Architectural and Construction Technologies for Industry 4.0: Towards the Digital Transformation of the Built Environment

Dear Colleagues,  

The traditional architecture and construction methods need a technological transformation in line with the Industry 4.0 requirements to enable the digital transformation of the built environment. To achieve this, digital innovation and associated disruptive technologies must be adopted and implemented in the built environment, especially in construction and architecture, which are still largely managed through traditional methods and paper-based approaches. The technologies in focus include Building Information Modeling (BIM), Infrastructure Information Modeling (IIM), Tunnel Information Modeling (TIM), Digital Twins, Ubiquitous Computing, Blockchains, Renewable Energy, Autonomous Vehicles and 5G Communications, the big9 technologies such as Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Clouds, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), Wearable Technologies, Big Data, 3D Scanning, Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), Software as a Service (SaaS), Robotics, 3D Printing, and other green technologies. Such technologies can help to revolutionize the wider built environment and improve the current architectural and construction practice while ensuring the sustainability, security, and safety of the data and enhancing the stakeholders' trust through distributed control. Accordingly, such technologies, if adopted, can help to disrupt the otherwise traditionally operated fields of construction and architecture. The applications and associated effects include but are not limited to construction and architectural education, construction and architectural simulations, the safety of buildings and infrastructure, stakeholder collaborations and communications, enhanced risk management in architecture and construction, efficient architectural and construction project management, enabling smarter and sustainable construction, architecture, cities, and societies, mitigating urban heat issues, etc. However, currently, the research around the adoption and implementation of these smart technologies is limited. This Special Issue invites and aims to attract contributions from architects, architectural project managers, construction managers, civil engineers, city and urban planners, real estate and property managers, data scientists, IT managers, computer systems analysts, software developers, web developers, and others. 

Dr. Fahim Ullah
Guest Editor

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