The impact of digital technologies on energy-efficient buildings: BIM and AI-based study

Article


Itanola, M. and Whang, S. 2024. The impact of digital technologies on energy-efficient buildings: BIM and AI-based study. International Journal of Sustainable Building Technology and Urban Development. 15 (3), pp. 392-412. https://doi.org/10.22712/susb.20240028
AuthorsItanola, M. and Whang, S.
Abstract

The building and construction sector significantly contributes to global energy consumption and carbon emissions, necessitating the exploration of innovative solutions for sustainability. This study investigates the transformative impact of digital technologies, specifically Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), on the development of energy-efficient buildings. By conducting a comprehensive scientometric and systematic review of 559 publications from 2010 to 2023, the research identifies prevailing trends, significant advancements, and existing challenges in the field. The findings reveal that BIM and AI hold substantial potential for enhancing energy efficiency during the early design and construction stages, facilitating better decision-making, reducing errors, and optimizing resource use. The study also highlights 14 specific categories of significant barriers to widespread adoption. These categories include interoperability issues, knowledge gaps, process complexity, lack of standards, data unavailability, industry resistance, low client interest, high service costs, trust deficits, technical issues, inflated technology costs, workflow inefficiencies, design errors, and role ambiguities. Particularly, interoperability issues, data integration challenges, and high initial costs emerged as the most severe challenges, hindering the smooth implementation of these technologies. These challenges underscore the need for developing robust standards and fostering a culture of innovation within the industry. This paper synthesizes current research, offering valuable insights into the critical role of digital construction technologies in advancing sustainable building practices and outlining directions for future research to overcome existing limitations.

KeywordsBuilding information modelling (BIM); artificial intelligence (AI); energy-efficient buildings; digital construction technologies
JournalInternational Journal of Sustainable Building Technology and Urban Development
Journal citation15 (3), pp. 392-412
ISSN2093-761X
2093-7628
Year2024
PublisherSustainable Building Research Center (ERC) Innovative Durable Building and Infrastructure Research Center
Publisher's version
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File Access Level
Anyone
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.22712/susb.20240028
Web address (URL)https://www.sbt-durabi.org/
Publication dates
Print30 Sep 2024
Publication process dates
Submitted02 Aug 2024
Deposited06 Jun 2025
Copyright holder© 2024 The Authors
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