An Indian Institute of Science (IISc)-supported data platform and a Japanese construction technology company have agreed to collaborate in leveraging untapped construction data for AI-driven urban development. DataKaveri Systems, affiliated with IISc Bengaluru’s Centre of Data for Public Good (CDPG), and ONESTRUCTION Inc., a Tottori-based expert in open-standard built environment data, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to facilitate strategic and technical cooperation in exchanging urban and built environment data.
The MoU was formalized at IISc Bengaluru during the Japan-India AI Strategic Dialogue, with the presence of officials from Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), and India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). This partnership aims to merge ONESTRUCTION’s construction data proficiency, centered on openBIM standards like Industry Foundation Classes (IFC), with DataKaveri’s Intelligent Universal Data Exchange (IUDX), a platform already operational in 55 smart cities in India, encompassing urban mobility, utilities, environment, and public services.
The collaboration seeks to tackle a significant challenge in urban environments where construction and infrastructure data often remain isolated and inaccessible post-project completion. By integrating such data into scalable and secure data exchanges, the initiative strives to enable its utilization in AI applications at a city-wide scale and digital twin projects.
As part of the agreement, both entities will explore the integration of IFC-compliant construction data with the IUDX platform, work together on developing AI applications for smart city and urban infrastructure scenarios, and jointly pursue funding and development opportunities. Ashok Krishnan, Vice President of Commercial Business and Revenue at CDPG and DataKaveri Systems, highlighted that the construction sector harbors a wealth of data typically confined within organizational boundaries and underutilized beyond specific projects.
He emphasized that combining openBIM capabilities with a secure data exchange layer like IUDX would facilitate trusted, regulated data flows into AI applications, aiding urban planners and city administrators in making better-informed decisions. Lucas Haywood, Vice President of Global Strategy at ONESTRUCTION, expressed that the partnership signifies a move towards making standardized building data valuable alongside other urban datasets such as mobility, environment, and utilities.
