WeReno surveyed 500 commercial construction project teams across North America to understand how digital twin adoption has changed in the past 12 months. The results reveal an industry in transition: adoption is accelerating, but the gap between intent and execution remains large. Most teams believe digital twins improve outcomes. Far fewer are running one on their current project. Here are the key findings.

The survey covered GCs, owners, project managers, and FM directors across hotel and hospitality, commercial office, mixed-use, healthcare, and industrial sectors. Projects ranged from $5M to over $500M in construction value.

Adoption has accelerated — but unevenly

64% of respondents are using some form of digital twin on at least one active project — up from 41% in 2024. That 23-point increase in 12 months represents the fastest adoption acceleration we've recorded since we began tracking in 2022. But "some form of digital twin" covers a wide range. From our maturity model analysis, fewer than 20% of respondents using a digital twin are operating at Stage 3 or above — meaning less than 13% of all respondents have a genuinely live, stakeholder-connected twin on an active project.

The majority of adoption sits at Stage 1 or Stage 2: a model exists, data has been added, but the twin is not live and is not being used for active project delivery. This distinction matters because the project management and handover value of digital twins comes almost entirely from Stage 3 and above.

Key findings

1. 64% of teams using digital twins on at least one active project (2024: 41%)
2. 38% say their main barrier is knowing where to start — not cost, not technology availability
3. Hotels and mixed-use are the fastest-growing segment by project count and twin deployment rate
4. Teams using live twins (Stage 3+) report 31% fewer weekly coordination meetings on average
5. 72% of owner respondents say they will require a structured digital handover from GCs by 2026
6. Only 19% of teams currently deliver a structured digital handover at project completion

The implementation gap

The most significant finding is not the adoption rate — it's the gap between intent and execution. 78% of respondents believe digital twins improve project outcomes. Only 34% are using one on their current project in any meaningful way. That 44-point gap is the implementation gap, and it represents the largest opportunity in the industry.

The primary barrier — cited by 38% of non-adopters — is knowing where to start. This is a workflow problem, not a technology problem. The tools exist. The case for adoption is established. What's missing for most teams is a clear on-ramp from their current BIM workflow to a live digital twin, without requiring a major process overhaul or a specialist hire.

Where adoption is concentrated

• Hospitality & hotel renovation — Highest adoption by project type; driven by the complexity of phased renovation with live operations
• Mixed-use commercial — Fastest growing; multiple stakeholder groups benefit from the shared visibility the twin provides
• Healthcare — Highest compliance-driven adoption; digital handover is increasingly specified as a contract deliverable
• Industrial / warehouse — Lowest current adoption but highest stated interest; a segment to watch in 2026

What changes in 2026

Owner expectations are shifting fastest. 72% of owner respondents say they will require a structured digital handover deliverable from their GCs by 2026 — regardless of whether their current contracts specify it. This expectation is being driven by FM directors who have experienced the difference between a structured digital handover and a folder of PDFs. Once you've received a twin with a complete asset register and linked O&M documentation, you cannot go back to paper.

For GCs, this represents a clear market signal: digital handover capability will increasingly be a bid requirement, not a differentiator. Teams who can't demonstrate a clear digital twin workflow risk losing bids to those who can. The 19% of teams currently delivering structured digital handovers are building a competitive advantage that will be difficult to replicate quickly.

How to benchmark your own adoption

Use the five-stage digital twin maturity model to assess where your program sits today and what specific steps move you to the next stage. Most teams can move from Stage 2 to Stage 3 — from an enriched model to a live construction twin — within 30 days of a first upload, without changing their existing BIM workflow. The starting point is simpler than most teams expect.