Blenheim Palace develops pioneering digital twin to protect and preserve historic estate

Blenheim Palace has unveiled a pioneering digital twin – a sophisticated virtual model of the 300-year-old World Heritage Site – designed to safeguard the estate’s heritage while driving innovation in sustainability and efficiency.

Built in collaboration with the Heritage Innovation Lab Oxford (HILO) at the University of Oxford, the digital twin combines centuries of archival records with real-time data from cutting-edge sensors and monitoring systems. It provides a “single source of truth” for the Palace’s fabric and operations, enabling conservation teams to predict risks in ancient stonework, reduce energy use, and model the long-term impacts of climate change on the estate.

The pilot has already demonstrated its potential: since February this year, the system has helped cut energy consumption in the Blenheim Estate Office by an impressive 46%. The initiative forms part of Blenheim’s wider sustainability objective to reduce energy consumption by 20% by 2025, aligning heritage preservation with environmental responsibility.

Further, the Digital Twin is enhanced by insights from the Palace Archives. Using cutting-edge optical character recognition technology, historical maintenance records were digitised and further analysed with the help of large language models. This means that the long, complicated history of the palace is available at-a-glance for its modern-day stewards.

David Green, Head of Innovation at Blenheim Palace, explained: “This is the latest step in how we are embracing AI across the Palace and Estate. The digital twin brings together historical knowledge, live sensor data and predictive modelling into a single platform. It allows us to re-imagine how a historic estate can be managed – not just preserving our past, but shaping a more resilient future.

“We’re not just preserving our heritage – we’re reimagining how historic estates can thrive in the digital age, setting new standards for sustainable preservation that will inspire heritage sites worldwide and safeguard these treasures for generations to come.”

Professor Heather Viles, from HILO, added: “It’s been very exciting working with Blenheim Palace on this project, and together exploring imaginative ways to push the frontiers of heritage research, conservation and management”

As well as enabling early identification of potential issues, the twin supports strategic planning, integrates short-term conservation projects with long-term maintenance, and provides accessible visualisations for stakeholders. The system is also designed to scale – with the potential to be replicated across other historic estates facing similar challenges of rising costs, climate pressures, and the need to balance conservation with modern efficiency.

ENDS

Issued on behalf of Blenheim Palace. For more information please contact Jon Perks at Cab Campaign – [email protected]

About Blenheim Palace 

Home to the Dukes of Marlborough since 1705, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Blenheim Palace is set in over 2,000 acres of ‘Capability’ Brown landscaped parkland and is the birthplace of one of Britain’s most famous leaders, Sir Winston Churchill.

With over 300 years of history to share and one of the most important and extensive collections in Europe, Blenheim Palace is not only an iconic part of history, but also a living, changing experience with a wealth of sporting and cultural events, themed exhibitions and tours all year around.

A short miniature train ride away from the Palace is the Walled Garden, which boasts interactive areas entirely dedicated for families to explore including Adventure Play and the Rowse Honey Hive, The Marlborough Maze and Butterfly House. With curated events, an exciting programme of annual activities, entertainment and dedicated eateries for families, these areas guarantee a memorable family day out.

Beyond the grounds and an array of Formal Gardens, the total Estate expands into a further 10,000 acres and focuses on care for the land through sustainable means, pursuing net zero, the growth of the local economy, the provision of affordable homes, apprenticeship training and supported community groups.

Blenheim Palace is Britain’s Greatest Palace.