A Japanese construction technology firm and a data platform backed by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have partnered to address a significant gap in urban planning: the loss of extensive construction data after building projects are completed. ONESTRUCTION Inc., a Tottori-based expert in open-standard built environment data, and DataKaveri Systems, the commercial branch of IISc Bengaluru’s Centre of Data for Public Good (CDPG), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at integrating construction data into AI-ready urban data exchanges in cities across India and Japan.
The agreement was formalized during the inaugural Japan-India AI Strategic Dialogue, a bilateral effort aimed at enhancing cooperation in AI and data infrastructure. Under this collaboration, the organizations plan to link ONESTRUCTION’s openBIM platform, which is built around the internationally recognized IFC open data standard for construction information, with DataKaveri’s Intelligent Universal Data Exchange (IUDX). This platform is already operational in 55 smart cities across India, addressing aspects like urban mobility, utilities, environmental concerns, and public services.
The goal is to ensure that vital construction data—such as floor plans, utility layouts, and asset histories—can flow securely into city-scale AI applications and digital twins, rather than be confined and lost within individual project silos once construction is complete. Lucas Haywood, Vice President of Global Strategy at ONESTRUCTION, highlighted that this partnership points toward a future where standardized building data can be integrated with broader city descriptors.
Ashok Krishnan, Vice President of Commercial Business and Revenue at CDPG and DataKaveri, emphasized that the construction industry holds “a goldmine of data” that rarely extends beyond the confines of separate projects. The two firms intend to jointly investigate AI use cases that leverage combined construction and urban datasets, while also seeking bilateral funding opportunities. Both organizations expressed hope that this model could be replicated on an international scale.
