  Transforming the construction sector is key to reaching net-zero, and many
stakeholders expect its decarbonization through digitalization. But no
quantified evidence has been brought to date. We propose the first
environmental quantification of the impact of Building Information Modeling
(BIM) in the construction sector. Specifically, the direct and indirect
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions generated by a monofunctional BIM to plan road
maintenance, a Pavement Management System (PMS), are evaluated using field data
from France. The related carbon footprints are calculated following a life
cycle approach, using different sources of data, including ecoinvent v3.6, and
the IPCC 2013 GWP 100a characterization factors. Three design-build-maintain
pavement alternatives are compared: scenario 1 relates to a massive design and
surface maintenance, scenario 2 to a progressive design and pre-planned
structural maintenance, and scenario 3 to a progressive design and tailored
structural maintenance supported by the PMS. First, results show negligible
direct emissions due to the PMS existence: 0.02% of the life cycle emissions of
scenario 3. Second, complementary sensitivity analyses show that using a PMS is
climate-positive over the life cycle when pavement subgrade bearing capacity
improves over time, and climate-neutral otherwise. The GHG emissions savings
using BIM can reach up to 30% of the life cycle emissions compared to other
scenarios, and 65% when restraining the scope to maintenance and rehabilitation
and excluding original pavement construction. Third, the neutral effect of BIM
in case of a deterioration of the bearing capacity of the subgrade may be
explained by design practices and safety margins, that could be enhanced using
BIM. Fourth, the decarbonization potential of a multifunctional BIM is
discussed, and research perspectives are presented.
