From Profit to Preservation: A Review of Digital Technology Enabling Sustainable Prefabricated Building Supply Chain Management

Abstract

In the face of evolving digital technologies, all industries have undergone radical changes. Similarly, the construction industry needs to apply digital technology to improve the existing Supply Chain (SC), which has problems such as the inefficient collaboration among various links, the poor ability to cope with risks, the higher costs, the waste of resources and pollution, etc., and to adapt to the development of the digital era. Prefabricated Construction (PC), with their advantages of having a high efficiency and being energy-saving, can help improve the above problems and promote the sustainable development of the construction industry. Therefore, this review uses a combination of scientific bibliometrics and a qualitative analysis to search a total of 129 works of literature on the application of digital technologies in Prefabricated Construction Supply Chain Management (PCSCM) for the period of 2015–2024 included in the Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed databases. After visualization and analysis in Citespace v6.3.1.0 and VOSviewer v1.6.20.0, it was found that most of the literature focuses on the economic benefits of cost reduction and efficiency, while there are fewer studies on the topic of sustainable development. Therefore, this study summarizes the current status of the application of digital technologies in PCSCM, addressing the lack of attention to environmental benefits in the existing studies and the limitations of the current research. Creatively, it proposes recommendations that will help PCSCM achieve sustainable development in the future, and points out that the construction industry must break through the limitation of focusing only on its own economic interests to realize the vision of a harmonious coexistence between human beings and nature.

1. Introduction

1.1. Background

Currently in the wave of the fourth industrial revolution, the rapid development of the digital economy and digital technology has changed the mode of operation of the social economy. Digital transformation has been opened in various fields [1]. At the same time, with the development of society triggered by various types of pollution, the subject of environmental protection has attracted much attention. It has become one of the key focuses in the current academic research field [2]. The construction industry is sinking deep into the development quagmire, facing problems such as a declining demand, increasing costs, and excess materials [3]. If it wants to get out of the current predicament, it must follow the trend of the times to carry out digital transformation and adopt a more forward-looking perspective [4]. This transformation can not only reverse the current unfavorable situation, but also help the harmonious coexistence and development of man and nature, safeguard the overall interests of all mankind, and ultimately achieve the goal of truly sustainable development, and achieve the organic unity of economic, social, and environmental benefits [5].

1.1.1. Supply Chain Management and Construction Supply Chain Management

Chenyun, Y. et al. [5] proposed in their study that Supply Chain Management (SCM) originated in the 1980s. It was initially designed to optimize logistics and inventory management in manufacturing by coordinating the activities of suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers to reduce costs, and improve efficiency and service quality. Its core objective is to achieve a holistic optimization of the SC, covering the entire process from raw material procurement to final product delivery [6]. In today’s globalized economy, SCM has become a key element for enterprises to enhance their competitiveness. However, when it comes to SCM, due to its long history of application in the manufacturing industry, it has a wide range of applications, and a significant effect. The conceptual boundaries between SCM and Manufacturing Supply Chain Management (MSCM) are gradually blurred, even to the extent that most people narrowly consider them to be the same concept. Curado, C. et al. [6] argued that it is important to note that, today, SCM is widely used not only in the manufacturing industry, but also in other fields such as construction, agriculture, and services. Therefore, Figure 1 illustrates the logical relationship among Supply Chain Management, Manufacturing Supply Chain Management, and Construction Supply Chain Management (CSCM), as well as Prefabricated Construction Supply Chain Management.

According to Figure 1, it can be clearly concluded that Manufacturing Supply Chain Management and Construction Supply Chain Management belong to Supply Chain Management and the two of them should be in a parallel logical relationship.

More importantly, according to Gao, C. M. et al. [7], the following will be a detailed comparison to distinguish the similarities and differences between MSCM and CSCM in SCM. MSCM focuses on linear processes where goods and raw materials are sourced from an initial supplier, manufactured by a manufacturer, distributed by a distributor through a sales channel, and ultimately reach the final customer. Differently, Han, Y. et al. [8] concluded that CSCM is structured around construction projects and is typically a demand-driven SC for the provision of building products and after-sales services customized to the needs of products and services, which are not fixed items but, rather, production facilities with fixed production locations, large numbers of production locations, and similar production processes. Therefore, CSCM needs to focus not only on cost and efficiency, but also on project schedule management, construction site co-ordination, and co-operation between different participants. From material selection and supplier screening during the design phase, to precise logistics and stringent quality control during the construction phase, each step of the process needs to be precisely adapted to the project to ensure smooth operation and the delivery of a building project with a higher project specificity and customized service attributes. The entire process involves collaboration between multiple parties, and, therefore, requires effective coordination and communication to ensure the smooth running of the project. Thus, CSCM differs significantly from MSCM in terms of the drivers, operational processes, and management priorities.

1.1.2. Environmental Issues Give Rise to PCSCM

As the construction industry is faced with the increasing production of human and material resources, and the large-scale construction of the previous period led to the reduction in advanced demand and other dilemmas, and accompanied by environmental issues such as the increasingly prominent contradiction, Han, Y. et al. [8] proposed that PC came into being, which has the advantages of being green, environmentally friendly, efficient, and so on. It can effectively solve the problems existing in today’s construction industry. Therefore, CSCM and PCSCM should be shown in the figure below to contain the logical relationship. A good PCSCM provides a methodological insight into PC development and helps to integrate and coordinate PC projects. The optimization of resource utilization, the reduction in waste, the enhancement in the sustainability of PC, the provision of methodological insights into PC development, and the facilitation of the integration and coordination of projects collectively constitute a unique value and represent a significant and innovative direction for CSCM under the prevailing trend of sustainable development. This contributes to the advancement of the industry in conjunction with CSCM and SCM.

1.1.3. Current Digital Technology Widely Used in PCSCM

In today’s competitive SCM environment, digital technology has become the core force driving the innovation of PCSCM. Kussl, S. et al. [4] stated in their study that Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Internet of Things Technology (IOT), Big Data and Cloud Computing Technology, and Artificial Intelligence Technology play crucial roles in the field of PCSCM. BIM technology, a core component of PCSCM, enables the comprehensive life cycle management of PC, covering design, production, transportation, construction, operation, and maintenance. Meanwhile, the IoT allows for the real-time monitoring and tracking of all PCSC components. Curado, C. et al. [6] suggested that, by installing sensors in prefabricated components, transport vehicles, and construction sites, data can be collected and transmitted in real time, facilitating visual management and intelligent decision-making within the SC. The emergence of big data and cloud computing technology has promoted the development of advanced data storage, analysis, and processing methods in the PCSC. Through data mining and analysis, intelligent decision-making support is provided to all participants, optimizing the operational efficiency and cost of the SC. Moreover, artificial intelligence technology can conduct an intelligent analysis and prediction of the data in the PCSC. Genovese, A. et al. [9] demonstrated in their study that the machine-learning algorithms can predict the demand for prefabricated components and optimize production plans and inventory management, while intelligent scheduling algorithms can optimize transportation routes and vehicle scheduling to enhance transportation efficiency.

1.2. Objectives and Structure

This review adopts a scientific bibliometric method to synthesize and analyze a large amount of literature on the application of digital technology in the field of PCSCM, and qualitatively discusses the current status of research on the application of digital technology to realize the field of PCSCM.

Innovatively, it is suggested that most of the current research focuses on the economic benefits of applying digital technology to achieve cost reduction and efficiency, while ignoring the environmental benefits of assembly buildings committed to sustainable development. In the long run, only by achieving environmental sustainability can people realize the long-term development of the construction industry and reverse the current unfavorable situation of the construction industry. Therefore, the objective of this study is to improve the shortcomings of the above research and propose solutions in five aspects, namely, data security, the use of green materials, the establishment of unified standards, cost control, and the promotion of diversified and comprehensive personnel training, in order to meet the future challenges of applying digital technology to achieve sustainable development in the field of PCSCM.

The structure of the review is as follows: Section 1 provides a detailed overview of the relevant research background. Section 2 describes the methodology that was adopted in this study. Section 3 presents the results that were obtained through a visual data analysis. Section 4 provides a qualitative discussion of the results of the visualization following the literature search for digital PCSCM. This section highlights the challenges posed by the current global environment and summarizes the contributions and limitations of the existing literature in applying digital technologies to PCSCM and provides recommendations for moving forward in Section 5. Finally, Section 6 makes conclusions of the whole study.

2. Methodology

This review adopts a combination of scientific bibliometrics and qualitative analyses [6], which helps to provide a comprehensive understanding of the current state of research on the application of digital technologies in PCSCM.

2.1. Process Framework

The overall process is shown in Figure 2 below. Firstly, relevant literature on the application of digital technology in PCSCM is searched from Web of Science (WoS) database.

The selected relevant literature is imported into Citespace and VOSviewer after screening. And, then, the output includes scientific and technical journals, publications, citations, countries, authors, keywords, and so on through the form of visual charts. In addition, this review further verifies the completeness of the literature by following up with the snowball method [7] to ensure that key literature is not omitted. By studying the shortcomings of the existing literature on the application of digital technology in the sustainable development of PCSCM, corresponding improvement measures are proposed to provide guidance for subsequent studies.

2.2. Detailed Literature Search Process

2.2.1. Main Data Sources

The main data source for this review is based on WoS due to the following advantages. First of all, WoS has data quality and authority: its core collection adheres to strict journal selection criteria and only includes peer-reviewed journals with high impact. It effectively avoids the interference of low-quality literature such as preprints or informal conference papers [10]. Secondly, WoS has sufficient disciplinary coverage, based on the research area focused on PCSCM in this paper, combined with the subsequent analysis of journal publication sources. It is found that WoS has covered most of the core journals, such as “Sustainability”, “Journal of Management in Engineering”, “Engineering Construction and Architectural Management”, etc. Thirdly, WoS provides the most complete and standardized citation data, which is suitable for the citation network analysis and scientific knowledge graph construction involved in this study [11]. At the same time, WoS tracks “cited literature” and “references” that cannot be replaced by other databases such as Scopus [12]. Finally, in terms of supporting methodological conventions, according to Waltman and van Eck [13], it is known that WoS is often used as a single data source in scientometrics research. Empirical studies have shown a high degree of overlap between WoS and searches of multiple databases, with over 70% of bibliometric studies in the journal “Scientometrics” relying exclusively on the WoS database [14]. In addition, this review further verifies the completeness of the literature through the snowball method to ensure that key literature is not missed.

2.2.2. Principles of Literature Search and Screening

Based on the studies of Gao, C. M. et al. [7] and Han, Y. et al. [8], this study strictly follows the principles of scientificity, reliability, and timeliness when screening the literature related to digital technology and PCSCM with the following criteria:

Ensure that the literature is focused on the integrated application of digital technologies and PCSCM, excluding marginal topics. Emphasize the scientificity and reliability of the research methodology, giving priority to literature that uses empirical studies and representative data samples. Focus on the quality of literature, giving priority to the results of authoritative academic journals, well-known conferences, and professional authors. Place emphasis on timeliness, focusing on the literature published in recent years reflecting the application of emerging digital technologies, taking into account the early classical literature. At the same time, the timeliness of the selected literature is guaranteed, with a focus on literature published in recent years reflecting the application of emerging digital technologies. Considering the early classic literature with seminal significance, the quality literature resources that meet the research needs are selected.

2.2.3. Keywords and Data in Literature Search

The present article is founded upon the retrieval of literature pertaining to the application of digital technologies in the domain of PCSCM from the WoS database. The retrieval key words encompass “supply chain management”, “prefabricated” or “precast” or “prefabrication” or “industrialization” or “offsite” or “modular”, “digital” or “digitalization”, and “sustainable” or “recycle” or “green”.

As shown in Figure 3 below, these keywords can be divided into two main categories, distinguished by blue and yellow colors. Among them, terms such as “supply chain management” and “prefabricated” (including “precast” or “prefabrication” or “industrialization” or “offsite” or “modular”) belong to the domain-specific nouns of this study, namely, supply-chain-management- and prefabricated-construction-related terminology. On the other hand, terms such as “digital” or “digitalization”, and “sustainable” or “recycle” or “green” serve as modifiers with specific attributes. Since a total of two rounds of searches were conducted, the use of keywords for this set of keywords also needs to be discussed separately as Figure 3 shown below. Based on the above screening principles, in the first round of searches, in order to study studies related to the application of digital technology in PCSCM, the logical operator “AND” was used to connect terms related to digital to the first set of keywords, while “OR” was used to connect expressions similar to “digital” to ensure the search’s completeness; a total of 147 relevant publications were obtained after screening. And “OR” was used to connect between terms similar to digitalization to ensure the completeness of the search. In the second search, as the research was related to the application of digitalization to achieve sustainability in the field of PCSCM, thematic modifiers related to sustainability were added and connected using “AND”, and, similarly, words related to “sustainable” could be connected using “OR”, leaving only 27 relevant publications after screening.

After two rounds of searching, filtering, and repeating, a total of 119 relevant publications remained. It is intuitively clear from the data that the majority of articles focus on digital technologies to increase productivity and reduce costs, with little attention paid to environmental benefits.

2.2.4. Using Scientific Bibliometric Tools

The selected relevant literature on the application of digital technologies in the field of PCSCM is imported into VOSviewer and Citespace. The relevant data are then summarized and outputted in tables according to the year of publication, authors, and data references. Firstly, the publication citation situation of the articles is analyzed, including the statistical analysis of the number of publications in recent years of relevant articles to understand its development trend, as well as the publishing journals of the literature sources. Then, the category of countries is analyzed to understand the development situation in different countries. Subsequently, the main authors in the literature are analyzed to understand their cooperation situation, the number of publications of the authors, and their research fields. Visual analyses provide an intuitive understanding of the research hotspots and specific methods related to digital topics in PCSCM. More targeted and dynamic analyses, such as timeline analysis and keyword clustering analysis [8] can be more effective in grasping current research trends and better provide targeted suggestions for future research directions, thereby pointing out the shortcomings of current research and creatively making suggestions for achieving the harmonious development of human and nature and the digital transformation of the construction industry [7].

2.2.5. Supplementary Searches

To ensure the completeness of the data, based on the results of the visualization analysis, the snowball search method [7] was used to track the missing literature related to the scope of this study. This is because the literature of higher quality and relevance to the research hotspots can be filtered out after the visualization analysis. Citation tracking of the screened quality literature can ensure its reliability and relevance and avoid blind stacking [8].

In order to avoid the problem of data access restriction involving very few works of literature in the process of supplementary examination, based on Gao, C. M. et al. [7], Scopus and PubMed were used as alternative databases for this study to retrieve literature involving access restrictions during literature tracking. Capturing references in the core literature and references cited in the body of the text for forward and backward tracking, an additional 10 works of literature were identified and further screened. Combined with the literature from the initial search, a total of 129 papers were identified.

3. Results of Visual Analysis

3.1. Statistics of Relevant Literature Documents

The line graphs of the annual publication numbers in the following articles are based on the relevant numerical studies of PCSCM, reflecting the general status and research trends of the numerical development of PCSCM over the last decade. The different stages of development indicate the characteristics of different periods of development and the corresponding historical background.

As demonstrated in Figure 4, the number of publications has been increasing exponentially, reaching a peak of 40 articles published for the first time in 2023, with a total of more than 129 publications. Consequently, the period of publications studied can be divided into two phases: slow growth and rapid development. The rapid growth phase is characterized by two plateaus. A comprehensive review of the literature reveals that PCSCM commenced development in relatively early years. However, the present study focuses on the subject of digital PCSCM, which was first published in 2015 and has gradually attracted significant attention up to the present decade. The advent of the digital age has facilitated the digitization of PCs, and the concepts of greenness and sustainability have become a research hotspot as environmental issues become more prominent in the current global situation [15].

As illustrated in the subsequent figure, the period up to 2020 is characterized by slow growth, with limited academic research on SC management and digital technology still in the conceptual stage, alongside the nascent stages of green and sustainable development. However, after 2020, this number has increased significantly [16]. This is due to the advancement of the digital age, which has precipitated the transition of the global population into the smart era. This transition has had a certain degree of impact on the development of the construction industry. In order to achieve new levels of development, it is necessary to adapt to the status quo and apply digital technology to solve the problems of excess resources, environmental pollution, and project timeliness in the construction industry [17].

3.2. Publication and Citations Analysis

Import the references from the Web of Science database cited in this paper into the visualization software VOSviewer in RIS format and select “Analyze sources by citation” to analyze the journal sources by citation, thus presenting the citation associations between the journals. This will show the citation associations between journals. Set the threshold to 12 due to the expectation that the core journals with a high number of published papers or citations in the field will be displayed in the graph. Then, based on the output of the software, the data related to journal name, total link strength, number of articles, average year of publication, total citation frequency, and average citation frequency of the literature sources are summarized in the table below to obtain the publication source analysis of the literature.

The following Figure 5 and

Table 1. Summary of major publishing journals.

Source Title	Total Link Strength	Number of Articles	Avg. Pub. Year	Total Citations	Avg. Citations
Journal of Management in Engineering	39	2	2020	253	127
Automation in Construction	13	6	2022	187	31
Engineering Construction and Architectural Management	36	8	2023	150	19
International Journal of Production Research	23	2	2018	104	52
Sustainable Cities and Societies	11	2	2022	67	34
Journal of Cleaner Production	24	4	2021	63	59
Sustainability	76	14	2022	201	14
International Journal of Production Research Economics	15	2	2019	65	33

show the eight types of journals with the largest number of publications in the research field of this article. To a certain extent, these top eight journals can be regarded as the most recognized journals in the field of PCSCM. This figure is generated by VOSviewer based on the number of articles and with the total link strength as the construction index of the connection network. The color of the lines is represented by the legend at the bottom right to indicate the degree of association. It can be clearly seen from the figure that “Sustainability”, “Journal of Management in Engineering”, “Engineering Construction and Architectural Management”, and “Journal of Cleaner Production” are the four journals with the largest number of publications. At the same time, the total citation times and total link strength of the top three articles in terms of the total number of article publications also rank among the top three. To a certain extent, these two indicators both reflect the influence of such journals in the relevant research field and the guarantee of the quality of publications. The difference is that the total citation times is a more intuitive count value to reflect the content quality of the article and the affirmation of its contribution in academia, while the total link strength emphasizes more on the relevance and dissemination potential of the article in the entire information network. Articles with a high link strength may be the hubs of information dissemination, being able to establish connections with many other articles and having strong information diffusion capabilities.

Research Themes of the Journals

Meanwhile, by reviewing and organizing the literature, it can be seen that several studies have been published in various journals, making significant contributions to the research in PCSCM. Jiang, W. et al. [18] presented a work of research in “Sustainability”. Their work focused on offering pricing-oriented decision-making advice and channel selection advice to PCSCM participants. Zhang, X. et al. [19] also chose this journal to established a green SC information-sharing platform for prefabricated buildings by leveraging BIM, RFID, and GIS technologies. The aim was to maximize the overall profitability of the SC. In “Journal of Management in Engineering”, Wang, X. et al. [20] explored the impact of unit cost and volumetric government subsidies on emission reduction in an example of PCSCM composed of project contractors and precast manufacturers. This research played a part in reducing emissions in PCSC. Another study by Wang, X. et al. used BIM, RFID, and GIS technologies to maximize the profitability of a green SC in a PCSCM involving project contractors and precast manufacturers. Zhong, Ray. Y. et al. [21] published a work of research in “Engineering Construction and Architectural Management”. They developed a technological framework for a physical Internet-enabled building-information-modeling platform, which was used to integrate and synchronize logistics echelons in PC. Han, YH et al. [8] conducted a systematic review of PCSCM-related research in “Journal of Cleaner Production”. Their work systematically integrated studies in this field from 2000 to 2022.

Consequently, it can be known that the main research fields of the articles included in these journals are related to construction project SCM, specifically including green SC, construction SC sustainability, optimization, informatization and simulation, digital construction SC, management and economics, engineering construction, etc. Therefore, CSCM is a multidisciplinary research field, and the measures for optimizing CSCM should also be a comprehensive management method that is multifaceted and interdisciplinary.

3.3. Major Country Analysis

This section will discuss the contribution and relationship of each country to the field of PCSCM. The following Figure 6 is the distribution of country sources of the literature summarized in this article generated by the visualization software Citespace. The legend on the right reflects the earliness or lateness of the year through the shade of color. The following Figure 6 shows the retained results after the software visualization and ticking the citations greater than or equal to 2. Eventually, nine countries met the threshold standard and were retained. As can be seen from Figure 6, China and Australia are, respectively, the core developing and developed countries in this research field, with the largest number of publications widely cited by other countries and the highest centrality, reaching 0.53 and 0.4, respectively.

This centrality parameter reflects the central role of the article (or author, journal, etc.) in the process of knowledge dissemination. An article with high centrality is like a transport center that plays an important connecting role in the flow and dissemination of knowledge. A highly centered article may be simultaneously cited by researchers from different disciplinary backgrounds, and the theories, methods, or perspectives it contains become a bridge for knowledge exchange between different disciplines. The other active countries are the UK, the USA, and New Zealand, in that order. Compared to the above, India has less interaction with other countries.

Table 2. Summary of major country.

Citations	Centrality	Year	Country
95	0.53	2015	China
17	0.4	2015	Australia
10	0.1	2017	England
9	0.19	2016	USA
6	0.14	2017	New Zealand
5	0.04	2021	Canada
3	0.04	2019	India

gives the results of the quantitative analysis of country activities, including total citations, centrality, year, and country name. The table below shows that China entered the field of PCSCM earlier and its publications have a greater impact. With 93 times more publications, China has a greater international impact. China’s contribution to the PCSCM field is far greater than that of other countries, as a result of a combination of several factors.

1.

Market Demand

The huge manufacturing industry and the booming e-commerce industry have given rise to a strong demand for SCM, providing a rich application scenario for research and practice in this field [19].

2.

Policy Support

The government has introduced a series of policies to support industrial upgrading, talent cultivation, and technology R&D, which provides a strong guarantee for the development of the industry [20].

3.

Technological Development

The rapid development of digital technologies, such as Internet of Things, big data, and artificial intelligence, provides strong support for PCSCM innovation and pushes enterprises to actively carry out digital transformation [7].

4.

International Exchange

China actively participates in international cooperation programs, introduces advanced experiences, exports innovations, and participates in the formulation of international standards, which enhances its influence in the field of global SCM, and all these factors promote each other and, together, lead to China’s outstanding achievements in the field of PCSCM [8].

3.4. Author Analysis

Figure 7 below is a visualization graph of the number of publications by authors generated by the visualization software Citespace, and is a cooperation relationship network graph of the top 13 authors with the most publications, from which their cooperation relationships in relevant years can be clearly seen.

Table 3. Summary of authors and their literature.

Year	Title	Author	Centrality	Citations
2019	Stakeholder-Associated Supply Chain Risks and Their Interactions in a Prefabricated Building Project in Hong Kong	Luo, Lizi [22]	0.01	175
2015	Towards Physical Internet-enabled Prefabricated Housing Construction in Hong Kong	Zhong, Ray Y and Xu, Gangyan [21]	0.01	24
2015	Bridging BIM and building: From a literature review to an integrated conceptual framework	Huang, George Q [23]	0.01	150
2017	Production lead-time hedging and coordination in prefabricated construction supply chain management	Zhai, Yue [24]	0	76
2020	A holistic review on life cycle energy of buildings: An analysis from 2009 to 2019	Li, CZ [25]	0.01	41
2021	Spatial spillover effect of carbon emission efficiency in the construction industry of China	Du, Qiang [26]	0	81

presents a quantitative analysis of author citations, including citation times, centrality, year, author name, and article title. It can be seen from the table that the article titled “Stakeholder-Associated SC Risks and Their Interactions in a PC Project in Hong Kong” by Luo, Lizi [22] has the highest citation times, and the corresponding circle in Figure 7b is also the largest. Zhong, Ray Y [21], Huang, George Q [23], and Xu, Gangyan [21] entered the field of PCSCM earlier and jointly completed “Towards Physical Internet-enabled Prefabricated Housing Construction in Hong Kong”, which studied the PC structure in Hong Kong and integrated digital technologies such as the Internet of Things and the Internet to achieve the sustainable, green, and efficient development of buildings. Zhai, Yue [24] has achieved high-level results in solving the problem of production delivery cycle hedging in the SCM of PC and reducing the delayed delivery caused by the uncertainty of prefabricated component production. In addition, Li, CZ [25] and Du, Qiang [26] also have a great influence on the research of the green sustainability of PC.

Through Citespace-generated visual graphs and a quantitative analysis of author citations, the findings provide valuable insights into the current state of research, hot topics, and trends in digital technology adoption in the field of PCSCM. Researchers can gain valuable insights into the current state of research in the field of PCSCM by studying the citations of influential authors (e.g., Luo, Lizi, Zhong, Ray Y, Huang, George Q, etc.) and their well-known works, and use the collaborative relationship network of the top 13 prolific authors to effectively discover potential collaboration opportunities, screen high-quality literature, and optimize research directions. This contributes to the identification of research gaps, the integration of digital technologies for sustainable development in PC projects, and the timely adjustment of the research focus according to new trends in the field, including Zhai, Yue’s important contribution to PCSCM, and Li, CZ and Du, Qiang’s important contribution to green sustainability research. The findings highlight the areas of research progress and potential for further exploration. Overall, these findings provide insights into the research status, influential authors and their works, and key research directions in the field of PCSCM.

3.5. Key Word Analysis

The visual analysis of keywords has been demonstrated to reflect the research topics of the literature and the research hot points in the field, thus facilitating a better understanding of the research directions in this area [8]. In this article, the keyword analysis of Citespace is divided into three parts, a keyword atlas analysis, keyword mutation analysis, and keyword clustering analysis, and timeline collinearity analysis. As illustrated in Figure 8, the analysis uncovers the research themes that have garnered significant attention in the literature concerning digital transformation and sustainability within the domain of PCSCM. The figure reveals various distribution clusters, highlighting the prevalence of digital technologies such as BIM and models quantifying carbon emissions and energy consumption, which are pertinent to sustainability.

Figure 9 shows the high-frequency words filtered out and processed after analyzing the data and setting the frequency threshold as ≥14, which can better filter out the high-frequency keywords that meet the needs of the study, so as to carry out the subsequent categorization and relationship analysis of these keywords. The extent to which these words are interrelated is indicated by the size of the relationship node. The 14 keywords can be broadly categorized into three distinct groupings. The first category includes proper nouns devoid of specific meaning, such as SCM and PC, high-frequency words related to digital technologies, including BIM and cloud model, and keywords associated with the realization of the concept of green sustainability, such as system and coordination. The adjusted relationship diagram provides a more comprehensive representation of the association relationships between these terms.

The following Figure 10 presents a keyword burst analysis. By adjusting the keyword threshold, the top nine keywords with the highest burst numbers are retained. This figure can clearly reflect specific research hot points during a certain period and their duration. It can be observed that, with 2019 as the demarcation year, the hot points from 2017 to 2019 were concentrated on “game theory”, “contracts”, and “implementation”, while, from 2019 to 2024, they were “decision”, “system”, “offsite construction”, etc.

3.5.1. Cluster Analysis

In the knowledge graph generated by Citespace, clusters are formed by analyzing keyword relationships, and each cluster is differentiated by color to form labels that summarize its core topic. The co-occurrence of keywords is intricate, and the distribution and proximity of keywords indicates a high degree of semantic correlation between different clusters, highlighting the internal consistency and thematic unity of the clusters. The more forward the keywords are in the visual space, the greater the likelihood that they co-occur in the related research literature, indicating a highly relevant research context. The relative size of each cluster can be suggestive of its importance and the number of related studies; larger clusters usually indicate that the field has gained more research interest and a broader body of literature.

Figure 11a reveals a scattered cluster distribution with numerous and complex inter-cluster connections, indicating significant intersections among research directions. Cluster 0, centered on “integrated dematel–sd framework”, likely explores the use of system dynamics in PCSCM to simulate and optimize dynamic relationships in production, transportation, and inventory. Cluster 1, the core theme of PCSCM, encompasses prefabricated component production, logistics, and information management, focusing on improving efficiency, reducing waste, and enhancing quality control [27]. Cluster 2, with the core keyword “trade policy”, examines the impact of trade policies on prefabricated component import/export and strategies to optimize supply chains under varying trade environments [28]. Cluster 3, centered on “using building information modeling”, highlights the role of BIM in design, simulation, and cost estimation, emphasizing its application in precise production and installation [29]. Cluster 4, focused on “government subsidies”, investigates how subsidies influence the development and structure of PCSC, particularly in promoting small and medium-sized enterprises [29]. Cluster 5, with the core keyword “project-survey analysis”, likely evaluates project implementation and SC performance to derive lessons for future optimization [30]. Cluster 6, centered on “risk assessment”, addresses risks in production, transportation, and market demand, proposing models to predict and mitigate quality risks. Clusters 7 and 8, both related to sustainability, focus on greenhouse gas emissions and carbon emissions, respectively, exploring strategies to reduce emissions through SC optimization and low-carbon technologies [31].

Figure 11b, focusing on digital technology for sustainable PCSCM, shows a more concentrated cluster distribution with weaker inter-cluster connections, suggesting more independent research directions. It can be categorized into four parts according to the relationship between the clusters: Supply Chain Management, Environmental Economics, Long-Term Planning, and Relevant Relationships.

1.

Supply Chain Management

Both Cluster 0 “prefabricated building supply chain” and Cluster 3 “prefabricated construction supply chain management” are related studies containing PCSCM. The former focuses on the overall management of the prefabricated building SC, covering all aspects from raw material procurement to on-site construction integration, to ensure the seamless flow of all elements within the SC [8]. The latter focuses on the management aspect, delving into SC planning, inventory management, quality control, and supplier relationship management. Together, they emphasize the importance of efficient SC operations in prefabricated buildings by streamlining processes aimed at achieving timely, cost-effective, and high-quality project completion.

2.

Environmental Economics

Cluster 1 “carbon–economy equilibrium” and Cluster 2 “carbon emission reduction effect” examine the delicate balance between minimizing carbon emissions and maintaining economic viability. Cluster 1 analyzes the costs and benefits associated with low-carbon technologies, taking into account both the short- and long-term economic impacts [29]. Cluster 2 works to quantify and improve the actual reduction in carbon emissions. Through a Life Cycle Assessment, it explores strategies to further reduce emissions at all stages of prefabricated buildings, from production to operation.

3.

Long-Term Planning

Cluster 4 “prefabricated component” focuses on the basic building components of prefabricated buildings and covers the research on component design for ease of assembly, material selection for optimized performance, and the optimization of manufacturing processes for improved efficiency [29]. Quality assurance is also a key aspect to ensure that components meet the necessary standards. Complementing this, Cluster 7 “twenty-year application” looks at the long term. The assessment of the durability, sustainability, and adaptability of prefabricated buildings over a twenty-year period, including the monitoring of environmental degradation, maintenance requirements, and upgrading potential, is critical to understanding the long-term viability of prefabricated buildings [30].

4.

Relevant Relationships

Cluster 5 “evaluation” provides a methodology for assessing all aspects of prefabricated buildings. The building performance, SC performance, and economic and environmental impacts are assessed [31]. Cluster 6 “mutual relationship” explores the intricate linkages between different elements of prefabricated buildings. Examining how SCM relates to carbon reduction efforts, or how component design affects building performance [32].

Overall, the atlas highlights the multifaceted nature of PCSCM research, with clusters in Figure 11a addressing system dynamics, trade policy, BIM, government subsidies, risk management, and sustainability. On the other hand, Figure 11b emphasizes the growing emphasis on digital technologies and carbon reduction in achieving the sustainable development goals. The different clusters are interdependent and, together, they paint a detailed picture of prefabricated buildings, guiding future research and practice towards more efficient, sustainable, and high-performance prefabricated building solutions.

3.5.2. Timeline Analysis

As the body of research related to the green sustainability of PCSCM is primarily concentrated in the period from 2020 to 2024 with a relatively narrow span, Figure 12 below offers a valuable illustration. It presents a timeline analysis related to PCSCM digitalization from 2015 to 2024, which has been generated by Citespace. In the atlas, nodes represent keywords, and lines represent keyword co-occurrence relationships. The colors from cold to warm indicate the progression from the early stage to the late stage. The main keywords include SC risks associated with stakeholders, BIM, prefabricated building supply chains, etc.

From the perspective of time evolution, the keywords that emerged in the early stage (2015–2017) include dynamic traffic planning, evaluating supplier management maturity, etc. In the subsequent period (2018–2021), the emergence of PCSC and game-based methods signifies a shift towards more sophisticated approaches. The final stage (2021–2024) witnessed the emergence of SC risks associated with stakeholders and the utilization of BIM, reflecting a convergence of research interests and technological advancements in the construction sector.

As the construction industry matures, there is an increasing focus on the role of stakeholders in SC risks. This reflects a more sophisticated and comprehensive risk management and control approach, taking into account the influence of stakeholders. Concurrently, the extensive use of BIM has become a research focus, signifying the industry’s commitment to digital transformation [33]. The integration of BIM technology has been shown to enhance various aspects of construction projects, including architectural design, construction management, and operation and maintenance [34]. This integration has been demonstrated to lead to improvements in the overall efficiency and quality of construction projects.

In summary, from the perspective of time evolution, the research hot point in the construction-related field has gradually developed from focusing on basic project support and management in the early stage, to research on emerging construction methods such as PCSC and their related strategies in the middle stage, and, then, to emphasizing digital transformation and more comprehensive risk management and control in the later stage, reflecting the continuous development and progress of the industry [35].

3.5.3. Summary of Visual Analysis

A visual analysis shows that, in the current PCSCM field, the application of digital technology is highly focused on cost reduction and efficiency improvement. From a practical point of view, enterprises in the fierce market competition often prefer to choose the technology that can quickly bring economic benefits to ensure their own survival and development, thus leading to the application of digital technology direction drift. To a large extent, this phenomenon stems from stakeholders’ concerns about the high initial costs of sustainable building solutions. However, achieving sustainable development is the core objective of prefabricated buildings. This over-concern and potential for financial gain has resulted in the under-exploitation of the potential of digital technologies to promote sustainable development in prefabricated buildings. In order to return to the essential pursuit of prefabricated buildings, there is an urgent need to shift the focus of research to technologies that can help the industry achieve sustainable development goals and safeguard economic benefits. These technologies can not only effectively balance the economic benefits, but also play a key role in environmental protection, resource utilization, and social well-being, providing stronger support for the long-term development of the prefabricated building industry.

Based on the above background, this paper will explore in depth the potential challenges in the application of digital technologies in promoting the sustainable development of prefabricated assembled buildings and propose corresponding measures for them, in order to realize the synergistic development of economic, social, and ecological benefits and contribute to the sustainable development of the construction industry in the new era.

4. Qualitative Discussion

4.1. Challenges of Achieving Digital Transformation in PCSCM

In the context of the digital age, achieving digital transformation in PCSCM is not just about implementing changes by integrating digital technologies. More importantly, it requires the digital transformation of SC business models, organizations, processes, services, and operations to enhance the ability of companies to cope with unexpected risks [36]. A comprehensive and effective SC monitoring system is needed to integrate information technology in all management aspects of the construction industry, including resources, pricing systems, and internal management [37]. In this way, the digitalization and platformization of the SC of construction companies can be countered to reduce construction costs and improve economic efficiency.

4.2. Applying Digital Technologies to Adress Digital Transformation in PCSCM

Han, YH [8] and others provided a systematic overview of the PCSC. They conducted bibliometric analysis using VOSviewer, comprehensively explored the research themes in the PCSCM field, pointed out the future research directions that should be focused on in the PCSCM field, and provided a basis for future management decisions.

4.2.1. Current Status of Most Research Applying Digital Technologies to Enhance Profits

Table 4. Summary of relevant literature for digital technology applied to PCSCM.

Year	Title	Citation	Author	Research Topics	Methods
2023	An overall review of research on prefabricated construction supply chain management	74	Han, YH et al. [8]	Overview of the PCSC	Visualization maps and quantitative analysis
2021	Customization of on-site assembly services by integrating the internet of things and BIM technologies in modular integrated construction	60	Zhou JX et al. [38]	On-site assembly services	IOT, enabled smart BIM platform
2018	An Internet of Things-enabled BIM platform for on-site assembly services in prefabricated construction	265	Li CZ et al. [39]	Improve PC efficiently	BIM
2022	Exploiting digitalization for the coordination of required changes to improve engineer-to-order materials flow management	20	Chen, Q et al. [40]	Improve PC efficiently	Integrated management framework through digital data sharing
2021	Scheduling Optimization of Prefabricated Construction Projects by Genetic Algorithm	30	Xie, LL et al. [41]	Improve PC project	Scheduling model and genetic algorithms
2021	Computer Vision-Based Disruption Management for Prefabricated Building Construction Schedule	17	Yan, XZ et al. [42]	Prefabricated building construction schedules	Computer-vision-based

below details the current state of most research on the application of digital technologies to improve profitability. Among the digital technologies applied in the literature, there are BIM technology, big data technology, cloud computing technology, artificial intelligence, etc. The integration of digital technologies such as BIM and data analytics within the context of PCSCM has the potential to enhance various operational aspects of the construction industry.

1.

Using BIM and IOT Technology

In addressing these issues, Zhou, JX et al. [38] have proposed a smart BIM platform that integrates IoT, BIM, and computing technologies. Various types of data from the construction site are collected in real time through IoT devices, combined with the visualization and data integration capabilities of the BIM model. Powerful computing technology and processing efficiency enable the optimization of the whole process from data collection, to transmission, to analysis. This platform breaks down the information barriers between stakeholders in traditional projects, enabling designers, constructors, and supervisors to achieve seamless and timely information sharing and communication based on unified data standards. It greatly improves the science and timeliness of decision-making and provides a solid data and information foundation for the smooth progress of the project.

Li, CZ et al. [39] have designed an IoT-enabled platform that combines IoT and BIM technologies for a prefabricated public housing project in Hong Kong. They analyzed the needs of relevant stakeholders, collected real-time data in a timely manner, and uploaded the captured data to the cloud instantly. This facilitated the processing and analysis of data by relevant site managers and workers, thereby enabling enhanced decision support and improved efficiency and effectiveness in the day-to-day operations, decision-making, collaboration, and supervision throughout the site assembly process. In practical application, this data-driven model significantly enhances the decision-making support capability, making the efficiency and effectiveness of daily operation, decision-making, multi-party collaboration, and supervision and management in the on-site assembly process significantly improved, effectively guaranteeing the efficient implementation and quality control of the project.

Through the innovative application of technology integration, the above study provides a valuable practical example for the PCSCM field. It not only solves the pain points of traditional projects, such as poor data circulation and difficult information sharing, but also points out the direction for subsequent research. Based on these successful experiences, the multi-technology integration architecture is further optimized to adapt to more complex and changing project scenarios. Digging deeper into the value of the data and improving the overall level of SC collaboration can promote the prefabricated building industry to continue to develop in the direction of intelligence and efficiency.

2.

Using Big Data and Cloud Computing Technology

Chen, Q. et al. [40] have developed a comprehensive management framework. By building a digital data-sharing platform, it enables stakeholders in the SC to obtain dynamic information on the construction site in a timely manner. Once there are design changes, schedule adjustments, and other emergencies at the site, all parties can react quickly based on the shared data and adjust the work plan and resource allocation. This model fundamentally changes the problem of lagging information and slow response in the traditional construction SC. It realizes the agility of the workflow, improves the ability of the whole SC to cope with uncertainty, and enhances the resilience and flexibility of the SC.

Xie, LL et al. [41] proposed a PC project schedule model that takes into account both project resource constraints and prefabricated component supply constraints. Through the improvement of the traditional genetic algorithm, the model can provide project managers with a scientific and reasonable schedule-planning scheme under complex constraints. It can not only help managers optimize resource allocation to avoid resource waste and idleness, but also effectively compress the project duration and reduce project costs. At the same time, by accurately planning the supply time and quantity of prefabricated components, it reduces the risk of schedule delays due to the untimely supply of components, significantly improves the overall performance of the project, and provides strong technical support for the efficient management of prefabricated building projects.

The above research has not only aimed at solving a series of pain point problems such as poor data circulation, difficult information sharing, slow SC response, non-compliance of project schedule management, and so on, which existed in traditional projects, through technological innovation and model improvement from different perspectives, but it also points out the direction for subsequent research, on which future research can further optimize the multi-technology integration architecture and strengthen the synergistic application between different management frameworks and models, in order to adapt to more complex and changeable project scenarios. At the same time, the value of the data can be deeply explored to improve the overall level of SC synergy and promote the prefabricated assembly building industry to develop continuously in the direction of intelligence and efficiency.

3.

Using Artificial Intelligence Technology

Since PC projects are prone to schedule delays and budget overruns due to various types of interruptions, Yan, XZ [42] and others developed a numerical method by focusing on this problem. The method used digital technology to build a complete disturbance monitoring and response system, which could accurately capture all kinds of disturbances such as interruptions in the supply of raw materials, bad weather, and technical difficulties in the construction process in real time. Through the timely detection and scientific assessment of these disturbances, the impact of the disturbances on the project schedule and budget can be quickly analyzed. In practice, the numerical method provides a powerful decision support tool for project managers. Based on the results of the interference assessment, targeted response strategies can be quickly developed to effectively reduce the negative impact of interference on the project, so that the disturbed construction project can return to the normal schedule as soon as possible.

The continuous advancement of technology, while bringing immense benefits to humanity, also manifests as a double-edged sword, presenting both opportunities and challenges. While the above studies have improved productivity and economic efficiency to a certain extent, there are pressing environmental challenges to be addressed when adopting digital technologies within the PCSC. The pursuit of economic development must be accompanied by a rethinking of the sources of resources to ensure their sustainable use and the long-term health of the environment.

4.2.2. Integration of Digital Technology with Sustainable Concepts in PCSCM

In contemporary times, the emergence of digital technology has brought mankind a new era of convenience and efficiency. However, while enjoying the convenience and efficiency brought about by digital technology, humankind must be aware of the need to respect and comply with the laws of nature at the same time. Minimize environmental pollution and ecological damage, reduce resource waste through intelligent SCM, use big data and artificial intelligence to optimize production processes, and reduce carbon emissions, as well as use the IoT to achieve the precise distribution of resources [43]. Realize the harmonious coexistence of man and nature.

The integration of PC with digital SCs and green concepts plays a crucial role in constructing the blueprint for the future development of the construction industry. It offers new perspectives for the concurrent development of environmental protection and the economy and is an objective requirement for achieving the sustainable development of the construction industry [44]. In the green production process of prefabricated components, the utilization of advanced production technology and equipment is instrumental in reducing energy consumption and waste emissions [45]. The promotion of high-performance concrete, thermal insulation materials, and other green building materials is also pivotal in enhancing the energy-saving performance of the building [46]. Furthermore, the strengthening of quality management in the production process is essential in order to ensure the quality and safety of prefabricated components. The recycling and reuse of buildings at the end of their service life is a key aspect of sustainable development [47]. During demolition, measures should be taken to minimize the environmental impact and to categorize and recycle reusable materials and components [48]. The improved resource utilization of construction waste is also recommended, as is a reduction in the dependence on natural resources. Table 5 presents a comprehensive list of the relevant literature.

1.

Carbon Emissions

Climate change caused by carbon emissions is a concern in many countries. As the largest carbon emitter in the world, the construction industry in China generates a large amount of carbon emissions [49]. However, previous studies have mainly focused on promoting low-carbon building products or calculating carbon emissions to propose low-carbon transformation measures, and there is limited research on the low-carbon transformation of the construction industry [50].

Table 5. Summary of relevant literature under comprehensive concept.

Year	Title	Citations	Author	Research Topics	Methods
2023	An exploratory analysis of low-carbon transitions in China’s construction industry based on multi-level perspective	11	Xu, PP et al. [51]	Low-carbon transitions in the construction industry	Interpretative structural model and cross-impact matrix multiplication
2021	Critical factors influencing carbon emissions of prefabricated building supply chains in China	62	Du, Q et al. [52]	Formulate low-carbon strategies	A hypothesis model
2022	An Evaluation Model of Carbon Emission Reduction Effect of Prefabricated Building Based on Cloud Model from the Perspective of Construction Supply Chain	18	Sun, SN et al. [53]	Reduce carbon emissions and achieve the “dual carbon” goal	Continuous ordered weighted averaging operator cloud model
2023	Research on Resilience Evaluation of Green Building Supply Chain Based on ANP-Fuzzy Model	16	Wang, YX et al. [54]	Evaluate resilience level	Interpretative structural model and ANP-Fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model
2022	Artificial Neural Networks for Sustainable Development of the Construction Industry	18	Ahmed, M et al. [55]	Sustainable development of construction industry	Artificial neural networks
2022	A dynamic simulation study on the sustainability of prefabricated buildings	52	Liu, S et al. [56]	PC efficiently and sustainably	System dynamics

Table 5. Summary of relevant literature under comprehensive concept.

Year	Title	Citations	Author	Research Topics	Methods
2023	An exploratory analysis of low-carbon transitions in China’s construction industry based on multi-level perspective	11	Xu, PP et al. [51]	Low-carbon transitions in the construction industry	Interpretative structural model and cross-impact matrix multiplication
2021	Critical factors influencing carbon emissions of prefabricated building supply chains in China	62	Du, Q et al. [52]	Formulate low-carbon strategies	A hypothesis model
2022	An Evaluation Model of Carbon Emission Reduction Effect of Prefabricated Building Based on Cloud Model from the Perspective of Construction Supply Chain	18	Sun, SN et al. [53]	Reduce carbon emissions and achieve the “dual carbon” goal	Continuous ordered weighted averaging operator cloud model
2023	Research on Resilience Evaluation of Green Building Supply Chain Based on ANP-Fuzzy Model	16	Wang, YX et al. [54]	Evaluate resilience level	Interpretative structural model and ANP-Fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model
2022	Artificial Neural Networks for Sustainable Development of the Construction Industry	18	Ahmed, M et al. [55]	Sustainable development of construction industry	Artificial neural networks
2022	A dynamic simulation study on the sustainability of prefabricated buildings	52	Liu, S et al. [56]	PC efficiently and sustainably	System dynamics

Xu, PP et al. [51] studied and adopted the comprehensive Interpretive Structural Modeling and the Cross-Impact Matrix Multiplication technique applied to classification, to analyze the interactions and hierarchical relationships between factors related to low-carbon practices in the construction industry from a systems theory perspective. This approach is able to structurally sort out the many complex factors, clearly presenting the direct and indirect impacts of each factor on low-carbon practices, as well as the degree of interconnectedness between the factors. It provides systematic and global advice for the construction industry to formulate low-carbon strategies. Avoiding the one-sidedness of strategy formulation, the industry can grasp the key factors in promoting low-carbon development, rationally plan resource inputs, and realize a more efficient low-carbon transition.

Du, Q et al. [52] explored the key factors affecting carbon emissions and their influencing relationships from the perspective of the SC. They applied the Structural Equation Model to evaluate a hypothesized model consisting of “social and government factors”, “market factors”, “technical factors”, and “supply chain coordination factors”. The research provides guidance for participants in PCSC to adopt low-carbon measures. Sun, SN et al. [53] consider that PC is the future development direction of the construction industry and explored the use of the cloud model to evaluate its carbon reduction effect, filling the research gap in the current academic community that only focuses on how to reduce carbon. Based on the characteristics of the green building SC, Wang, YX et al. [54] constructed an evaluation index system for the resilience of the green building SC. The index system covers all elements of the SC, which can comprehensively and systematically assess the SC resilience and help enterprises and managers discover the weak links in the SC in a timely manner. By optimizing the supply chain structure and strengthening cooperation, the overall resilience of the SC can be improved to ensure the stable operation of green building projects in complex environments, which is of great practical significance in promoting the sustainable development of the green building industry.

2.

Comprehensive Benefits

In order to achieve faster sustainable development in the construction industry, Ahmed, M. et al. [55] presented the latest applications of artificial neural networks in promoting the sustainable development of the construction industry in three aspects, namely, the environment, economy, and society. They investigated the applications of artificial neural networks in sustainable building materials, energy management, material testing and control, infrastructure analysis and design, sustainable building management, infrastructure functional performance, and sustainable maintenance management. The authors further extend the application of artificial neural networks to building management, life cycle assessment of building projects, and the social aspects related to the sustainability issues of the construction industry. In contrast, Liu, S et al. [56] propose a different perspective on the sustainable development of PC, arguing that it is a complex and ambiguous issue. They contend that, for sustainable development, it should not be considered from a single specific angle, but, rather, should be viewed as a comprehensive benefit. To this end, they adopted the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) theory to define the comprehensive benefit boundaries of the PC system model. The efficient and sustainable development of PC is a matter of concern for governments and environmental protection organizations worldwide, which are keen to see a resolution to the issue. It has the capacity to provide guidance to relevant enterprises and government departments collaborating with the construction industry, thereby helping them to formulate policies and ensure the sustainable development of PC.

Table 6. Supplements of relevant literature in concrete aspects.

Year	Title	Citations	Author	Research Topics	Methods
2021	A blockchain and IoT-based smart product service system for the sustainability of prefabricated housing construction	126	Li, CZ et al. [57]	Sustainable prefabricated housing construction SC	IOT, Cyber-Physical System and BIM
2021	Identification of Critical Factors Influencing Prefabricated Construction Quality and Their Mutual Relationship	18	Zhang, K et al. [58]	PC quality and safety	Interpretation structure model-matrix cross-reference multiplication
2023	A Novel Hybrid Methodology to Study the Risk Management of Prefabricated Building Supply Chains: An Outlook for Sustainability	15	Zhu, T et al. [59]	Risk prediction and evaluation of its SCM	BP neural network and machine learning
2023	Use of composite plaster material for the development of sustainable prefabricated: study of its manufacturing process, properties and supply chain	4	Ferrández-Vega, D et al. [60]	Development of new, more sustainable construction materials	Use the FlexSim Simulation Software

supplements additional studies on the application of current digital technologies to sustainability principles and is presented below.

3.

Resilient in Terms of Sustainability

Li, CZ et al. [57] effectively address the inherent disadvantages of PC. By utilizing advanced information and communication technologies, they have developed an intelligent platform based on a service-oriented approach, inspiring a new model of intelligent buildings and making PCSCM more resilient in terms of sustainability. They also employed Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) to analyze the correlations among the evaluation indices, identify the weak links in the green building SC, and assess the resilience level, which is of great significance for promoting the green development of the construction industry.

4.

Quality Management

The quality of PC has been demonstrated to have a significant impact on the service life and functionality of buildings, as well as the safety of users. Consequently, effective quality management is of paramount importance for the advancement of such construction methods in the industry. At present, the research on quality management in the construction field is predominantly focused on on-site construction, with limited attention being paid to PC. Zhang, K. et al. [58] seek to study and adopt the Interpretive Structural Modelling—Matrix Cross-Reference Multiplication with classified applications to analyze and determine the interrelationships among the key factors that affect the quality of PC. This will assist managers in better understanding the quality of PC and enable them to take effective measures to improve the current situation and promote the sustainable development of PC.

5.

Risk Prediction

Zhu, T et al. [59] established a Back Propagation neural network through Python software for risk prediction and assessment models. This was used to predict the risks of the PCSC and conduct a risk prediction and assessment of its SCM. The powerful nonlinear mapping capability of the BP neural network can accurately capture the complex nonlinear relationship between various risk factors and risk events in PCSC. By learning and training on a large amount of historical data, the model can effectively predict the possible risks faced by PCSC and its SCM. Compared with traditional risk assessment methods, it has a higher prediction accuracy and timeliness. The specific coping strategies proposed in the study for different types of risks provide practical operational guidelines for enterprises and managers, which can help prevent risks and reduce losses in advance. It opens up a new research direction for the sustainable development of PCSC, fills in some of the gaps in the application of neural network technology in the field of PCSC risk prediction, and promotes the intelligent and scientific development of risk management in the industry.

6.

Green Materials and Recycling

Ferrández-Vega, D et al. [60] developed sustainable prefabricated components using composite gypsum materials. They improved a novel gypsum composite material incorporated with recycled rubber granules and waste glass wool fibers. By substituting up to 30% of the original gypsum material with recycled raw materials, the thermal performance of prefabricated gypsum boards was enhanced. In addition, favorable mechanical properties were obtained, and the weight of prefabricated components was reduced. This can enhance productivity and decrease fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions during transportation.

7.

Green Transportation

PC realizes the transformation from on-site construction to off-site construction; the traditional building SC needs to be updated. The traditional in situ construction methods are currently being replaced by modular building systems, which utilize modern manufacturing, transportation, and assembly methods. This transformation poses challenges to the building SC, which has, thus far, only focused on the transportation of raw materials. The research of the transportation and logistics conducted by the PCSC is outlined in

Table 7. Summary of the related documents of the transportation and logistics links.

Year	Title	Citations	Author	Research Topics	Methods
2020	Dynamic transportation planning for prefabricated component supply chain	44	Zhang, H; Yu, L [61]	Transportation planning problem	Dynamic optimization model and the PSO algorithm
2016	A multi-objective GA-based optimisation for holistic manufacturing, transportation and assembly of precast construction	80	Anvari B et al. [62]	Manufacturing, transportation	Enetic-algorithm-based
2019	Risk-averse supply chain for modular construction projects	70	Hsu PY et al. [63]	Risk-averse logistics configurations	Mathematical model
2019	Site logistics planning and control for engineer-to-order prefabricated building systems using BIM 4D modeling	141	Bortolini R et al. [64]	Logistics planning and control	BIM 4D model

.

Prefabricated components entail the off-site production, multimodal transportation, and on-site installation of prefabricated components. Therefore, coordination among multiple stages on the PCSC is imperative. Zhang and Yu’s [61] objective is to resolve the dynamic traffic-planning issue of the PCSC by addressing the interdependence, dynamic interaction, and coordination among multiple stages and different objectives of stakeholders. This research promotes coordination among multiple stages of the PCSC by recognizing the divergent interests of stakeholders, thereby facilitating the realization of the advantages of PC. However, when considered separately in the scheduling stage, it is equally important to evaluate the impact of indirect decisions from manufacturing to assembly on cost and time.

Anvari B’s [62] resource scheduling of the construction proposal enables project managers to assess resource requirements, provide costs, and analyze potential delays. It is often difficult for traditional resource scheduling methods to simultaneously take into account multiple key objectives such as time, cost, and safety, while multi-objective genetic algorithms are able to efficiently find the optimal solution in a huge solution space by virtue of their powerful global search capability and adaptability to complex problems. From the practical application point of view, the research results practically solve the core pain points in the resource scheduling of prefabricated building projects. The project manager of this research setup can scientifically assess the resource requirements of each stage of the project and accurately calculate the costs. At the same time, safety factors are incorporated into the optimization objectives to reduce safety risks during the construction process from the level of resource scheduling and ensure the safety of construction personnel. In addition, this study enriches the research methodology of resource scheduling for prefabricated construction projects at the theoretical level, providing new ideas and technical references for subsequent related studies. It enhances market competitiveness and promotes the development of PC in the direction of becoming more efficient, safe, and economic.

Hsu PY et al. [63] have developed a mathematical model for the design and optimization of risk-averse logistics configurations in modular building projects under operational uncertainties. The model incorporates the manufacturing, storage, and assembly stages, as well as the selection of the optimal warehouse location, and employs robust optimization features to account for the common causes of construction site schedule deviations, including inclement weather, delayed deliveries, fluctuations in labor productivity, and crane failures. Utilizing a school dormitory construction project as a case study, the efficacy of the proposed model is demonstrated, outperforming existing techniques in environments characterized by multiple sources of uncertainty.

Logistics assumes a pivotal role in the successful execution of PC projects, with the transportation process serving as a conduit between the construction site and the prefabricated factory. The demand for PC is continually increasing, necessitating unique products that can satisfy the specific requirements of individual customers. While industrialized building systems have the potential to streamline the production process, the design-to-order production system typically exhibits a high degree of intricacy, characterized by uncertainty in customer requirements, abbreviated delivery times, concurrent project stages, and the utilization of shared resources across multiple projects. Bortolini R et al. [64] have proposed a multifaceted approach that integrates the lean production concept and BIM principles, emphasizing the pivotal role of logistics management in achieving project objectives concerning cost, time, and safety. This multi-dimensional research idea complements the previous research in digital project management and green material innovation, further improving the research system of the prefabricated building industry. It provides a practical model for PCSCM that can be learnt from, and helps to promote PC to achieve a comprehensive improvement in cost control, time management, and safety and security. In the future, people can further explore the application of this method in prefabricated building projects of different scales and types, as well as the in-depth integration with other advanced management concepts and technologies, so as to continuously improve the overall management level of the prefabricated building industry.

4.3. Future Challenges of Using Digital Technologies to Achieve Sustainable Development in PCSCM

PC boasts advantages such as low labor costs, a rapid construction speed, and favorable resource conservation, which has been verified as an effective solution for reducing carbon emissions in the construction industry and has been actively promoted worldwide, which also represents the original intention behind the emergence of prefabricated buildings.

However, now, most researchers pay more attention to applying digital technologies in order to achieve economic profit. From a long-term perspective, only through the harmonious development of humans and nature, the rational utilization of natural resources, and the conduct of production and operation activities in accordance with ecological laws can the long-term and stable supply of raw materials for enterprises be ensured [65]. This approach helps avoid problems such as resource shortages caused by excessive environmental damage, which could otherwise affect subsequent operations, and ensures the continuous generation of profits by enterprises. Digital technologies should not serve as a self-imposed constraint for humanity, but, rather, as a tool to foster a harmonious coexistence between humans and nature. The integration of digital technologies with sustainable development strategies not only bolsters corporate competitiveness but also advances global environmental preservation and ecological equilibrium.

In the context of the incessant progression of digital technologies, this research endeavors to uphold the original impetus of prefabricated buildings, namely, being environmentally amicable, sustainable, and green. Its objective is to redirect the focal point from corporate pecuniary interests to the environmental domain [66]. However, there are still the following problems to be solved to realize the sustainable development of PCSCM with the support of digital technology:

1.

Data Security and Privacy

In the digital age, data security and privacy issues have become a focal point. The extensive data sharing in digital PCSCM involves corporate trade secrets and customer privacy. Therefore, ensuring data security and privacy is a significant challenge [67].

2.

Green Production and Recycling

After the end of a building’s service life, recycle and reuse the building. During the demolition process, minimize environmental damage as much as possible and classify and recycle recyclable materials and components. Increase the resource utilization rate of construction waste and reduce the dependence on natural resources [68].

3.

Life Cycle Management

The sustainable development of prefabricated buildings involves not only the production and construction stages but also all stages of the entire life cycle, including operation, maintenance, demolition, and recycling. Future research needs to strengthen the management of the entire life cycle of prefabricated buildings to achieve the optimal utilization of resources and the minimization of environmental impacts from design to demolition, thereby enhancing the overall sustainability of the building [69].

4.

High Cost

Integrating the sustainable concept into digital PCSCM requires a large amount of capital and technological investment, leading to an increase in corporate costs [70]. For example, the application of digital technology requires enterprises to purchase relevant software and hardware equipment, and conduct personnel training and technological upgrades; and the application of green technology requires enterprises to adopt more environmentally friendly materials and processes, increasing production costs. This makes some enterprises take a wait-and-see attitude towards the sustainable development of digital PCSCM.

5.

Talent Shortage

Integrating the sustainable concept into digital PCSCM requires interdisciplinary talents who have a good understanding of both construction technology and information technology. However, currently, the talent cultivation system in the construction industry mainly focuses on the cultivation of construction technology and lacks attention toward information technology, resulting in a shortage of interdisciplinary talents. This restricts the development of the integration of digitalization and greening in the PCSC [71].

5. Measures to Address Future Challenges in PCSCM

As the seven clusters of data for Figure 11b in the cluster analysis above are based on the themes of the literature in Section 4.2.2 above, measures to address the future application of digital technologies in the construction industry for the sustainable development of PCSCM need to be presented in relation to the themes in the cluster analysis. Figure 13 below clearly illustrates the logical relationship between the challenges of applying digital technology to PCSCM in the future and the corresponding measures, each of which is explained in detail below:

1.

Data Security and Encryption

The cluster analysis involves themes such as Cluster 0 “prefabricated building supply chain”, in which it is crucial that we secure the relevant data in the digitization process of PCSCM [67]. Enhance relevant confidentiality technologies and establish a distributed ledger system using blockchain to ensure that data cannot be tampered with, to achieve traceability in each link of the SC, and to protect sensitive business information [27]. Implement end-to-end encrypted transmission and storage data methods, as well as permission restrictions such as strict authentication and least privilege access to ensure data security. Meanwhile, establish a perfect management mechanism to classify and hierarchically process data to protect the core information. Establish data security protocols, enhance personnel security training, and formulate relevant contingency-planning mechanisms to respond more flexibly to the risk of data privacy leakage.

2.

Green Materials

Enterprises in PCSCM should recognize the upstream and downstream connections, and use environmentally friendly building materials to save energy and reduce carbon emissions, which is in line with Cluster 1 “carbon–economy equilibrium” and Cluster 2 “carbon emission reduction effect”. It is imperative that we address the disparity in pricing between green building materials and the ecological advantages of energy conservation and environmental protection [28]. The utilization of prefabricated construction technology is crucial in mitigating noise, dust, and construction waste on the construction site. The enhanced management of the construction site is essential in order to optimize construction efficiency and quality [68]. The promotion of green construction techniques, such as water conservation, electricity conservation, and material conservation, is also recommended in order to reduce resource consumption during the construction process. In conjunction with the related themes of Cluster 7 “twenty-year application”, it is only by focusing on the vision of environmental benefits that PCSCM will be able to achieve sustainable development and reverse the current unfavorable situation of not being able to make ends meet.

3.

Standard System

Currently, a unified standard and specification have not been established within the prefabricated building industry chain. There is a lack of effective connection and coordination among various links, resulting in the low efficiency of the industry chain [69]. In the future, it is necessary to further improve the standard system in conjunction with Cluster 5 “evaluation”, and Cluster 6 “mutual relationship”. Strengthen the communication and cooperation among enterprises along the industry chain, establish a more closely-knit coordination mechanism, achieve resource sharing and complementary advantages, and enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the entire SC. It also combines PCSCM and environmental impact work to explore the intrinsic relationship between the different elements, on the basis of which a more comprehensive evaluation mechanism will be set up to assess its effectiveness.

4.

Cost Control

Whilst the study’s primary focus is on the environmental benefits of PCSCM, it is important to note that it does not neglect the issue of cost control. The sustainable development of PCSCM is hindered by the fact that, under the premise of environmental protection, it is difficult to reduce costs [70]. This has led to many enterprises adopting a wait-and-see approach, as they seek to ensure that their development is in harmony with their income. In the future, while pursuing environmental protection, people will explore ways to reduce costs and break the wait-and-see state of enterprises. The sustainable development of SC ensures economic efficiency by optimizing the SC process and improving the efficiency of precast component production, incorporating the study of the delicate balance between minimizing carbon emissions and maintaining economic viability [29], as mentioned in Cluster 1 “carbon–economy equilibrium” and Cluster 2 “carbon emission reduction effect”.

5.

Talent Cultivation

The rapid development of the prefabricated building industry has resulted in a significant demand for a considerable number of high-quality technical and managerial talents, encompassing all aspects such as design, production, construction, operation, and maintenance. Presently, the shortage of such talents is a prominent challenge, impeding the growth of the industry.

The talent training system is organized around the themes of Cluster 0 “prefabricated building supply chain”, Cluster 1 “carbon–economy equilibrium”, Cluster 3 “prefabricated construction supply chain management”, and Cluster 4 “prefabricated component”. Improving the professional competence of practitioners is imperative in order to ensure the sustainable development of PCSC [30]. Universities and corporations must collaborate to develop human resources to integrate digitalization and sustainability into PCSC. Universities and corporations collaborate to build interdisciplinary models that integrate digitalization and sustainability concepts. Cultivate a combination of building- and information-technology-savvy talent, so that the talent can understand the relationship between SCM and carbon reduction, and the impact of component design on building performance. Cultivate talents with a comprehensive mastery of building technology and information technology to promote the comprehensive development of PCSCM [71].

6. Conclusions

This review uses a combination of scientific bibliometric tools and qualitative analyses. It reveals that research in the field of digital PCSCM lacks consideration of environmental benefits in practical research out of concern for securing economic benefits for companies. It also suggests possible future challenges and shortcomings of the existing research on the application of digital technologies in sustainable development. In order to make up for this deficiency, this review proposes comprehensive measures to promote the sustainable development of PCSCM from five aspects, including data security, the use of green materials, the establishment of unified standards, cost control, and the cultivation of diversified talents, in conjunction with the relevant aggregation in the cluster analysis, and innovatively points out that environmental protection and economic benefits are not mutually exclusive—sustainable and judicious environmental development is essential for the enduring progress of businesses and human civilization at large.

Nevertheless, this study also has some limitations. The conclusions mainly present macroscopic opinions on the future application of digital technologies in achieving sustainable development, lacking specific implementation advice for a particular direction. Future research can be based on the research themes and macro-measures presented in this review, and more targeted suggestions can be made to adapt to the actual needs of the market. Promoting the sustainable development of PCSCM balances the relationship between economic growth and environmental sustainability and paves the way for a prosperous future for future generations.