Aligning Digital Technologies with Sustainability for Embodied Carbon Reduction in Construction Projects
List of Authors
Mohd Adli Adanan, Sarajul Fikri Mohamed
Keyword
Embodied carbon, digital technologies, sustainability, construction, carbon management, BIM, IoT, digital twins, net-zero
Abstract
Construction industry is one of the largest contributors of greenhouse gases in the globe and the first stage of construction such as earthworks, materials manufacturing and transportation are significant contributors of embodied carbon. Although technologies such as Building Information Modelling (BIM), Internet of Things (IoT) and digital twins have the potential to transform the construction industry towards more sustainable construction, their application in the realm of construction project management is still scattered and unsatisfactory. The paper presents a conceptual study that proposes a framework that combines digital technologies and sustainable practices to provide low-carbon construction projects with emphasis on infrastructure project. The proposed framework is founded on the Digital Transformation Framework by Vial and the Technology Acceptance Model by Davis that connects the theoretical potential of digital tools and their practical application in embodied carbon reduction. It provides a systematic procedure, of which allows practitioners to trace carbon effects, make informed decision-making, and utilized digital technologies in order to reduce embodied carbon. The proposed framework aims to help achieving Malaysia 2050 net-zero aspiration by utilizing the digital technologies in construction projects.