Digital innovation is rapidly reshaping how we approach climate change mitigation in the built environment, offering new pathways for decarbonisation through smarter, data-driven tools and aids. Yet, the breadth and depth of these emerging solutions have not been systematically mapped, particularly in terms of their strategic positioning, limitations, and evolving trends. To overcome this limitation, this study conducts a systematic literature review of digital tools and aids for climate change mitigation in the construction and real estate sectors, identifying major strategic themes, future challenges, and global and regional trends.
This study presents key findings from the IEA EBC Annex 89, an international project focused on implementing net-zero whole-life carbon buildings. Based on an analysis of peer-reviewed studies from the past five years, the review highlights the main emerging technologies shaping the built environment, assesses their contributions to climate change mitigation, and examines the critical challenges and barriers limiting their adoption and scalability.
By providing a structured synthesis of the current state of the art and a forward-looking perspective on digital innovation for mitigation, this review contributes to advancing action beyond the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and to accelerating the global transition toward sustainable and resilient built environments. The insights aim to support researchers, tool developers, policymakers, and practitioners in embedding digital strategies for net-zero transformation worldwide.