Many opportunities with digitalization
Research shows many opportunities for digitalization to reduce energy use, increase flexibility, and contribute to sustainability in various ways in the Swedish built environment. Sensors, smart control systems, and AI can optimize heating, ventilation, and lighting, reduce peak power demand, and help buildings interact better with the energy system. Digital tools such as BIM and climate calculations make it easier to choose materials and solutions with low climate impact. Digitalization can be crucial for enabling the reuse of materials and increasing circularity in the construction sector.
Inequalities may affect implementation
There are several barriers that slow down development. Many property owners, especially smaller actors, lack both the expertise and resources to implement and maintain digital systems. Older buildings often lack technology for measurement and control.
Cybersecurity and energy use need further exploration
Digitalization creates new risks related to, for example, cybersecurity, and the energy use of digital technologies themselves is still poorly mapped. There are generally few reflections on resilience and robustness, which are increasingly relevant topics for the industry.
Limitations in addressing sustainability issues
The concept of a twin transition is not widely used, but both sustainability and digitalization frequently appear in research and practice, although the terminology varies. There are also drawbacks to the concept of a twin transition. Focusing on digitalization as the solution to sustainability challenges can be limiting, as there may be many non-digital approaches that are more effective.
In summary, the state of research is strong in describing what digital technology can do, but considerably weaker in explaining how it works in practice, for whom it works, and under what conditions digitalization actually leads to sustainability and increased resilience. To prioritize future efforts, more research is therefore needed that integrates technical, organizational, and user-oriented perspectives simultaneously. Studies that systematically evaluate the climate benefits, robustness, resilience, and long-term effects of digital solutions in real buildings are essential.
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