Integrating climate resilience and digital twin technologies in housing: A comparative analysis and sustainable design proposal for Jordan and South Africa
Ali Shehadeh, Alshboul Odey, Rania Aburamadan, Mai Arar, Suhaib Abuhazeem, Khaled Khazaleh, Victoria Andrea Cotella, Alireza Moghayedi
Abstract
• Developed climate-resilient housing designs for Jordan and South Africa. • Conducted comparative climate vulnerability analysis. • Achieved up to 25% reduction in heating and cooling energy demand in Jordan. • Demonstrated 30% water savings in South Africa by using rainwater harvesting. • Digital Twin models improved prediction accuracy of sustainability outcomes by 15%. This study presents a novel climate-resilient housing framework by integrating Digital Twin (DT) technologies and Revit-based simulations into the design of Net-Positive Sustainable Innovative Affordable Housing (NP-SIAH) within the Water, Energy, Food, and Environment (WEFE) nexus. Focusing on Jordan and South Africa, two regions with distinct climatic and socio-economic challenges, we employed climate vulnerability analysis using historical and projected datasets alongside community-driven insights to inform adaptive housing models. The applied DT models simulate dynamic thermal performance, water conservation, and structural resistance to various climate scenarios. Simulation outcomes reveal energy savings of 25% in Jordan and water conservation of 30% in South Africa. Simulation using DT also improved the accuracy of sustainability performance predictions by 15% in contrast to existing practices. This work offers practical policy guidelines for planners and policymakers who want to implement water-saving, scalable housing solutions in climate-vulnerable locations.