The construction industry (CI) is a significant sector that plays a crucial role in global economic growth and employment. However, the CI has negative environmental impacts, including water emissions, waste generation, resource consumption, and air pollution. The sector is also responsible for construction-related accidents, energy consumption, and noise pollution. The CI is one of the least digitalized industries, but the current 4IR era has seen a gradual integration of emerging technologies, such as robotics, AI, and blockchain, to minimize its environmental footprint.
The concept of sustainability is increasingly important in the CI, and there is a growing pressure on construction entities to prioritize sustainability in their decision-making processes. However, several challenges hinder the transition to sustainability, including operational, managerial, and strategic barriers. The sustainability of the CI is critical to minimizing its negative impacts on the environment and ensuring a better future for human and natural environments.
The article highlights the importance of biomimicry, a process that mimics nature’s design principles to develop new technologies, which can be applied to the CI to reduce its environmental impact. The adoption of emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, building information modeling (BIM), and the internet of things (IoT), can also facilitate the transition to sustainability in the CI.