Can ChatGPT AI Replace or Contribute to Experts’ Diagnosis for Renovation Measures Identification?

Building energy renovations demand expertise from professionals to guide processes, including diagnostics, project planning, interventions, and maintenance. The emergence of open-access AI, like ChatGPT in November 2022, offers new possibilities for improving these processes by assisting or potentia...

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Main Authors: Juan Maria Hidalgo-Betanzos, Irati Prol-Godoy, Jon Terés-Zubiaga, Raúl Briones-Llorente, Alexander Martín-Garín
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-01-01
Series:Buildings
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/15/3/421
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author Juan Maria Hidalgo-Betanzos
Irati Prol-Godoy
Jon Terés-Zubiaga
Raúl Briones-Llorente
Alexander Martín-Garín
author_facet Juan Maria Hidalgo-Betanzos
Irati Prol-Godoy
Jon Terés-Zubiaga
Raúl Briones-Llorente
Alexander Martín-Garín
author_sort Juan Maria Hidalgo-Betanzos
collection DOAJ
description Building energy renovations demand expertise from professionals to guide processes, including diagnostics, project planning, interventions, and maintenance. The emergence of open-access AI, like ChatGPT in November 2022, offers new possibilities for improving these processes by assisting or potentially replacing human experts. This study explores the effectiveness of ChatGPT in diagnosing energy renovation measures. Initial assessments involve basic queries to the AI, followed by the inclusion of additional data and secondary questions to gauge its full diagnostic potential. An existing building case from the literature is given to the AI to define the best energy renovation measures. Expert evaluations and comparisons with research-backed solutions assess the AI’s performance using different degrees of questioning details over 60 repetitions. The results indicate that ChatGPT can provide valuable insights and generate comprehensive lists of feasible measures and preliminary cost calculations and payback, but, in general, it lacks depth and quality without specialized input and preparation. A significant quality improvement was found between the tests with 2023 and 2024 AI versions. Open-access AI proves capable of enhancing renovation diagnostics but remains a complement rather than a replacement for building renovation expert judgment. This research underscores the potential of mainstream AI to democratize access to knowledge, albeit with limitations tied to its dependence on quality inputs and contextual expertise.
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spelling doaj-art-b8ab2445faf44212ad3f5be48e6f8a122025-08-20T03:12:34ZengMDPI AGBuildings2075-53092025-01-0115342110.3390/buildings15030421Can ChatGPT AI Replace or Contribute to Experts’ Diagnosis for Renovation Measures Identification?Juan Maria Hidalgo-Betanzos0Irati Prol-Godoy1Jon Terés-Zubiaga2Raúl Briones-Llorente3Alexander Martín-Garín4Research Group ENEDI, Department of Energy Engineering, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), C. Nieves Cano 12, 01006 Vitoria-Gasteiz, SpainResearch Group ENEDI, Department of Energy Engineering, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), C. Nieves Cano 12, 01006 Vitoria-Gasteiz, SpainResearch Group ENEDI, Department of Energy Engineering, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), C. Nieves Cano 12, 01006 Vitoria-Gasteiz, SpainDepartment of Mathematics and Computing, Plaza Misael Bañuelos s/n, University of Burgos (UBU), 09001 Burgos, SpainTICBE Research Group, Department of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering of Gipuzkoa, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Plaza Europa 1, 20018 Donostia-San Sebastián, SpainBuilding energy renovations demand expertise from professionals to guide processes, including diagnostics, project planning, interventions, and maintenance. The emergence of open-access AI, like ChatGPT in November 2022, offers new possibilities for improving these processes by assisting or potentially replacing human experts. This study explores the effectiveness of ChatGPT in diagnosing energy renovation measures. Initial assessments involve basic queries to the AI, followed by the inclusion of additional data and secondary questions to gauge its full diagnostic potential. An existing building case from the literature is given to the AI to define the best energy renovation measures. Expert evaluations and comparisons with research-backed solutions assess the AI’s performance using different degrees of questioning details over 60 repetitions. The results indicate that ChatGPT can provide valuable insights and generate comprehensive lists of feasible measures and preliminary cost calculations and payback, but, in general, it lacks depth and quality without specialized input and preparation. A significant quality improvement was found between the tests with 2023 and 2024 AI versions. Open-access AI proves capable of enhancing renovation diagnostics but remains a complement rather than a replacement for building renovation expert judgment. This research underscores the potential of mainstream AI to democratize access to knowledge, albeit with limitations tied to its dependence on quality inputs and contextual expertise.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/15/3/421artificial intelligencebuilding energy renovationdecarbonizationChatGPTrenovation measures
spellingShingle Juan Maria Hidalgo-Betanzos
Irati Prol-Godoy
Jon Terés-Zubiaga
Raúl Briones-Llorente
Alexander Martín-Garín
Can ChatGPT AI Replace or Contribute to Experts’ Diagnosis for Renovation Measures Identification?
Buildings
artificial intelligence
building energy renovation
decarbonization
ChatGPT
renovation measures
title Can ChatGPT AI Replace or Contribute to Experts’ Diagnosis for Renovation Measures Identification?
title_full Can ChatGPT AI Replace or Contribute to Experts’ Diagnosis for Renovation Measures Identification?
title_fullStr Can ChatGPT AI Replace or Contribute to Experts’ Diagnosis for Renovation Measures Identification?
title_full_unstemmed Can ChatGPT AI Replace or Contribute to Experts’ Diagnosis for Renovation Measures Identification?
title_short Can ChatGPT AI Replace or Contribute to Experts’ Diagnosis for Renovation Measures Identification?
title_sort can chatgpt ai replace or contribute to experts diagnosis for renovation measures identification
topic artificial intelligence
building energy renovation
decarbonization
ChatGPT
renovation measures
url https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/15/3/421
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