Smart Buildings: Pioneering Solutions for Climate Change Mitigation

The increase in the demand for buildings to cater to the rising population and urbanization has contributed to extreme climate change due to the continuous emission of greenhouse gases during the construction and operational stages of the building. Therefore, this study seeks to investigate the potential of smart buildings as a tool for combating climate change and mitigating its adverse impacts on the environment. A mixed-methods approach of interview guides, an observation checklist, and a questionnaire were used for this study. A total of ten buildings from various countries were chosen using the purposive sampling approach. Structured interviews and questionnaires were conducted and administered to building industry professionals to understand how smart buildings help mitigate climate change. Findings indicate that smart buildings help keep an eye on energy consumption, thereby lowering the quantity of greenhouse gases released while the building is in use. Also, research shows that the integration of smartness in buildings through material and method use lessens the environmental impact of building construction and operation and contributes to a more sustainable built environment. The research concluded that, due to the increasing climate change, the integration of smartness into our buildings is of utmost importance in addressing climate change and its effects. This will also provide a more sustainable and resilient environment while accommodating future population growth.