Architecting net zero: from drawings to bytes

Every profession across the globe has been affected by computers in the last decades. Most of the day-to-day jobs are about creating and managing data and the processes include inputs, storage, transfer and output. The construction industry is no exception and has been affected by modern processes. Besides, the entire ecosystem of the construction industry from material manufacturing to usage and demolition is a carbon emitter. The role of the industry in achieving global sustainability targets is significant and the overall construction ecosystem seems to be evolving toward net-zero targets and various tools from design to construction are contributing to this goal. This research surveys the existing literature on significant data generators in the construction, and management systems and how data can be used or are used for net-zero delivery of buildings in the UK. It demonstrates a path to move away from analogy and intuition in building design to a path that is inspired by approved data-driven methods. This study highlights the lack of universal protocols in data management especially in net-zero delivery, the lack of clarity on the required data to effectively reuse building components for lower emissions and most importantly how disruptive industry 5.0 could be when interoperability issues are unsolved among AEC professionals and cloud-based data sharing is still advancing.