More Contractors Adopting Software to Achieve Sustainable Jobsites

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a woman using ESG tracking and compliance software for AEC industry construction project
Image: Yingyaipumi | AdobeStock

In response to the growing prevalence of sustainability and ESG goals and demands in the commercial construction marketplace, companies are increasingly leaning on innovative technologies (particularly AI) to satisfy those expectations.

That was one of the key findings of BuiltWorlds’ newly released 2024 Sustainable Jobsites Benchmarking Report—which presents data and analysis from the company’s 2024 Sustainable Jobsites Survey.

The report’s author, BuiltWorlds Analyst Sofie Richardson, writes, “As the global community increasingly prioritizes, through both internal measures and regulatory requirements, its carbon footprint and the conservation of resources, sustainable building practices have emerged as a cornerstone of modern construction.”

Company abilities to run sustainable jobsites from BuiltWorlds
While these numbers are impressive, the widespread emergence of AI-powered sustainability- and ESG-related software may improve contractors’ ability to successful operate sustainable jobsites.

More than half of contractors agree that their company has a “good” handle operating and maintaining sustainable jobsites across projects, while 17% describe their ability as “very good” and 10% “excellent.” Still, nearly a third say that they are only “fair” at operating sustainable jobsites and 7% admit a “poor” ability.

That would put the split of good or better to fair or worse at about 60:40, which is about the same split of companies using and not using ESG compliance tracking and reporting software. Perhaps that split is a coincidence, correlation, or something else entirely. Regardless, contractors are increasingly leaning on technology, with the report describing the built environment as “experiencing a massive digital revolution catalyzed by the dual forces of sustainability and other ESG pressures as well as the revolutionizing capacity of artificial intelligence.”

software being used by AEC contractors for ESG compliance and tracking
Benchmarking survey results identified Carbon Title as the top ESG compliance & tracking solution for its high user satisfaction ratings. However, Green Badger was the most commonly identified solution.

“ESG-related incentives, either by carrot or by stick, are forcing the industry to adapt to local and universal sustainability targets by any means necessary,” says Tyler Sewall, senior director of research for BuiltWorlds. “Driven largely through the investments of public and private capital project owners, builders are increasingly seeking, and finding, technology solutions to their sustainability needs.”

It’s encouraging, Sewall adds, to see “fairly significant” adoption of emerging technologies for sustainability- and ESG-related purposes.