Member Spotlight: Faster homes, smarter planning - how VR and digital twins can support Ireland’s emergency housing plan.

The Transform Gov digital government podcast is part of the Ireland eGovernment awards and published in partnership ship with Accenture. Host Maeve Kneafsey spoke with Gavin Duffy, Founder and CEO of RealSim (a member of Eirmersive), about one of the most practical digital innovations Ireland can adopt today — immersive 3D digital twins for planning and infrastructure.

“From Jersey’s digital-first planning process to Fingal’s Balbriggan regeneration, 3D VR twins are demonstrating how accurate, accessible modelling can:

• Reduce planning delays

• Improve public consultation and decision-making

• Strengthen funding applications

• Support faster, better housing delivery

With Ireland preparing new emergency measures to address housing supply, this episode offers real, operational insight for public-sector leaders.If you work in planning, local government, housing delivery, urban development, data, mapping, or public-sector digital transformation, this is essential viewing.”

The discussion covered:

• Why housing delivery is stuck

• Why visuals can make or break decisions

• Jersey: the digital twin success story

• How Irish councils could copy this

• Reducing objections with real visualisation

• How digital twins help agencies collaborate

• Could Ireland build a national digital twin?

Watch the full interview below.