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Buildings
Special Issues
BIM and Advanced Technologies: Recent Applications and Future Perspectives
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BIM and Advanced Technologies: Recent Applications and Future Perspectives

A special issue of Buildings (ISSN 2075-5309). This special issue belongs to the section "Construction Management, and Computers & Digitization".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 October 2025 | Viewed by 1943

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Zhen Liu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Design, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
Interests: design education; new intelligent information technology; smart city informatization; building information model (BIM); ecological and green design; environmental design; sustainable design and construction; intelligent construction; information and interaction
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Mohamed Osmani

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Architecture, Building and Civil Engineering, Loughborough University, Loughborough LE11 3TU, UK
Interests: sustainable design; construction innovation; best practice and change management; circular economy; material resource efficiency; designing out waste and end-of-life waste recovery and optimization; low/zero energy building design; construction and retrofit; building information model (BIM)
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue is a follow-up to “Building Information Modeling (BIM): Recent Applications and Future Perspectives” (https://www.mdpi.com/journal/buildings/special_issues/X6HD4M641S), published in Buildings.
As the backbone of the fourth industrial revolution, the concept of building information modeling (BIM)-enabled digital economy in the building industry has disruptive effects. Studies have shown that BIM and its associated digital technologies (BIM digital ecosystems), such as city information modeling (CIM), Internet of things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR), big data, data visualization, machine learning (ML), blockchain, digital twin, and even building the metaverse, have great potential in promoting sustainable building development. Therefore, BIM tech ecosystems received much attention from policymakers, practitioners, and scholars worldwide. Accelerating the integration and innovation of BIM with other areas can trigger multi-sphere and multi-dimensional breakthroughs for buildings. The aim of this Special Issue is to review cases and recommend technologies and policies for the transition of the emerging theory and practice of BIM to the future perspectives on BIM digital ecosystems.

Dr. Zhen Liu
Prof. Dr. Mohamed Osmani
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Buildings is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • building information modeling/management (BIM)
  • city information modeling/management (CIM)
  • Internet of Things (IoT)
  • artificial intelligence (AI)
  • virtual reality (VR)
  • metaverse
  • big data
  • digitization

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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28 pages, 9478 KiB  
Article
A Mixed-Method Comparative Analysis of BIM Technology Adoption in China’s and Japan’s Construction Sectors
by Sucheng Rui, Koji Makanae, Jun Liu, Jianping Wu, Makoto Fujiu and Yuma Morisaki
Buildings 2025, 15(13), 2234; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15132234 - 25 Jun 2025
Viewed by 1126
Abstract
In Japan and China, the construction industries make significant contributions to GDP (gross domestic product). Due to different socioeconomic backgrounds, the construction industries in both countries face different challenges. Recently, Japan’s and China’s construction industries have been focusing on the active development of [...] Read more.
In Japan and China, the construction industries make significant contributions to GDP (gross domestic product). Due to different socioeconomic backgrounds, the construction industries in both countries face different challenges. Recently, Japan’s and China’s construction industries have been focusing on the active development of BIM (building information modeling) technology. Recognized for its unique advantages, BIM technology is considered by both countries as an innovative tool that can be used to resolve industry bottlenecks. This paper presents a comparative study on the application of BIM technology in the construction industries of Japan and China, covering five dimensions: development status, policy framework, specific case applications, SWOT analysis, and awareness in higher education. The results indicate that BIM development in both countries is at a broadly similar stage. However, differences in their construction industries have led to distinct strengths and limitations in BIM application. China holds a comparative advantage in policy-driven promotion, while Japan excels in lifecycle management and operational sustainability. Nevertheless, BIM implementation in China tends to be formalistic, whereas Japan needs to enhance its efforts in BIM education. This study discusses improvement measures and complementary strategies based on these differences, aiming to address existing research gaps and underscore their significance in advancing BIM technologies as well as the construction industries of both countries. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue BIM and Advanced Technologies: Recent Applications and Future Perspectives)
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Review

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19 pages, 620 KiB  
Review
A Review: The Application of Path Optimization Algorithms in Building Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing Pipe Design
by Ruijun Deng, Xiaoliang Li and Yuhua Tian
Buildings 2025, 15(12), 2093; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15122093 - 17 Jun 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 521
Abstract
This review systematically integrates recent advancements in path optimization algorithms for the automated layout of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systems within complex building environments. A hybrid optimization framework is introduced, combining the global search capability of Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) with the [...] Read more.
This review systematically integrates recent advancements in path optimization algorithms for the automated layout of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systems within complex building environments. A hybrid optimization framework is introduced, combining the global search capability of Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) with the local refinement efficiency of the A* algorithm, enhanced by dynamic weight adjustment and context-aware mechanisms. Simulation experiments based on a hospital BIM model demonstrate that the proposed approach improves design efficiency by approximately 25–35% and reduces conflict incidence by around 40%. The framework further incorporates Building Information Modeling (BIM) and real-time clash detection enabled by IoT devices to enable scalable, multi-objective optimization in high-density spatial configurations. The potential of generative artificial intelligence—such as Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) and diffusion models—is also explored for generating initial pipeline layouts and enhancing spatial adaptability. To support low-carbon building initiatives, the framework is adaptable to LEED-compliant sustainable MEP design practices. Despite notable progress, challenges remain in algorithmic scalability, dynamic constraint modeling, and multi-objective trade-offs. This review identifies research gaps in diameter-aware layout optimization and BIM-driven multi-scale generative modeling, and outlines future directions toward intelligent, high-performance MEP system design in future sustainable buildings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue BIM and Advanced Technologies: Recent Applications and Future Perspectives)
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