Artificial intelligence (AI) could reduce the annual carbon footprint of the built world by 50% by 2030, according to new research published by Pi Labs.
In its research paper ‘Sustainably intelligent: AI for a greener built world’, the company found that 5.81 to 6.46 gigatonnes CO2-e of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions could be avoided annually by 2030 following the industry-wide adoption of four AI use cases: reducing raw material inputs through generative design; preventing construction rework with 3D AI analytics; reducing building energy intensity with AI-enabled smart building technology; and redirecting demolition waste with AI-enabled waste material analysis.
Luke Graham, head of research at Pi Labs, said: “With the built world already falling behind on climate targets, we are pleased to share that the findings of our report indicate that AI is set to have a transformative impact on carbon reductions. According to venture funding data from 2023, there is already significant investor interest in AI-driven green solutions aimed at the built environment, however there is the potential to drive this figure up yet further with a clearer understanding of the positive climate impact and growth potential of these technologies.
“The good news is that the pace of AI innovation being achieved since the launch of ChatGPT in late 2022 can be put towards significant climate change mitigation by 2030 and as always, the early adopters within the real estate world are set to benefit the most.”
Faisal Butt, managing partner and founder of Pi Labs, added: “While Pi Labs has been investing in AI solutions for years, anecdotal evidence indicates generative AI has served as a catalyst for real estate executives to take their wider innovation strategies more seriously. Pi Labs is proud to be revealing, for the first time, the scale and impact that AI can have on the industry and most importantly, in reducing the harmful impact that the built world is having on the environment.
“Our team of researchers include two former members of the University of Oxford’s Future of Real Estate Initiative. Their knowledge, combined with the insider intel that we have gleaned from some of our start-ups’ success stories to date, has unlocked the capability to produce this groundbreaking report.”
