Digital Land Twin – Land ID
A continuously evolving digital ecosystem for land and property. It brings together data, geography, planning, environment, infrastructure, development, construction and asset performance in one intelligent platform.
Understanding land today, testing its future and intelligently managing what we build upon it for generations to come.
One location. One digital identity. One record that keeps learning and evolving.
One permanent Land ID
Land intelligence
Building & plot IDs
Lifetime records
Simple idea. Big problem.
We already have huge amounts of useful data and technology. The problem is that it sits with different organisations, in different systems, at different stages of a project. Every time a site changes hands, much of it is collected again.
Read the full visionClose the vision
Technology is advancing at extraordinary speed. AI evolves almost daily, automation is accelerating, and digital systems are transforming how we live and work.
Yet one thing remains finite:
Land.
We cannot create more of it. We can only understand it better, use it more intelligently and manage it more responsibly to support a growing population, providing:
Land is the foundation of almost everything we build and depend upon.
At the same time, we already have enormous amounts of data: digital maps (GIS), building information models (BIM), sensors and increasingly powerful AI. Yet much of this intelligence is fragmented across disconnected organisations, systems and decisions.
Our vision is to connect it.
Digital Land Twin
A continuously evolving digital ecosystem for land and property. It brings together data, geography, planning, environment, infrastructure, development, construction and asset performance in one intelligent platform.
It enables us to:
The system considers both directions:
How the surrounding world affects the land.
How the way we develop land affects the environment, infrastructure, economy, communities and human wellbeing.
AI introduces uncertainty, but it also gives us an unprecedented ability to model alternative futures before committing physical resources and capital.
The technology is not science fiction.
Across Europe and internationally, governments and cities are already developing national built-environment information systems, spatial digital twins, BIM-based permitting, smart-city models, real-time infrastructure monitoring and connected building data. These precedents show that the individual components already work.
So Land Passport is not about reinventing everything. Much of the technology and data already exists. The opportunity is to connect it:
Digital twins, autonomous AI systems, robotics and connected infrastructure are developing rapidly across the world. Whether we choose the timing or not, the built environment will become increasingly digital, connected and intelligent.
The question is not whether we adapt. It is how quickly, and how intelligently, we do it.
Digital Land Twin: understanding land today, testing its future and intelligently managing what we build upon it for generations to come.
What does Land Passport do?
It gives a piece of land its own Digital Land ID, like a passport. Information is then connected to it, so the site can be understood, tested, monitored and managed over time.
1. Understand the land
Location, ownership, planning, constraints, market, environment, infrastructure and current condition.
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- Planning history and local planning policy
- Flooding, wildlife, heritage, trees and contamination
- Ownership and legal title
- Roads, access, water, power and drainage
- Land levels, existing buildings and site area
- House prices, rents and local demand
Each piece of information shows where it came from, when, and whether it is checked fact or an estimate.
2. Test possible futures
Compare what the site could become: its value, planning chances, risks and wider effect on people and the environment.
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The same site can be tested as, for example, its current use, a few houses, flats, a care home, storage, business units or a mix.
- Chance of getting planning permission
- Value, building cost and profit
- Effect on traffic, schools and GP surgeries
- Effect on nature and carbon
- Jobs and local spending
The aim is the best overall result, not simply the biggest scheme.
3. Follow the asset for life
Planning, building design, construction, energy, maintenance, warranties, refurbishment, redevelopment and eventual reuse.
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- Planning: approved drawings and every condition attached to the permission
- Building: an intelligent 7D model of the whole site, inspections, and a check that what was built matches what was approved
- In use: energy, equipment, servicing and warranty reminders
- End of life: which materials can be reused, then the land starts again with its full history
Two-way intelligence
The passport asks two questions: what does the world around a site do to it, and what will a new development do to the world around it?
World → Site
Planning rules, access, flooding, utilities, wildlife, the market, schools, transport and infrastructure.
Site → World
Traffic, energy, drainage, nature, jobs, the local economy, services, housing and wellbeing.
See the full impact model
Environment
Wildlife and habitats, flooding and rainwater, pollution, noise, light, water use, carbon, waste and landscape.
Economy
Jobs, building spend, local spending, business activity, council income, regeneration and investment.
People and community
Homes, affordability, accessibility, schools, healthcare, open space, safety and community benefit.
Infrastructure
Roads, buses and trains, walking and cycling, electricity and car charging, water, drainage, sewers and broadband.
Adding it all up
One scheme may be fine on its own, but several nearby schemes together can overload a junction, a school or a sewer. The passport looks at them together.
Why it counts as a digital twin
Information flows both ways. Changes in the real world update the passport; the passport suggests what to do next; and what actually happens is recorded so its next suggestion is better.
Three connected phases
Land Twin
What is here, what could it become, and what is the best use?
More detail
The passport starts before anything has been decided. It records the current state of the land and keeps watching for changes that could affect what it can become.
- Best use of the land
- How many homes or how much floor space could fit
- Different development options compared
- Possible value and profit
- Effect on the area
- Risks and the recommended next step
Development & Construction Twin
What is approved, designed, ordered and actually built?
More detail
- Planning: permissions, conditions and agreements, and whether each has been met
- Design: an intelligent 7D model of the whole site (shape, time, cost, sustainability and operation), placed in its real location
- Construction: programme, cost, contractors, inspections, photos, drone surveys, defects and warranties
The result is a clear history of what was designed, what was approved and what was actually built.
Living Property Twin
How is the building performing, and what should happen next?
More detail
- Energy, water, heating, solar and broadband
- Equipment, servicing, inspections and warranties
- Energy certificates, safety and running costs
- Alterations, refurbishment and insurance
Examples: unusual energy use triggers an alert; a warranty about to expire sends a reminder; a future extension starts with the structure and services already known.
7D BIM + AI intelligence.
Land Passport builds a living, intelligent model of the entire site.
Every object in the model carries real information: what it is, when it is built, what it costs, how it performs and how to look after it. That covers the buildings and also the ground levels, roads, drainage, utilities, landscaping and neighbouring context, all fixed to their exact real-world location.
The model is wired to real-life data in both directions. AI constantly checks it against what is really happening on site, predicts what comes next and recommends the best action, so the model is always current and never just a drawing.
Shape
Buildings, ground levels, roads, pipes and cables, trees and the surrounding area, placed on the real map.
Time
The building programme and phasing, so you can watch the site being built step by step before work starts.
Cost
Quantities and costs that update automatically when the design changes.
Sustainability
Energy use, carbon, biodiversity net gain and running costs, compared option by option.
Operation
Every door, boiler and pump with its manufacturer, servicing dates and warranty, ready for the owner.
Real-life data comes in
- Site photos, drone and laser scans
- Smart meters and building sensors
- Inspections, deliveries and actual costs
- Planning decisions and new local data
The model thinks
- Spots when reality differs from the plan
- Predicts cost, delay, energy use and failures
- Compares options and picks the best balance
- Answers questions in plain English
Actions go out
- Alerts to the builder, owner or council
- Updated programme, costs and orders
- Maintenance jobs booked before things break
- Advice on the next best step
Every result is recorded, so the model learns and its next prediction is more accurate. That is what makes it a true digital twin.
How 7D BIM + AI works
Every object carries information
A window is not just a shape. It knows its size, maker, cost, energy rating, carbon, installation date and warranty. The same applies to walls, roofs, drains, roads and plant.
Across the whole site
The model covers the site boundary, ground levels, access roads, drainage, utilities, landscaping and biodiversity areas, as well as the context of neighbouring buildings and streets.
Connected to the passport
The model is linked to the site's passport number and its real location, so planning conditions, costs and later maintenance all refer to the same objects.
Ask it questions
For example: How much would one more house add to cost and traffic? Which option has the lowest carbon? What needs servicing next year? AI reads the model and answers in plain language.
Built on UK standards
Uses the UK BIM Framework (ISO 19650) and open IFC files, so architects, engineers and contractors can use their own software.
A note on terms
The meaning of 4D to 7D varies slightly across the industry. Here we follow common UK use: time, cost, sustainability and operation.
Who benefits?
The same trusted record supports decisions across the whole chain, without everyone rebuilding the same information again and again.
Public sector
Government, councils, planning, building control, highways and utility companies.
More
- See how new schemes add up across an area
- Track what was promised in planning, and whether it was delivered
- Plan roads, schools, water and power earlier
- Monitor housing delivery
Development industry
Landowners, developers, investors, architects, engineers, surveyors and builders.
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- See what a site could become before spending money
- Find problems early
- Reuse earlier surveys and designs instead of starting again
- Hand over a complete digital record at the end
Whole-life chain
Manufacturers, suppliers, insurers, lenders, valuers, owners, occupiers and property managers.
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- Buyers get a property with its full history, not boxes of paperwork
- Lenders, insurers and valuers get checked evidence
- Owners know their equipment, servicing and warranties
- Suppliers see what new schemes will need
Who sees what
Public
Location, planning status and public constraints.
Professionals
Analysis and development options.
Owner
The full passport, including values and costs.
Private and secure
Personal data is protected under UK data law. Security details such as alarms and fire plans are restricted. AI estimates are always labelled, and qualified professionals make the final decisions.
This is not science fiction.
Finland, Estonia, Denmark, Sweden, Australia, Japan, Helsinki, Singapore and the UK are already proving different parts of this. Land Passport connects these ideas around one record for one site, for its whole life.
See global precedents
Estonia
Digital records for buildings across their whole life, from planning to demolition.
Finland
A national system holding planning and building permit information in one standard format.
New South Wales, Australia
A 3D digital twin with property boundaries, infrastructure and near-live data.
Japan
Free, detailed 3D models of hundreds of cities that companies can build on.
Sweden and Denmark
Government, universities and industry working together on digital building, and a national property register built on "collect once, reuse".
United Kingdom
The National Digital Twin Programme connects separate twins safely. Derby City Council already uses a 3D twin for city-centre planning.
What is still missing
None of these keeps one record for a single site from raw land, through planning and building, to use and redevelopment. That is the gap Land Passport fills.
The whole property world is moving to digital and AI.
Government, regulators and professional bodies are already making land and property information digital, connected and AI-ready. Land Passport is designed to fit with them, not compete.
See more: 9 organisations going digital
UK Government
The AI Opportunities Action Plan (January 2025) sets out how AI should be used across the economy and public services.
HM Land Registry
Its Business Plan 2026+ commits to a more digital property market and responsible use of AI.
More
- Automating residential mortgage applications
- Testing digital property logbooks and reusable digital identity
- Moving local land charges into one geospatial register by April 2029
- Secure API access to property data, with more datasets linked to property references (UPRNs)
RICS
The first global professional standard on responsible use of AI in surveying has applied to RICS members since March 2026.
National Digital Twin Programme
Builds the standards for digital twins across the UK to share information safely.
Digital planning
The government's Planning Data platform publishes more than 100 planning and housing datasets for England in one place, and its Digital Planning Programme funds new planning tools.
Ordnance Survey
National mapping, addresses and building data available to developers through APIs.
UK BIM Framework
The UK standard for managing building information through design, construction and operation (ISO 19650).
Building Safety Regulator
Requires a digital "golden thread" of safety information for higher-risk buildings throughout their life.
Geospatial Commission
The UK Geospatial Strategy 2030 promotes location data, AI and real-time information in property, transport and utilities.
Government is encouraging this, and there are ways to fund it.
Land Passport would be developed through research partnerships and innovation funding first, with partners giving time and data. These are the main routes being explored.
See more: 9 support and finance routes
Knowledge Transfer Partnership
A university partnership with a dedicated graduate, part-funded by government through Innovate UK.
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- Links a business with a university such as the University of Derby
- Runs from one to three years
- Government covers a large share of the cost for small businesses
Innovate UK
The UK's innovation agency runs regular competitions for new technology, including AI and the built environment.
PropTech Innovation Fund
Government funding for technology firms and councils working together to speed up planning and housing delivery.
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- Round 6 (2026) shared £2.4 million between 11 teams
- Each team paired technology companies with at least two planning authorities
- A close fit for a Land Passport pilot with councils
Geovation
Run by Ordnance Survey, with an HM Land Registry PropTech track. Offers up to £20,000 equity-free, plus data, mentoring and a network.
Connected Places Catapult
Helps new ideas for places and infrastructure get tested in the real world with public and private partners.
Derby and the East Midlands
Team Derby, launched in April 2026 with £10 million of government backing, brings the council, university and business together on growth, placemaking and infrastructure.
R&D tax relief
Companies developing new technology can claim back part of their research and development costs.
Start Up Loans
Government-backed personal loans for founders starting or growing a business, with free mentoring.
Partners in kind
Councils, developers, landowners and professionals can contribute data, sites, expertise and time instead of cash. Nobody is asked to buy software.
Funding depends on open calls and eligibility. Listing a programme does not mean it has been awarded or that the organisation endorses Land Passport.
Prove it from raw land.
Take a real small housing site near Derby, of 5 to 20 homes, and build its Land Passport from the start: from raw land and uncertainty, through options, planning and construction, to everyday use.
Explore the proposed pilot
Three real test sites
- A piece of land: find the best option for a raw site
- A scheme being built: check that what is built matches what was approved
- A building in use: track energy, maintenance and warranties
The ideal land site
- Inside the Derby City boundary, outside the city centre
- A small residential scheme of 5 to 20 dwellings
- Some real planning questions, such as access, wildlife or drainage
- A landowner and developer willing to take part
Why Derby
- Derby City Council already uses a 3D digital twin for city-centre planning
- The new Local Plan includes at least 12,500 homes to 2043, many outside the centre
- The University of Derby has research teams in data, AI and the built environment
The test, step by step (about two years)
Discover → Analyse → Test options → Measure impact → Design → Build the 7D model → Construct → Operate → Learn
Collaboration, not replacement.
Land Passport is not asking anyone to replace their systems. It proposes a shared test that connects existing data, skills and services around one site identity.
Consortium = the team
Land Passport + a university + the council + a developer + a landowner + a professional team.
See roles
- University: research and independent checking
- Council: planning knowledge, maps and public-sector testing
- Developer: a live project and real costs
- Landowner: the test site
- Professionals: architects, planners, surveyors and engineers
Pilot = the real test
Real sites where the idea is tested against real decisions.
See pilot
A piece of land, a scheme being built and a building in use, run side by side so the whole life of a site can be shown within about two years.
Funding = step by step
Research grants and a university partnership first, with partners giving time and data. Investment only once it is proven.
See funding route
Nobody is asked to buy software. Partners contribute knowledge, data and time, and the work is funded through collaborative research programmes such as Innovate UK.
Tomas Gurcinas
Digital Land Twin – Land Passport
Land Passport is a new venture built on years of hands-on work across architecture, planning, construction and land development.
- FOX IntelligenceFounder of a digital land intelligence business.
- FOX AtlasDigital presentation of land and new developments.
- Emperus ArchitecturePractice lead at a Derby-based architecture and planning consultancy.
Want to be part of the pilot?
We are looking for a university, a council, a developer and a landowner. Get in touch for a short briefing.