Digital Twin · BEAM · NUS Kent Ridge

A living replica
of the campus microclimate

The BEAM Digital Twin fuses real-time sensor data, 3D building and greenery models, satellite imagery, and machine learning into a single interactive platform — informing urban heat mitigation and campus planning decisions at NUS.

Launch Digital Twin ↗ Opens the live interactive platform
Monitoring infrastructure
The sensor network

49 instruments deployed across NUS Kent Ridge — click any sensor type to view full specifications.

40
Weather stations
Deployed on lamp posts and rooftops across campus. Measure air temperature, humidity, wind, solar irradiance, and rainfall at 1-minute intervals.
Air temp. Humidity Wind Solar Rain
View specifications
6
IR thermal cameras
Rooftop cameras capturing surface temperature maps every 30 minutes. Installed at BIZ1, KEH, MD6, SDE3, T-Lab, and UCC.
Surface temp. Visual reference
View specifications
3
Meteorological towers
Instrument towers measuring vertical atmospheric profiles at 3, 6, 9, and 12 m heights — capturing how temperature and wind vary with elevation.
Vertical profiles Wind (3-axis)
View specifications
Sensor locations
Campus deployment map

All 49 sensors across NUS Kent Ridge — weather stations, IR thermal cameras, and meteorological towers. Click any marker for location details.

Map data © Google · Sensor locations as of April 2024 · Open full map ↗

Sensor type 01

Weather stations

40 units across NUS Kent Ridge — 32 at ground level on lamp posts, 8 on rooftops. All operational by end of March 2024.

Total deployed
40 units
Data interval
1 minute (raw)
Ground-level
32 (lamp post)
Rooftop
8 units
Air temperature Relative humidity Wind speed & direction Solar irradiance Rainfall* 3-axis wind*
ParameterSensorRangeAccuracyResolution
Air temperatureLSI DNB200−40 to 80°C±0.3°C0.1°C
Relative humidityLSI DNB2000–100%±3%0.1%
Wind speedLSI DNB2000–60 m/s±0.3 m/s0.01 m/s
Wind directionLSI DNB2000–360°±3°0.1°
Wind speed (3-axis)*LSI DNB1460–70 m/s±1%0.01 m/s
Solar irradianceLSI DPA8630–1500 W/m²±10%1%
Rainfall*LSI DQA230.10–500 mm/h±0.2 mm0.2 mm

* 3-axis wind sensor and rain gauge on 3 rooftop units only. BEAM Ph.1 §3.2, Table 33

Sensor type 02

IR thermal cameras

6 rooftop cameras operational by February 2024. Each connected to a mini-PC in a weatherproof ventilated box.

Total deployed
6 cameras
Thermal interval
Every 30 min
Visible image
Every 60 min
Locations
BIZ1, KEH, MD6, SDE3, T-Lab, UCC
Surface temperature maps Visible reference images
SpecificationValue
Infrared resolution464 × 348 pixels
Field of view95° × 74°
Spatial resolution4.0 mrad/pixel
Temperature range−20°C to 175°C
Accuracy±2°C (within −20°C to 100°C)
Thermal image interval30 minutes
Visible image interval60 minutes
HousingWeatherproof ventilated box + mini-PC

BEAM Ph.1 §3.2, Table 35

Sensor type 03

Meteorological towers

3 towers with measurements at 4 heights: 3, 6, 9, and 12 m. The MD1 tower additionally measures adjacent building surface temperatures at 5 heights.

Total deployed
3 towers
Measurement heights
3, 6, 9, 12 m
Wind measurement
3-axis at 9 m
Special (MD1 only)
Building surface temp. at 5 heights
Air temp. at 4 heights Rel. humidity at 4 heights Wind speed & dir. (9 m) Solar irradiance (2 m) Surface temp. — MD1 only
ParameterSensorRangeAccuracyResolution
Air temperatureLSI DMA672.1−50 to 100°C±0.1°C0.01°C
Relative humidityLSI DMA672.10–100%±1%0.1%
Wind speed & dir.LSI DNB146 (3-axis)0–70 m/s · 0–360°±1%0.01 m/s · 0.1°
Solar irradianceLSI DPA8630–1500 W/m²±10%1%
Surface temperature*LSI DLE124A−50 to 80°C±0.15°C0.01°C

* Surface temperature sensor on MD1 tower only, at 1.5, 3, 6, 9, and 12 m. BEAM Ph.1 §3.2, Table 36

Explore the Digital Twin
What's inside

Select a section to learn how the BEAM DT is built, what data it holds, and what it enables.

Related research
Key publications

Peer-reviewed work underpinning the BEAM Digital Twin platform.

Journal of Digital Landscape Architecture · 2025
Lu, Y., et al. (2025) Integrating Multisource Data for Comprehensive Greenery Modeling in a Digital Twin
Read ↗
CISBAT 2025
Wang, D., et al. (2025) Enhancing Urban Digital Twin Interfaces to Support Thermal Comfort Planning
Read ↗
CISBAT 2025
Xu, R., et al. (2025) Digital Twin-Driven Insights into Microclimate in Tropical Urban Environments
Read ↗
CISBAT 2025
Gottkehaskamp, B., et al. (2025) Walking the Heat: Why Thermal Walks Matter for High Resolution Microclimate Mapping
Read ↗
ASim 2024
Ignatius, M., et al. (2024) Digital Twin and Wearables Unveiling Pedestrian Comfort Dynamics and Walkability in Cities
Read ↗
ASim 2024
Lim, J., et al. (2024) Interactive Urban Heat Island Assessment: Dynamic Data Fusion in Digital Twins
Read ↗