Japan-based Onestruction Inc and DataKaveri Systems have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish a framework for strategic and technical collaboration in urban and built environment data exchange.
The agreement, announced by the Indian Institute of Science, aims to combine Onestruction’s expertise in construction data with DataKaveri’s data exchange infrastructure to support urban planning through accessible and interoperable datasets.
The MoU was signed at IISc Bengaluru in the presence of representatives from Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and India’s Ministry of External Affairs, on the sidelines of the Japan-India AI Strategic Dialogue, a bilateral initiative focused on cooperation in artificial intelligence and data infrastructure.
According to IISc, construction and infrastructure data remain among the least digitised and most fragmented datasets in urban ecosystems globally. While standards such as Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) have improved interoperability within construction workflows, large-scale systems to govern and exchange such data across cities are still evolving.
A significant portion of construction data, including floor plans, utility layouts and asset histories, often becomes inaccessible once projects are completed, limiting its use for long-term urban planning and management.
Onestruction specialises in openBIM and construction data workflows, while DataKaveri operates the Intelligent Universal Data Exchange (IUDX), a platform deployed across more than 50 smart cities in India, covering sectors such as mobility, utilities, environment and public services.
The collaboration will explore integrating openBIM-based construction data with the IUDX platform, enabling structured data to be shared and used at scale. It will also focus on developing AI-driven applications for urban infrastructure, digital twins and city management systems, along with identifying joint funding and development opportunities between India and Japan.
Lucas Haywood, VP (Global Strategy) at Onestruction, said global momentum around open data standards in the built environment is growing, driven by government mandates and the need for interoperable systems that retain the value of construction data across an asset’s lifecycle.
“The next step is to connect this data with broader urban systems such as mobility, environment and public services,” he said.
Ashok Krishnan, VP (Commercial Business and Revenue) at DataKaveri Systems, said integrating openBIM capabilities with the IUDX platform would enable standardised construction data to feed into advanced applications, including AI systems and digital twins.
“India and Japan have the institutional capacity to develop this into a global model for urban data exchange,” he said.
