Chapter 8: Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), Robotics and Digital Twins in Circular Construction

Robots and digital twin technology are transforming circular building by improving sustainability, resource efficiency and waste-minimising Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). Conventional linear processes provide major environmental problems for the building sector, which accounts for around 30% of world waste and 40% of carbon emissions. The change to circular construction in line with Industry 5.0 highlights closed-loop resource management, modular architecture and regenerative lifetime techniques. Virtual versions of actual objects called digital twins allow real-time monitoring and predictive modelling, thereby improving resource allocation and reducing waste throughout the building lifetime. By automating material recovery, disassembly and predictive maintenance, AGI-controlled robotics magnifies these developments even more. Industry 5.0 encourages human–artificial intelligence (AI) cooperation, hence enhancing circularity while preserving economic feasibility. Implementing AGI, robots and digital twins in circular buildings offers difficulties despite its promise, including high infrastructure costs, interoperability problems and data security threats. These obstacles require cross-industry cooperation, uniform standards and legal systems. AGI-driven automation and digital twin applications in construction are predicted to raise material reuse rates to 40% by 2030, transforming the built environment towards a sustainable and resilient future as technological improvements continue. This chapter emphasises the critical part that developing technologies will play in improving the resource economy in Industry 5.0 and maximising construction sustainability.