IISc-backed DataKaveri, Japan’s ONESTRUCTION partner to unlock construction data for AI-led urban planning

India is taking a significant step toward smarter urban development with a new collaboration between an IISc-backed platform and a Japanese construction technology firm. DataKaveri Systems, the commercial arm of the Centre of Data for Public Good at the Indian Institute of Science Bengaluru, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with ONESTRUCTION Inc. to unlock the potential of construction data for artificial intelligence-led city planning.

The partnership focuses on integrating openBIM-based building data with India’s Intelligent Universal Data Exchange platform. IUDX is already deployed across more than 50 smart cities in the country and supports sectors such as mobility, utilities, environment, and public services. By bringing construction data into this ecosystem, the collaboration aims to break long-standing silos that have limited the use of infrastructure data beyond individual projects.

A major challenge in the construction and infrastructure sector has been the lack of accessibility to data once projects are completed. Valuable datasets often remain confined within organisations, making it difficult for urban planners and policymakers to leverage them for large-scale decision-making. This initiative seeks to change that by creating a secure and scalable data exchange framework.

With the integration of Industry Foundation Classes based data into IUDX, the project is expected to enable advanced use cases such as digital twins, predictive analytics, and AI-driven urban planning tools. These technologies can significantly improve city management by offering real-time insights into infrastructure performance and future development needs.

The agreement was signed at IISc Bengaluru during the Japan India AI Strategic Dialogue, with participation from key government stakeholders from both countries. This highlights the growing importance of international collaboration in building next-generation digital infrastructure.

As India continues to urbanise rapidly, initiatives like this are expected to play a crucial role in shaping smarter, more efficient, and data-driven cities. The partnership not only strengthens India’s smart city ecosystem but also positions it as a global leader in integrating construction data with AI technologies.