How we design, create and use physical spaces is at the centre of the global emissions challenge. It’s also part of the solution.
At Climate Week NYC this year, the Built Environment is a highlight theme. One question on everyone’s mind: How can the rapid advancement of AI make construction more sustainable and efficient?
Our media partner for the Built Environment workstream of Climate Week NYC Constructing a Sustainable Future has been investigating.
Here are five key trends.
The emergence rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has revolutionized the design phase, which is traditionally time-consuming and iterative. Architects now have access to digital assistants capable of exploring hundreds of possible variations for a single project in just a few minutes, taking multiple parameters into account: energy performance, environmental impact, cost, comfort of occupants. This type of generative design not only saves time, but also optimizes the expected performance of the building.
This is illustrated by the Z_Zwo office buildings in Stuttgart-Möhringen, Germany, which underwent an ecological retrofit program. Generative design tools were used to carry out various planning tasks, such as the design of the façade and the photovoltaic system.
AI is also revolutionizing production lines, notably through the emergence of robotic systems. The French low-carbon construction company Vestack offers a remarkable illustration of this with its off-site construction process. The company uses smart robots whose actions are no longer pre-programmed, but determined in real time by AI-based algorithms.
These machines analyze each component to be assembled and automatically define their own sequence of movements, so that tasks such as high-speed nailing can be carried out precisely and as quickly as possible. Far from replacing humans, this development is redefining jobs in the sector, with the emergence of robot operators for example.
Innovation is also to be found in the formulation of materials, as demonstrated by Concrete Copilot. Using generative AI, this tool can come up with millions of possible mix formulas in just a few moments. This enables manufacturers to identify the most suitable concrete mix for a specific structure.
A design process that used to take several weeks is now completed in minutes, while guaranteeing compliance with engineering, safety and performance standards. The results? In addition to boosting productivity and cutting costs, this approach reduces the carbon footprint of concrete by 30%.
This digital transformation also benefits the plasterboard manufacturing sector. Imagine algorithms that can determine panel placement with unprecedented precision, to reduce cutting and waste. This optimization even paves the way for pre-cutting in the factory based on digital mock-ups, meaning that ready-to-install “assembly kits” can be delivered to building sites. This results in considerable time savings during installation, less waste, and lower energy consumption during the construction phase. Offcuts could also be immediately returned to the production cycle, a perfect example of the circular economy.
What if buildings could adapt to their occupants? We’re not quite there yet, but AI can already analyze residents’ pace of life. ARIA, the virtual assistant developed by BrainBox AI, is a digital concierge that revolutionizes day-to-day building management. It combines predictive analysis and automation to share data enabling real-time adjustment of heating, ventilation and air conditioning.
Built in 2023 in Berlin, Germany, Edge East Side is a connected office building designed by Barkow Leibinger and Eike Becker Architekten. It features energy performance monitoring and automation tools that adjust operating systems in real time to maximize efficiency and comfort.
The world’s architectural heritage is also benefiting from advances in AI. From the majestic vaults of Saint Peter’s Basilica to the arabesques of the Alhambra, these buildings are durable by nature, but they are seeing their longevity threatened by the erosion of time, environmental threats and conflicts, and preserving these treasures has become a challenge.
AI promises a real revolution for professionals involved in renovating historic buildings. Because AI doesn’t just observe historic monuments, it examines them in minute detail. More than a simple analytical tool, it helps curators by detecting the invisible and anticipating risks before they become critical.
Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome is a perfect illustration of this technological revolution. The Vatican teamed up with Microsoft and French start-up Iconem to digitize this architectural gem for the first time. The result? Nearly 400,000 high-resolution photographs processed using artificial intelligence to create a digital twin accurate down to the last millimeter. More than a simple model, the algorithms cross-reference this geolocated data with historical archives to reveal the invisible. From micro-cracks to areas of structural fragility, AI detects early signs of deterioration.
AI systems are emerging as powerful tools in the transformation of the construction sector, paving the way for more efficient, sustainable and comfortable buildings. But it also brings new challenges: how do you quickly provide AI training to a vast number of professionals in a globalized sector that requires the collaboration of a multitude of stakeholders? Is the construction sector ready to rethink its business models and value chains to take full advantage of these artificial intelligence solutions?
Climate Week NYC will be a key space to discuss these and other questions around AI in the Built Environment, and where we might go next.
An earlier version of this article featured on
Constructing a Sustainable Future.