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Governance and Digital Technologies for Carbon Data Quality: A Systematic Review of Procurement-Driven Decarbonization in Construction Supply Chains

  • Cen Ying Lee
  • , Dane Miller
  • , Marcus Jefferies
  • , Yongshun Xu
  • , Heap Yih Chong
  • , Wing Chi Tsang
  • , Steve Rowlinson
  • , Martin Skitmore

Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review

Abstract

Scope-3 emissions from construction supply chains (CSCs) account for the majority of the construction sector’s greenhouse gas (GHG) footprint. However, procurement-driven decarbonization (PDD) remains constrained by persistent data quality (DQ) deficits, including boundary divergence, limited verification, incomplete information, and fragmented interoperability. This PRISMA-guided systematic literature review (SLR) synthesizes 68 studies to examine how governance mechanisms (GMs) and digital technologies (DTs) can be co-designed within procurement workflows to improve the reliability of carbon data. By integrating quantitative matrix-based analysis, qualitative thematic coding, and a governance–technology pairing logic, the review identifies a division of labor across DQ dimensions. Standard-based governance and boundary rules strengthen completeness, consistency, and interpretability. At the same time, DTs enhance accessibility and timeliness and provide targeted improvements in accuracy and logical coherence when embedded within structured schemas. Assurance emerges as the most reliable mechanism for accuracy, information-management standards for timeliness, and early stakeholder involvement for accessibility. These insights translate into procurement-oriented measures, including European Standard (EN)-aligned scope definitions; ISO 14083-aligned logistics accounting; Industry Foundation Classes (IFC)/Level of Information Need (LOIN)-based information requirements; selective assurance; uncertainty-aware disclosure; and integrated digital measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) systems combining Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) platforms, Artificial Intelligence (AI) validation, and blockchain. Collectively, these measures enable comparable, verifiable data and support scalable decarbonization.

Original languageEnglish
Article number4921
JournalSustainability (Switzerland)
Volume18
Issue number10
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - May 2026

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

  1. SDG 7 - Affordable and Clean Energy
    SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy

Keywords

  • data quality
  • digital technologies
  • embodied carbon
  • governance mechanisms
  • procurement-driven decarbonization

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