Top Sustainability Tools for the Building Industry

November 25, 2024

The architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry is at a critical juncture in its mission to address climate change and decarbonize the built environment. As global urbanization rates continue to rise, the need for sustainable design and construction practices has never been more pressing. Fortunately, AEC professionals are rising to the challenge, leveraging powerful sustainability tools to guide their decision-making and deliver more energy-efficient, low-carbon projects.

This article will help AEC professionals navigate some of the sustainability tools available on the market, with a focus on the following functions: Energy Modeling, Carbon Management, and Building Performance, Simulation & Analysis.

Some guidance to readers; We’ve been observing that some of the tools overlap in function, however additional features may exist in one product over the other. For that reason, the tool developers have emphasized on interoperability, ensuring easy ways to migrate project data from one product environment to the other. Therefore, we recommend being mindful about workflows as they relate to the sustainability services being offered to clients, and existing modeling tools currently used by your teams. 

infograph - sustainability tools
Top 15 Sustainability Tools for the Building Industry

Energy Modeling

1. Autodesk Forma

Autodesk Forma is primarily suited for designers and planners involved in the early stages of a project, empowering them to make more sustainable, data-driven decisions. The solution offers bidirectional integration with Autodesk Revit, facilitating a more efficient, collaborative design workflow by enabling seamless data exchange between the two platforms.

Fig. 1) Forma’s web-app interface visualizing how extensions can be added to enhance functionality.
Fig. 1) Forma’s web-app interface visualizing how extensions can be added to enhance functionality.

2. Cove.tool

As AEC professionals seek to shift from traditional linear design thinking to a more data-driven approach, Cove.tool’s comprehensive suite of tools can be a valuable asset. Its key use cases include assessing the energy performance of new and existing buildings, as well as evaluating design options in the pre-design phase to identify the most energy-efficient solutions. At the core cove.tool is its robust energy simulation capability, which allows users to analyze a building's heating and cooling loads, lighting systems, and daylight strategies. Architects and engineers can leverage these insights to make informed decisions about building systems and envelope design early in the process, optimizing for energy efficiency.

Cove.Tool seamlessly integrates with SketchUp, Rhino, and Revit, allowing users to incorporate energy modeling directly into their design workflow. Additionally, the company offers expert-driven architectural consulting services to help design teams optimize their projects for compliance, performance, and sustainability, helping firms small, medium to large in balancing their limited bandwidth.

Thanks to recent AI developments, cove.tool also provides an AI-assistant tool, Vitras.AI, designed to automate reporting tasks respecting most recent zoning regulations.

Fig. 2) Vitras AI generating zoning reports, specific to project’s location and up-to-date zoning codes.
Fig. 2) Vitras AI generating zoning reports, specific to project’s location and up-to-date zoning codes.

3. Fenestra Pro

Fenestra Pro is a comprehensive suite of tools that empowers architects and engineers to optimize the energy performance and code compliance of building envelopes. Its key capabilities include detailed analysis of window-to-wall ratios, glazing specifications, and facade construction assemblies to identify the most energy-efficient design solutions. Fenestra Pro also provides advanced visualization and reporting features to help communicate these insights to project stakeholders.

Fenestra Pro seamlessly integrates with Autodesk Forma and Revit, enabling a streamlined workflow where early-stage design decisions made in Forma can be automatically applied as detailed facade elements in the Revit model. This bidirectional data exchange allows designers to quickly evaluate the impact of envelope design choices and refine their approach throughout the project lifecycle.

Fig. 3) Fenestra Pro extends Forma’s analysis, improving suggestions on window-to-wall ratios (WWR) and shading optionalities.
Fig. 3) Fenestra Pro extends Forma’s analysis, improving suggestions on window-to-wall ratios (WWR) and shading optionalities.

4. ClimateStudio

Modeling proficiency varies across AEC teams based on the modeling software of choice. Rhino’s precision in freeform modeling has compelled many architects to adopt it in their workflow, leveraging impactful plug-ins. ClimateStudio’s environmental performance analysis features are optimally designed to integrate with Rhino, enabling sustainability services for those proficient in this modeling environment.

ClimateStudio leverages cutting-edge simulation technologies, including EnergyPlus and a novel RADIANCE-based path tracing approach, to deliver fast and accurate environmental performance insights. Its unique workflow supports rapid, accurate simulations across multiple performance metrics, from LEED compliance calculations to complex multizone energy modeling, all without requiring external data transfers or additional software platforms.

Fig. 4) ClimateStudio’s many features also includes dynamic shading, utilizing Rhino models directly.

Fig. 4) ClimateStudio’s many features also includes dynamic shading, utilizing Rhino models directly.

5. HVAKR

Concluding the energy modeling section, we’ll focus on HVAKR, a web-based HVAC engineering platform designed to unify system design workflows for mechanical engineers and design professionals. By providing an all-in-one, intuitive solution that integrates load calculations, space zoning, and system design, HVKAR eliminates many complexities often associated with HVAC engineering tools.

Compliant with ASHRAE and ACCA standards, the platform enables rapid design iteration, real-time collaboration, and professional reporting, empowering teams to make faster, more informed decisions throughout the HVAC design process.

Fig. 5) HVAKR interfaces highlighting data input and sharing workflows, showcasing its simplicity and purposeful focus for HVAC engineering challenges.
Fig. 5) HVAKR interfaces highlighting data input and sharing workflows, showcasing its simplicity and purposeful focus for HVAC engineering challenges. 

Carbon Management

6. One Click LCA

One Click LCA initially began supporting building product manufacturers in their LCA workflows, making it easier to achieve EPDs. As the manufacturer oriented solutions are continually improving, the team has also iterated product solutions for designers, architects and developers. By leveraging the world's largest construction product database with AI-powered analytics, the platform enables design and construction teams to automate life-cycle assessments, quantify embodied carbon, and optimize project sustainability across all phases of development. The software provides an integrated approach to measuring environmental impact, supporting teams in achieving certification requirements, regulatory compliance, and ambitious sustainability goals.

One Click LCA's unique value proposition lies in its ability to seamlessly integrate with over 20 BIM and building energy modeling platforms, providing users with a flexible, data-driven approach to embodied carbon reduction and sustainable design.

On December 5th 2024, they’re hosting the Winter Sustainability Summit 2024, a free and virtual webinar, where 3,000+ other AEC professionals will be learning and networking about built environment decarbonization.

Fig. 6) Materials Compass interface, enabling easy material discovery towards achieving carbon footprint targets.
Fig. 6) Materials Compass interface, enabling easy material discovery towards achieving carbon footprint targets. 

7. QFlow

Sustainability in AEC spans beyond design. The challenge is that the more we distance from design into construction, the more data there is to process. This can lead to time consuming workflows, but that’s what QFlow aims to address. It’s an innovative construction management platform designed to streamline data capture, tracking, and sustainability reporting through advanced machine learning and AI technologies. The platform automates the collection and analysis of site delivery and waste movement data, providing construction teams with real-time insights, transparency, and comprehensive sustainability metrics without disrupting existing supply chain workflows.

By leveraging OCR and AI-powered data extraction, QFlow transforms manual documentation processes into a seamless, digital workflow that enables project managers to track material deliveries, waste redirections, and embodied carbon with unprecedented accuracy and minimal administrative effort. When we think about incidents such as change orders or reworks, actual carbon data would be different than those calculated in preconstruction, which is why QFlow’s solution addresses reliable carbon data in construction projects.

Fig. 6) Materials Compass interface, enabling easy material discovery towards achieving carbon footprint targets.
Fig. 6) Materials Compass interface, enabling easy material discovery towards achieving carbon footprint targets. 

8. Tuuli

Similar to how QFlow extends carbon management into construction, Tuuli has designed an interface and platform that supports real estate developers and portfolio managers to better track their project’s environmental impact.

Tuuli is a comprehensive carbon management platform designed to simplify decarbonization efforts for buildings and real estate portfolios. The software enables users to generate quick and accurate life cycle assessments (LCAs) and carbon benchmarks at any stage of design or construction, even with incomplete information, making sustainability analysis accessible to professionals without deep technical expertise.

By providing actionable insights and strategic roadmaps, Tuuli helps organizations meet regulatory requirements, achieve sustainability certifications, and track progress against ESG and carbon emission targets across entire building portfolios.

Fig. 8) Tuuli’s real estate development friendly interface enables proactive insights into a project's decarbonization progress.
Fig. 8) Tuuli’s real estate development friendly interface enables proactive insights into a project's decarbonization progress.

9. C.Scale (formerly EPIC)

C.Scale (formerly EPIC) is an AI-driven whole life carbon assessment platform designed to simplify decarbonization strategies for building design professionals. By leveraging machine learning models trained on thousands of global building datasets, the platform provides comprehensive carbon emissions analysis across embodied, operational, refrigerant, and landscape dimensions.

The C.Scale web application offers an intuitive interface for design teams to quickly assess and visualize whole life carbon emissions. Users can input project details with varying levels of complexity, from basic project descriptions to detailed material specifications, enabling rapid carbon performance insights without requiring extensive sustainability expertise.

For the power users wanting to maximize potential, C.Scale provides a developer-friendly API that enables seamless integration of whole life carbon calculations into existing workflows. Featuring RESTful JSON protocols and comprehensive documentation, the API allows developers to embed advanced carbon estimation capabilities directly into their tools. The machine learning models are continuously updated to reflect the latest standards and datasets, ensuring users always have access to cutting-edge carbon estimation methodologies.

Fig. 9) C.Scale’s scenario visualization feature, easily communicating a project’s carbon impact based embodied and carbon calculations for varying building systems and materials.
Fig. 9) C.Scale’s scenario visualization feature, easily communicating a project’s carbon impact based embodied and carbon calculations for varying building systems and materials. 

10. Pathways

To conclude the carbon management section in this issue of Sustainability Tools, we’ll now switch focus to one of the most challenging carbon data processes in the industry - carbon data for manufacturers. It’s the most challenging because when we consider the goal of accurate carbon accounting, the very nature of manufacturing processes makes quantifying carbon very time consuming and inefficient. That’s exactly what Pathways is addressing.

Pathways is an AI-enabled platform designed to revolutionize environmental product declaration (EPD) processes for manufacturers. By seamlessly integrating with existing data infrastructure, the platform automates the collection, processing, and reporting of sustainability and emissions data, transforming complex, manual processes into streamlined, real-time insights.

Pathways provides manufacturers with an end-to-end solution that simplifies EPD generation, offering direct integration with existing data systems, automatic data pipeline creation, and comprehensive verification services, enabling companies to leverage their sustainability performance as a competitive advantage.

Fig. 10) Pathways’ focus on automating data management and centralizing manufacturer’s sustainability data.
Fig. 10) Pathways’ focus on automating data management and centralizing manufacturer’s sustainability data.

Building Performance, Simulation & Analysis

11. Ladybug

Ladybug is a versatile environmental analysis tool that enables designers to integrate climate data into the early stages of architectural and urban design. By importing EnergyPlus Weather files (.EPW) into Grasshopper, Ladybug generates highly customizable, interactive 2D and 3D visualizations that empower designers to create climate-responsive, sustainable projects. These tools allow users to explore solar radiation, sunlight exposure, shadow behavior, and thermal comfort, providing real-time feedback and insights for passive design strategies.

Ladybug’s integration with Grasshopper’s visual programming environment facilitates instantaneous analysis and visualization of design modifications. This seamless connection allows for a high degree of customization, ensuring that Ladybug fits into any workflow while providing the flexibility to address unique project challenges.

Fig. 11) Ladybug Tools’ overview of sustainability tools.
Fig. 11) Ladybug Tools’ overview of sustainability tools.

12. Enscape Impact

An extension for industry renowned rendering platform, Enscape Impact offers a building performance add-on that seamlessly extends the capabilities of the widely-used visualization platform. Developed in partnership with global climate tech company IES, this tool integrates real-time rendering with advanced building performance metrics, enabling architects and designers to optimize sustainability directly within their existing design workflow.

By embedding energy analysis into the visualization process, Enscape Impact transforms how design teams approach sustainable design. The add-on allows users to generate baseline energy analyses with minimal data entry, providing immediate insights into key performance metrics such as Peak Loads, Total Operational Carbon Emissions, and Energy Use Intensity—all without leaving the design environment.

Fig. 12) Enscape Impact illustrating how the tool’s dashboard communicates energy and carbon metrics of a project.
Fig. 12) Enscape Impact illustrating how the tool’s dashboard communicates energy and carbon metrics of a project.

13. Adaptis 

Adaptis is a powerful decision-support platform that integrates carbon and cost optimization across the entire lifecycle of buildings, from design to operation and end-of-life. Whether managing a single project or an entire portfolio, Adaptis provides actionable insights to streamline lifecycle planning, reduce carbon emissions, and optimize financial outcomes. Its ability to simulate and compare thousands of design and retrofit options in real-time empowers stakeholders to make informed, data-driven decisions at every stage of a building's lifecycle.

This extensive tool eliminates repetitive assessments and provides compliance-grade reporting for permitting, funding, and certifications. By combining cost and carbon analysis in a single platform, Adaptis enables AEC professionals to align with sustainability goals, reduce climate risk, and improve long-term building value. 

Fig. 13) Adaptis interface visualizing design iterations in relation to carbon footprint and design programming ratios.
Fig. 13) Adaptis interface visualizing design iterations in relation to carbon footprint and design programming ratios.

14. SkyCiv

As we dive deeper into areas where decarbonization can be achieved, we surely have to consider the structural engineering workflows. These phases of the project can help mitigate over-engineering, which is one of the common reasons for excessive material use in construction projects.

SkyCiv is a powerful, intuitive, and 100% cloud-based structural analysis software designed to streamline the workflow of engineers across industries. With no installations required, SkyCiv offers robust 3D modeling, analysis, and design capabilities, allowing for collaboration and sharing of projects across teams. Whether you're working on residential, commercial, or industrial projects, SkyCiv provides a full suite of tools—from structural analysis to member, foundation, and connection design—ensuring comprehensive solutions for all types of structures.

The platform supports real-time updates, enabling engineers to quickly adapt designs based on analysis and ensure compliance with relevant standards. With modules for beam analysis, reinforced concrete design, connection design, and more, SkyCiv meets the needs of both small projects and large-scale designs, empowering engineers to optimize designs with precision and speed.

Fig. 14) Skyciv’s powerful structural analysis tool operating directly in the web browser.
Fig. 14) Skyciv’s powerful structural analysis tool operating directly in the web browser.

Concluding this section and article, we will take a pivot into an important aspect of sustainability, as it relates to well-being of occupants and a project’s acoustic requirements. From a project’s total budget, acoustic requirements can account between 1-5% in consultation fees, and up to 15-20% in specialized materials. Acoustic performance requirements easily impact the carbon impact and whole life cycle of a building project.

15. Treble

Treble Acoustic Simulation Platform is an advanced solution that offers highly accurate, wave-based acoustic simulations for room designs, sound systems, and environmental acoustics. Treble enables professionals to model complex sound behaviors, visualize sound pressure distributions, and perform detailed analyses with unmatched speed and precision. With cloud-native simulations, users can access real-time data, collaborate seamlessly, and immerse themselves in interactive audio-visual auralizations of their projects.

Designed for engineers, architects, and acoustic consultants, Treble supports the simulation of various acoustic parameters such as impulse responses, frequency responses, and sound pressure levels, allowing teams to optimize their designs quickly and efficiently. The platform’s intuitive interface and powerful geometry import tools (from SketchUp, DXF, OBJ, and 3DM formats) ensure a smooth workflow from design to simulation, enabling accurate acoustic modeling for any room, system, or environment.

 

Fig. 15) Treble’s wave propagation visualization as it applies to a project’s BIM model.
Fig. 15) Treble’s wave propagation visualization as it applies to a project’s BIM model. 

Conclusion

Thanks to technology’s continued advancement and adoption in the industry, more and more tools are being designed and developed to address the challenging decarbonization needs of AEC professionals. From incumbents adapting to industry needs, to startups shaping simplified experiences, achieving sustainability in project outcomes is becoming easier (but still demanding). 

We are hopeful that AEC companies consider the importance of understanding their team's current workflows and proficiencies, as they look into improving their services to clients. Real estate developers and investors are prioritizing decarbonization as their strategy to scale and manage resilient portfolios, while residents demand better quality of life, energy efficient and environmentally friendly structures.

The landscape of sustainability tools is constantly evolving, which can be both exciting and overwhelming. That’s why we’re keeping track of impactful tools to support your company’s technology resources, helping you stay ahead in the ever-changing digital transformation. Stay tuned for future updates by signing up on our platform and joining our fast-growing community of tech innovators and users.