INTRODUCTION

Digital Twin (DT) technologies are increasingly a topic of interest to the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry at both academic and industry levels. Nevertheless, comprehensive digitization processes in the supply chain and the broad adoption of DT technologies are progressing slowly. The implementation of DT technologies in the AEC sector has several challenges, including identifying compatible technologies, properly defining the contexts of usage, and evaluating the effects and efficacy of the investments. The advent of the Fourth Industrial Revolution started the process of adopting Key Enabling Technologies (KETs) and laid the foundation for ICT systems integration as an integrated design method for many industries, including the AEC industry. It is believed that the pervasive deployment of DT technologies will lead the AEC sector to increase its levels of efficiency and effectiveness, reduce systematic errors, and increase awareness of decision-making processes, particularly related to more effective risk management. In the European scenario, although the different member states show varying levels of digitisation of the supply chain, it is important to highlight how the presence of numerous small and medium-sized enterprises that characterise the domestic production sector represents, once again, a challenge to the adoption of the technologies under consideration.