Case study
From vintage to visionary
Imagining the future of circular design and retrofitting, powered by AI.
Arcadis is the leading global design & consultancy organization, delivering sustainable design, engineering, and consultancy services for natural and built assets.
Challenge
Sustainable living beyond structure
Arcadis sought to take ownership and revolutionize sustainable living while leveraging its deep expertise and market knowledge in the growing retrofit market.
Strategy
Challenging the market with AI-powered innovation
Our strategy centered on leveraging AI and Arcadis’ diverse expertise to develop unique, client-focused retrofit solutions for various key client groups, challenging the homogeneous market.
Outcome
AI-powered innovation in sustainable retrofitting
Leveraging AI, Arcadis developed four groundbreaking retrofit concepts, to distinctly position itself in a competitive market and cater to diverse client needs.
Designing and building 4 new concepts, at lightning speed powered by AI
Challenge
Sustainable living beyond structure
In a bid to prepare society for a sustainable future, not just through structural integrity but by prioritizing aspects like energy and accessibility, Arcadis faced a dual challenge; the need to define their retrofit services and differentiate themselves in an increasingly competitive market.
With a solid track record in energy efficiency retrofits and a deep understanding of client needs and market factors, Arcadis aimed to differentiate its services by merging various expertise areas and develop bespoke, AI-powered solutions for its key client groups; commercial developers, real-estate investors, private sector occupiers and public sector bodies.
The big idea
The property sector accounts for nearly 40% of global CO2 emissions. Driven by the promise of prosperity, two thirds of humanity will likely live in cities by 2050, making it crucial to improve the sustainability of existing buildings.
Arcadis work closely with their clients to embrace circular economy principles, one of which is the focus on creating carbon neutral, liveable cities of the future. Retrofitting is one of the solutions.
Retrofitting is the process of upgrading existing structures and systems to improve their energy efficiency and functionality. Retrofitting helps decrease energy consumption, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and mitigate the environmental footprint of buildings.
Strategy
Challenging the market with AI-powered innovation
To distinguish Arcadis in a homogeneous market saturated with similar offerings, we ran a strategy program leveraging Arcadis’ multidisciplinary expertise, using generative AI as a co-pilot.
Our goal was to craft bespoke retrofit solutions that catered to the specific needs of diverse client groups, including commercial developers, real estate investors, and public sector bodies.
This required not only innovative thinking but also strategic outreach to connect with executive leaders and key decision-makers, ensuring that the solutions developed were not only innovative but also aligned with the specific needs and challenges of these groups.
Working with Board of Innovation on this project was an incredible learning experience for Arcadis. It was a great opportunity for our group of Subject Matter Experts and industry leaders to learn and utilize AI tools to push the boundaries of traditional ideation as well as to test our ideas/assumptions and personify stakeholders.
Caroline Caglioni, GBA Places Digital & Innovation Manager at Arcadis
Outcome
AI-powered innovation in sustainable retrofitting
By utilizing AI, we helped Arcadis map and prioritize their clients’ retrofit-related challenges, resulting in the development of four executive-focused problem cards. These cards were instrumental in a series of ideation workshops, where AI played a pivotal role in conceptualizing four innovative retrofit solutions. These concepts were crafted to meet the varied needs of Arcadis’ client base, thus enhancing their offerings in the retrofit market and establishing a distinct competitive edge.
+90
ideas generated with the use of AI in less than a day
4
problem cards
4
concepts designed and built with AI as a co-pilot
Throughout this journey, Arcadis’ commitment to sustainable living was reinforced by innovative AI-powered solutions, setting new standards in the retrofit market and paving the way for a more sustainable future.
