour is a distinguished professional in Geospatial Data Science and Digital Twins, with over two decades of experience. He has proven expertise in applying Geospatial Science and Digital Twins across various sectors, including Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC), Local Governance, Urban/Spatial Planning, Physical Asset Management, Railway Engineering, and Disaster Risk Reduction and Management for city resilience. 

Currently, Anthony is the Discipline Director at Buro Happold Ltd, where he oversees the Global GIS and Digital Twins advisory, consulting, and solutions delivery services. His role involves providing data-driven and accelerating technology advances in Masterplanning, intelligent infrastructure design and construction, and pathways to net zero and decarbonisation. He also specializes in delivering immersive visualisation and real-time 3D solutions to support decision-making, data communication, and sharing at all levels of the built environment. 

Anthony's expertise also includes design thinking and innovation, digital maturity assessments, development of Digital Twins business cases and strategies, data standards, methods, and procedures development, as well as comprehensive enterprise data and information modelling and management, including data integration and interoperability. 

In addition, Anthony leads Buro Happold Cities' computational engineering efforts, contributing to the firm's leadership in data-driven city design and development. His work supports the creation of vibrant urban environments, lifestyle communities, community cohesion, and overall well-being. 

About the Talk

Topic: Smart Infrastructure Planning and Delivery Using Digital Twins:  

Case Studies of:  

• Low Carbon Bridge Concept Over the River Thames and 

• Silvertown Bridge – London Royal Docks 

• Digital Planning – Placemaking and Creation of Exciting Urban Environments and Lifestyle Communities 

Abstract 

Planning and delivering major infrastructure projects depend on innovative, data-driven decisions and technology solutions to achieve optimal results. Examples of such projects include bridges, roads and highways, smart buildings, and smart energy systems. Investments in these infrastructure assets are capital-intensive and significantly impact multiple stakeholders and the environment, both positively and negatively. Due to their complexity, these projects can take several years from design and planning to execution, often involving political will and negotiations. However, when planned and delivered effectively, they have substantial positive economic impacts, becoming critical national assets whose benefits transcend generations and support economic growth. 

Digital Twins provide a powerful tool for analysing existing structures, envisioning infrastructure designs, and simulating future scenarios. This technology helps identify risks and challenges, allowing for informed interventions and understanding measurable outcomes to make the right decisions and choices. 

Two bridges in London —the Low Carbon Bridge Concept Design over the River Thames and the Silvertown Bridge in the London Royal Docks and Placemaking and Urban Regeneration Digital Twins — will be used as case studies for this approach. By studying these bridges and the urban environment virtually, valuable insights can be gained to enhance safety, suitability, sustainability, and longevity. Digital twins also serve as a platform for stakeholder engagement and collaboration, promoting transparency and wider participation. Such proactive measures ultimately contribute to a more resilient and efficient urban environment, improving mobility and accessibility to historically hard-to-reach spaces and places. 

Figure 1: Silvertown Bridge – London Royal Docks 

Figure 2 – Low Carbon Bridge Concept Design Over the River Thames 

Figure 3 – Placemaking and Creation of Exciting Urban Environment and Lifestyle Communities