How do digital technologies reduce carbon emissions in the construction industry? a systematic review

The rapid adoption of digital technologies has advanced carbon assessment and reduction in the construction sector. However, despite the increasing volume of relevant literature, there is a lack of a systematic review to comprehensively explore the role of digital technologies in mitigating carbon emissions. This study aims to address the gap. Initially, 360 highly relevant articles published between 2015 and 2025 were analysed using a mixed-method approach that combined quantitative bibliometric analysis via Citespace 6.3.R3 and qualitative content analysis. As a result, China, the United States, and the United Kingdom emerged as the most influential countries in this field. Strong citation bursts were observed for the keywords: “Energy management”, “design”, and “greenhouse gas emission”, highlighting their growing emphasis in the field. Then, eight thematic clusters were identified, from which the top six themes were examined: neural networks, building information modelling (BIM), spatiotemporal analysis, energy efficiency, architectural design, and economic and social effects. Subsequently, a list of 13 digital tools was discussed, along with an analysis of their drivers and barriers across the building life cycle regarding carbon reduction. These findings help to synthesize the existing research gaps and propose future research directions. Theoretically, this study maps the state-of-the-art in digitalization for carbon reduction, covering embodied and operational carbon across the entire building life cycle. Practically, it provides guidance for policymakers, like providing training to raise awareness of digital solutions; for industry professionals via informed investment decisions in tools like BIM, IoT, and digital twins; and for technology developers by prioritizing data interoperability, highlighting the potential to advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 13: Climate Action.