We’re at a turning point in architecture.  

We know the climate crisis is our generation’s biggest design challenge, and with building codes getting more stringent, client expectations rising, and timelines and budgets shrinking, it’s getting harder and harder to do the right thing, let alone do it well. 

However, something powerful is changing the game. AI has started to play a real role in how we design buildings, not only for workflow automation but also as a side-by-side extension of an architect’s capabilities. 

There's plenty of controversy around AI, and that’s completely normal.  Not everyone is ready for that change of pace. Some fear that AI is trying to replace architects, but nothing could be further from the truth. 

New Possibilities: Sustainable Analysis and AI Assistance 

AI helps us imagine new possibilities, make better decisions in minutes, and democratize access to knowledge and complex sustainability analysis. Sustainable design is just starting in the game of AI, and it’s about to get a lot more exciting! 

Until recently, sustainability analysis was mainly performed for large architecture firms or consulting firms. The tools required were complex, the workflows intimidating, and the learning curve steep. Currently, I’m seeing architects and other design professionals without a coding background create mockups and prototypes of sustainability tools that can impact resilience assessments, material health decisions, energy use, and carbon impact. 
What used to take hours, or even days, can now happen in minutes. Anybody willing to explore AI can gain valuable insights on just about any topic. That doesn’t mean we don’t need experts; we absolutely do and always will. But think of AI as a skill accelerator or an assistant: it helps test ideas quickly, catches things early in a QA/QC process, and allows you to train your bot to think with you. 

AI is your partner, not your replacement. It brings options to the table, but you still make the calls!  

The Future of Sustainable Design is AI-Powered 

The architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry stands at a pivotal moment, where the demands of climate responsibility, regulatory complexity, and operational efficiency can no longer be solved with outdated workflows.  

At cove, we believe that AI is not just a buzzword; it’s a practical solution that can supercharge sustainability from day one. Whether it’s simplifying carbon reporting, anticipating climate risk, or decoding zoning laws, AI tools are quietly transforming how projects are designed, built, and operated.  

Here’s how cove is using AI to take on some of the most stubborn challenges in the built environment:

We Built Our Own AI for Architects 

cove developed Vitras.ai, an AI-powered platform built to automate complex tasks, support better decision-making, and empower AEC professionals to design more sustainably. Inside the platform, you’ll find four key reports: Zoning, Cost Estimating, Climate Analysis, and Energy Benchmarking. These reports replace workflows that once took hours with results delivered at the click of a button. 

Getting Ahead of Climate Risk 

Our Climate Analysis Report, available through Vitras.ai, gives you access to the latest weather data along with visual insights like temperature trends, humidity levels, wind patterns, solar radiation, and a psychrometric chart. It also includes passive design strategies drawn from the 2030 Palette, helping designers quickly understand the climate characteristics of the project’s location and make informed early-stage decisions. 

Building on that foundation, we have recently developed an AI-powered climate resilience tool that helps assess more project-specific location climate events like extreme heat, flooding, tornadoes, and wind vulnerability. For now, it’s limited to California, but we’re quickly working to scale it to other states. 

The purpose of this addition is to capture local climate data, flag risks, and recommend design strategies, all in one place. One of the biggest pain points in climate resilience is having to dig through 20 different websites, each with one piece of the puzzle, to get the full picture. 

But identifying risk is just the first step. The tool also recommends actionable strategies tailored to the project’s context: passive cooling for heat-prone areas, flood-resistant envelope design, material substitutions, and landscape interventions that respond directly to the risks.

Simplifying Carbon Reporting 

If you’ve ever done a full carbon assessment for a project, you know how tedious it can be. Gathering product data, calculating embodied carbon, and organizing it for LEED - it could feel like a maze. 

AI can help us do heavy lifting. AI reads the BIM model, pulls out assemblies and quantities, connects them with open-source carbon data, and generates a clean report. This lets our in-house carbon experts work with the design team’s specs and pair them with real, product-specific Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) in a short time. 

Designing with Less Waste

AI is also quietly making a difference in reducing material waste, something that often gets overlooked in sustainability. 

By studying manufacturing data and construction workflows, AI can flag ways to reduce offcuts, avoid over ordering, and cut down on what ends up in the dumpster for almost any material in the industry. 

Even better, AI can highlight which materials are recyclable or have lower carbon footprints. That’s huge for circular design and certifications like LEED that require waste diversion.  

Being able to make smart, data-informed choices early on gives any team a better chance to design more responsibly from the beginning. There will be no excuses to not follow sustainable practices in the AEC industry. 

Making Zoning Codes Less Painful 

Let’s be honest, interpreting energy codes and zoning codes can be a very frustrating, time-consuming process. For example, COMcheck, Title 24, and Municode are helpful, but they’re not exactly user friendly. 
 
cove's Vitras.ai allows users to input project location and then reviews zoning regulations for compliance, interprets the code, and generates a report of the city’s minimum requirements. 

This process used to take several hours. Now, we can have a full report in minutes. This is not only about speed and fast results, but also about empowering the team to confidently and accurately tackle code issues early in the design process. 

AI-Powered Energy Modeling 

Energy Modeling has been around for a while in the industry. Some energy modeling tools incorporate cove’s AI algorithms, which can predict a building’s energy consumption based on design parameters, location, and a mixture of energy resources and usage patterns. This allows for real-time feedback and adjustments during the design phase to enhance energy efficiency.  

In addition, Vitras.ai includes an Energy Benchmarking Study that we recommend all designers use early in the project. It helps you understand the typical energy performance for a building of that type, size, and location, giving you a clear starting point to design a more efficient, high-performing project from day one. 

Responsible Use of AI in Sustainable Design 

Like any innovation, AI has its fine print.  

It can pick up on and reinforce biases; It can cause unintended consequences, especially if we're not careful about how tools are built or how code is written; and there’s the concern of privacy.  

AI is an incredibly powerful ally in the pursuit of sustainable design, but only if we use it with intention.  

The most exciting work happens when we combine speed and scale with real thoughtfulness, because this is not a race to see who is going to build more features or groundbreaking software. We need to ask hard and intentional questions like: Who is AI actually helping? Whose voice might be missing from this process? What consequences could this decision have five, ten years from now? 

Responsible AI means making sure that as we move faster, we’re still headed in the right direction, so use it wisely. 

AI in Sustainable Design: Start Small, Think Big 

We’re just getting started. 

The climate clock is ticking, and you have only two options: you can continue with business as usual, or decide to embrace AI to help you do more, better, and faster. 

By using tools like Vitras.ai for specific parts of our workflow, we’re already playing smarter than those who haven’t stepped into the AI game yet.  

Remember, it’s not about replacing the expert. It’s about enhancing the skills of our teams. 

Our experience at cove proves that AI is not intangible or a luxury difficult to have. It’s a necessity. It’s how we democratize sustainable design and make it available to all who care to build responsibly. 

So, here’s my call to action: 

Don’t wait.  

Start small.  

Start Specific.  

Start now. 

Let AI empower you to do what you do best: design a better world!