According to Fortune Business Insights, the global green building materials market is projected to grow from US$422.27bn in 2023 to US$951.15bn by 2030, at a CAGR of 12.3 percent
Survey findings
of respondents believe that the digital transformation of the construction industry will lead to a more sustainable and environmentally friendly approach to building projects.
of respondents believe that the digital transformation of the industry will have a significant impact on the development of more sustainable and environmentally friendly approaches to building projects.
of respondents believe that green construction initiatives will benefit from digital technologies, in terms of sustainable design and resource management.
Integration of technology in sustainable design and construction
BIM and sustainability performance
The market has seen a steady increase in the use of building information modelling (BIM) over the past decade and this is increasingly informing sustainability performance. Whether through the ease of material quantification, embodied carbon assessment and structural efficiency, or through the refinement of building systems design and energy modelling.
“As digitisation takes a greater lead in project delivery, we expect to see more prevalence of the use of digital twins and fully integrated BIM approaches from the outset of projects, carrying through into operation, helping to ensure that the consideration of sustainability performance doesn’t stop when a building is handed over.”
Kaarin Kalavus-Collins
Director, Digital, UAE
Digital tools are transforming early-stage design optimisation, enabling efficient carbon, cost and construction strategies. Sensitivity analysis and collaboration between designers and contractors are also key to delivering resilient assets with tangible whole-life value.
Energy-efficient buildings and smart energy management systems
Operational performance of buildings is an area of the market that has seen meaningful change in the past five years through digitisation. The integration of cloud solutions for data measurement, monitoring and management, acting as a conduit for carbon footprint assessment and ESG reporting, has highlighted some significant challenges to understanding and delivering energy-efficient buildings.
“There is a need for more robust integration of smart systems to support data management of sustainability performance through the design, construction, and delivery of buildings. The current approach to submetering and commissioning building systems in the region is insufficient for operational awareness and performance measurement. This often leads to the addition of sensors and digital data collection solutions later in an asset's life to address identified problems or perceived poor performance.”
Lindsey Malcom
Sustainability Lead, Middle East
Digital transformation can support the integration of sensors and controls across all aspects of an operation to a much greater extent than is currently seen – tracking multiple parameters for internal environmental quality, HVAC system performance and health, utilisation, occupancy and demand across a building. If coupled with machine learning systems and full system control and responsiveness (a combination of digital and physical components), there is the potential to fully optimise buildings for energy, comfort and wellbeing. Not only will this deliver significant savings in operational costs (maintenance, efficiency, utilities), but it will also provide healthy, attractive environments that will be a differentiator in the property market.
The role of digital tools in achieving green building certifications
The increasing stringency in green building certifications and the broadening of certification pathways have led to the use of digital tools and smart technology for performance simulation, design modelling, parametric assessment, sensitivity analysis and materials performance. This has facilitated more robust assessment of building performance at the earliest stages of design, enhancing sustainability credentials.
“There are several advantages for clients when carbon performance is connected to cost evaluation and quality consequences. All stages of a project's lifecycle can benefit from digital toolkits that improve certification and sustainability performance. But at the moment, the market isn't making full use of value, so the advantages are unclear.”
Lindsey Malcom
Sustainability Lead, Middle East
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