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Urban Planning and Construction Management Under Smart City Development

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 38798

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Fan Zhang

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Guest Editor

Department of Building and Real Estate, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong
Interests: built environment; health and safety; urban resilience; smart building retrofits
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Tiantian Gu

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Guest Editor

School of Mechanics and Civil Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China
Interests: community resilience; smart communities; urban renewal; risk assessment; public engagement
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Shiyao Zhu

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Guest Editor

School of Transportation and Civil Engineering, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, China
Interests: sustainable urban construction and management; smart cities; resilient cities; circular economy; life cycle assessment
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Thanks to rapid advancements in artificial intelligence, big data, digital twins, and other technologies, the concept of smart cities has experienced significant global development. This progress has brought forth new ideas and perspectives for addressing diverse urban issues. The extensive growth and construction witnessed over the past few decades have exposed numerous challenges in urban planning and construction management, such as housing inequality, unhealthy built environments, inadequate infrastructure resilience, and high carbon emissions from buildings. Smart cities offer an opportunity for urban development, so it is crucial to grab this opportunity wisely by carefully considering how to address the diverse problems of urban planning and construction management during the process of smart city development. This will ultimately lead to more sustainable, resilient, and livable smart cities in the future.

Therefore, this Special Issue will provide an opportunity for researchers worldwide to exchange new ideas with research- and practice-oriented papers and reviews. It calls for papers that address critical research questions in this field, use innovative methodologies and data sources, contribute to theoretical debates, or highlight fundamental patterns that deserve more attention. Topics may include, but are not limited to:

Sustainable urban planning for smart cities;
Urban resilience in smart cities;
Innovative construction management;
Smart solutions for the built environment;
Smart life cycle construction management;
Low-carbon emission solutions for smart cities;
Stakeholder management in smart city development;
Public opinions and engagement in smart city development;
Public engagement in old community renewal.

You may choose our Joint Special Issue in Sustainability.

Dr. Fan Zhang
Dr. Tiantian Gu
Dr. Shiyao Zhu
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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

smart cities
urban planning
construction management
urban resilience
built environment
carbon emissions
innovative solutions
old community renewal
public engagement

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Published Papers (12 papers)

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Research

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31 pages, 3130 KB

Open AccessArticle

From Data-Centric to Sensory-Informed Smart Cities: Older Adults’ Digitally Mediated Museum Experiences in Istanbul

by Asiye Nisa Kartal and Hasan Basri Kartal

Buildings 2026, 16(9), 1761; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16091761 - 29 Apr 2026

Viewed by 233

Abstract

Museums serve as experimental spaces for smart cities. The hypothesis suggests that museums can offer insights into transitioning smart cities from a mainly data-centric model to one that emphasises sensory experiences. This qualitative study investigates how digitalisation shapes the sensory experiences of museum engagement among older adults in Istanbul, with a particular focus on how digital tools mediate embodied, sensory experiences in museum environments. A case study was conducted at Istanbul Modern, employing sensewalking as a mobile, sensory method to capture embodied perceptions during movement through space. Data analysis focused on four sensory modalities—visual, auditory, haptic and olfactory—and their interaction with museum digital interfaces. The findings reveal a predominantly visual museum experience, where lighting design and the legibility of digital labels enhance orientation and interpretive clarity. Auditory engagement is shaped by layered ambient sounds combined with digital audio content. Haptic experiences emerge through both material textures and interactive digital interfaces, while olfactory perceptions remain subtle. Importantly, digital tools extend engagement beyond vision by introducing complementary auditory and haptic layers, thereby enhancing accessibility for older users. The study situates its insights within broader discussions of age-friendly, accessible museum design and practices of the smart city. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Planning and Construction Management Under Smart City Development)

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27 pages, 7674 KB

Open AccessArticle

Research on Technical Strategies for Indoor Acoustic Renovation of Multi-Purpose Gymnasiums: Scheme Demonstration and Engineering Practice Based on Existing Sound-Absorbing Ceilings

by Xiwei Wang, Ruiqi Ma, Shuai Lu, Weidan Dong, Mi-Sun Kim, Jie Zuo, Chunyu Du and Hui Li

Buildings 2025, 15(23), 4241; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15234241 - 24 Nov 2025

Viewed by 880

Abstract

Multi-purpose gymnasiums are typically designed for sport events and large-scale gatherings. However, the gymnasium investigated in this study lacked sufficient consideration of acoustic performance during its design phase, resulting in severe echo problems, long reverberation time and poor speech intelligibility. These acoustic deficiencies limit its ability to host major events, reduce utilization efficiency and cannot be resolved by simply adjusting the sound reinforcement system. Conventional renovation strategies usually involve sound-absorbing materials on walls or ceilings, which are costly, labor-intensive and time-consuming. The case gymnasium discussed in this study has the particular advantage that its ceiling structure already provides partial sound absorption. To lower renovation costs and minimize construction workload, this research builds upon the existing ceiling structure and evaluates five renovation schemes through comparative analysis, proposing a renovation approach that remains economical while providing substantial performance benefits. The study calibrates the acoustic model through comparison between measurement and simulation in ODEON V16.0 software, and the validated model was further used to predict acoustic parameters under full occupancy across different schemes. Post-renovation field measurements confirm the reliability and accuracy of the proposed approach, offering a valuable reference for similar gymnasium acoustic retrofitting projects. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Planning and Construction Management Under Smart City Development)

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32 pages, 3387 KB

Open AccessArticle

Dynamic Simulation of Enterprise-Level Strategic Choices in Intelligent Construction: Integration of Evolutionary Game Theory and System Dynamics

by Yingling Chen, Youzhi Shi and Meichen Ding

Buildings 2025, 15(20), 3719; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15203719 - 15 Oct 2025

Viewed by 1014

Abstract

The decision-making regarding the development of intelligent construction in construction enterprises is crucial for the transformation and upgrading of the construction industry. This paper constructs an evolutionary game model among construction enterprises and applies system dynamics for simulation analysis of the game model. It explores the impact of key factors on the strategy choices of the game participants. The research findings indicate that the initial state of construction enterprises’ willingness to transition to intelligent construction in the evolutionary game model influences the final stable strategy. Direct benefits, the strength of government incentives, penalty intensity, and reduced costs through joint transition positively affect the probability of construction enterprises implementing intelligent construction, while incremental transition costs and positive spillover effect are negatively correlated. When the direct benefit rate exceeds 5%, costs are jointly reduced by more than 2%, and transition costs are below 35 CNY/m², it can significantly motivate enterprises to adopt intelligent construction. A certain level of government incentives (at least greater than 5 CNY/m²) has a positive effect on the transformation process; however, once the incentives exceed 10 CNY/m², their impact stabilizes. Penalties only affect the speed at which the system evolves toward a stable point. Current policy incentives do not require further enhancement. Meanwhile, reducing incremental transition costs is more effective than increasing the intensity of government incentives. The research conclusions contribute to the quantitative analysis of how changes in different key factors affect the dynamic evolution of strategy adjustments by construction enterprises over time, thereby providing corresponding recommendations for transformation and upgrading. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Planning and Construction Management Under Smart City Development)

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20 pages, 1338 KB

Open AccessArticle

Policy Analysis for Green Development in the Building Industry: The Case of a Developed Region

by Xiancun Hu, Aifang Wei, Wei Yang, Charles Lemckert and Qimin Lu

Buildings 2025, 15(19), 3557; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15193557 - 2 Oct 2025

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1175

Abstract

This research presents a comprehensive analysis of green development policies in the building industry in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, examining their evolution and development over the past two decades. The research adopts a structured methodology comprising a policy review to identify relevant policy documents, content analysis to trace the policy framework, and SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis to evaluate the policy development, and then generate evidence-based recommendations. As the first comprehensive assessment of green development policy in the Australian building industry, the study proposes targeted policy recommendations based on analyzing the SWOT factors, including policy for the non-residential sectors and construction phase, education and training, financial support and incentives, and innovation and technology adoption. The insights offer guidance for policymakers to strengthen policy integration and accelerate the transition toward a low-carbon building industry. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Planning and Construction Management Under Smart City Development)

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27 pages, 3307 KB

Open AccessArticle

Comprehensive and Dedicated Metrics for Evaluating AI-Generated Residential Floor Plans

by Pengyu Zeng, Jun Yin, Yan Gao, Jizhizi Li, Zhanxiang Jin and Shuai Lu

Buildings 2025, 15(10), 1674; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15101674 - 15 May 2025

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 4181

Abstract

In response to the growing importance of AI-driven residential design and the lack of dedicated evaluation metrics, we propose the Residential Floor Plan Assessment (RFP-A), a comprehensive framework tailored to architectural evaluation. RFP-A consists of multiple metrics that assess key aspects of floor plans, including room count compliance, spatial connectivity, room locations, and geometric features. It incorporates both rule-based comparisons and graph-based analysis to ensure design requirements are met. A comparison of RFP-A and existing metrics was conducted both qualitatively and quantitatively, and it was revealed that RFP-A provides more robust, interpretable, and computationally efficient assessments of the accuracy and diversity of generated plans. We evaluated the performance of six existing floor plan generation models using RFP-A, showing that, surprisingly, only HouseDiffusion and FloorplanDiffusion achieved accuracies above 90%, while other models scored below or around 60%. We further conducted a quantitative comparison of diversity, revealing that FloorplanDiffusion, HouseDiffusion, and HouseGAN each demonstrated strengths in different aspects—graph structure, spatial location, and room geometry, respectively—while no model achieved consistently high diversity across all dimensions. In addition, existing metrics can not reflect the quality of generated designs well, and the diversity of the generated designs depends on both the model input and structure. Our study not only enhances the assessment of generated floor plans but also aids architects in utilizing numerous generated designs effectively. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Planning and Construction Management Under Smart City Development)

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26 pages, 5067 KB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluating the Coupling Coordination Levels and Critical Obstacle Indicators of Urban Infrastructure Resilience: A Case Study in China

by Min Chen, Qian Zhang, Yu Jiang, Jinpeng Wang and Shiyao Zhu

Buildings 2025, 15(3), 495; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15030495 - 5 Feb 2025

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2288

Abstract

Natural and man-made disasters significantly challenge the safety and stability of urban infrastructure (UI), disrupting daily operations and impeding economic development. However, existing research on urban infrastructure resilience (UIR) lacks comprehensive categorization of critical infrastructure, insufficiently considers the impacts of natural disasters, and offers limited empirical analysis of the interactions among the pressure, state, and response (PSR) dimensions. This study aims to establish a comprehensive UIR assessment index and examine the coupling coordination (CC) levels and critical obstacle indicators of PSR resilience across four Chinese municipalities. The results reveal that (1) response resilience is most influential on overall coupling and is more amenable to artificial interventions than pressure and state resilience; (2) generally, the CC levels of PSR in the four municipalities were relatively high, advancing from an inferiorly to an intermediately balanced development stage over the study period, highlighting effective strategies such as enhanced resource allocation and post-disaster recovery initiatives are recommended for adoption by similar cities; and (3) critical obstacle indicators impeding UIR development were identified, and targeted interventions were proposed based on each municipality’s unique characteristics. The research findings offer theoretical insights and practical implications for enhancing UIR from the perspective of utilizing CC and PSR models. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Planning and Construction Management Under Smart City Development)

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23 pages, 5553 KB

Open AccessArticle

The Evolution of Smart City Policy in China: A Quantitative Study Based on the Content of Policy Texts

by Chongfeng Yue, Hongyan Li, Haocheng Mao and Aobo Yue

Buildings 2025, 15(1), 7; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15010007 - 24 Dec 2024

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 4554

Abstract

As China is the largest developing country and the country with the largest volume of smart city construction, the Chinese government has promulgated a series of policies to develop smart cities vigorously. Thus, the understanding of smart city policies from the perspective of policy science theory is helpful in achieving a full understanding of the development stage and evolution path of smart cities and improving the implementation of smart city policies. In this study, text content mining and quantitative empirical analysis are used to investigate the structure and function of China’s smart city policy. The results demonstrate that China’s smart city policy has largely realized the evolutionary process of the policy keynote from “taking” to “giving” and the policy subject from “single” to “pluralistic”. The organizational structure has gradually turned from “multidisciplinary” to “cooperative governance”. The analysis results indicate that the policy guidance for smart cities should focus on the positive interaction between social needs and urban development regulations. It is also important to enhance citizen participation and redefine the role of the government in the development of smart cities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Planning and Construction Management Under Smart City Development)

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21 pages, 3132 KB

Open AccessArticle

The Factors Influencing Safety Compliance Behavior Among New-Generation Construction Workers in China: A Safety Compliance Behavior–Artificial Neural Network Model Approach

by Meining Yuan, Tianpei Tang, Shengnan Zhao, Xiaofan Xue and Bang Luo

Buildings 2024, 14(12), 3774; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14123774 - 26 Nov 2024

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 4021

Abstract

Amid an aging workforce and labor shortages, this study investigates the key factors influencing construction workers’ safety compliance behavior (SCB). SCB is categorized into three distinct types: non-compliance behavior, general behavior, and compliance behavior. The study compares and analyzes the differences in influencing factors between the new generation and older generation of construction workers. By integrating the SCB framework with a multi-layer perceptron (MLP) model, this research develops a safety compliance behavior–artificial neural network (SCB-ANN) model. An enhanced method for optimizing connection weight (CW) is applied to identify the key determinants of SCB. The findings reveal that the SCB-ANN model offers superior predictive accuracy compared to a standard MLP model. Additionally, the refined CW method significantly improves the neural network’s interpretability. The analysis shows that organizational factors have a stronger influence on the new generation of construction workers (NGCWs), while individual factors play a more crucial role for the older generation (OGCWs). As a result, the study proposes tailored safety management measures for different worker groups to mitigate non-compliance behaviors, providing a robust foundation for future research and the development of safety management strategies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Planning and Construction Management Under Smart City Development)

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Review

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27 pages, 5771 KB

Open AccessReview

A Systematic Review and Conceptual Framework of Urban Infrastructure Cascading Disasters Using Scientometric Methods

by Peng Yan, Fengmin Zhang, Fan Zhang and Linna Geng

Buildings 2025, 15(7), 1011; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15071011 - 21 Mar 2025

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3677

Abstract

Urban infrastructure, the lifeline of modern society, consists of inherently multidimensional and interdependent systems that extend beyond various engineered facilities, utilities, and networks. The increasing frequency of extreme events, like floods, typhoons, power outages, and technical failures, has heightened the vulnerability of these infrastructures to cascading disasters. Over the past decade, significant attention has been devoted to understanding urban infrastructure cascading disasters. However, most of them have been limited by one-sided and one-dimensional analyses. A more systematic and scientific methodology is needed to comprehensively profile existing research on urban infrastructure cascading disasters to address this gap. This paper uses scientometric methods to investigate the state-of-the-art research in this area over the past decade. A total of 165 publications from 2014 to 2023 were retrieved from the Web of Science database for in-depth analysis. It has revealed a shift in research focus from single infrastructures to complex, interconnected systems with multidimensional dependencies. In addition, the study of disaster-causing factors has evolved from internal infrastructure failures to a focus on cascading disasters caused by extreme events, highlighting a trend of multi-factor coupling. Furthermore, predicting and modeling cascading disasters, improving infrastructure resilience, and information sharing for collaborative emergency responses have emerged as key strategies in responding to disasters. Overall, the insights gained from this study enhance our understanding of the evolution and current challenges in urban infrastructure cascading disasters. Additionally, this study offers valuable perspectives and directions for policymakers addressing extreme events in this critical area. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Planning and Construction Management Under Smart City Development)

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26 pages, 8281 KB

Open AccessReview

Research Progress of Automation Ergonomic Risk Assessment in Building Construction: Visual Analysis and Review

by Ruize Qin, Peng Cui and Jaleel Muhsin

Buildings 2024, 14(12), 3789; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14123789 - 27 Nov 2024

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 6030

Abstract

In recent years, the increasing demand for worker safety and workflow efficiency in the construction industry has drawn considerable attention to the application of automated ergonomic technologies. To gain a comprehensive understanding of the current research landscape in this field, this study conducts an in-depth visual analysis of the literature on automated ergonomic risk assessment published between 2001 and 2024 in the Web of Science database using CiteSpace and VOSviewer. The analysis systematically reviews key research themes, collaboration networks, keywords, and citation patterns. Building on this, an SWOT analysis is employed to evaluate the core technologies currently widely adopted in the construction sector. By focusing on the integrated application of wearable sensors, artificial intelligence (AI), big data analytics, virtual reality (VR), and computer vision, this research highlights the significant advantages of these technologies in enhancing worker safety and optimizing construction processes. It also delves into potential challenges related to the complexity of these technologies, high implementation costs, and concerns regarding data privacy and worker health. While these technologies hold immense potential to transform the construction industry, future efforts will need to address these challenges through technological optimization and policy support to ensure broader adoption. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Planning and Construction Management Under Smart City Development)

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27 pages, 17243 KB

Open AccessReview

Review of Big Data Implementation and Expectations in Smart Cities

by Yingnan Zhuang, Jeremy Cenci and Jiazhen Zhang

Buildings 2024, 14(12), 3717; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14123717 - 21 Nov 2024

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 7878

Abstract

With the construction of smart cities advancing, research on big data and smart cities has become crucial for sustainable development. This study seeks to fill gaps in the literature and elucidate the significance of big data and smart city research, offering a comprehensive analysis that aims to foster academic understanding, promote urban development, and drive technological innovation. Using bibliometric methods and Citespace software (6.2.R3), this study comprehensively examines the research landscape from 2015 to 2023, aiming to understand its dynamics. Under the guidance of the United Nations, global research on big data and smart cities is progressing. Using the Web of Science (WOS) Core Collection as the data source, an exhaustive visual analysis was conducted, revealing various aspects, including the literature output, journal distribution, geographic study trends, research themes, and collaborative networks of scholars and institutions. This study reveals a downward trend despite research growth from 2015 to 2020, focusing on digital technology, smart city innovations, energy management and environmental applications, data security, and sustainable development. However, biases persist towards technology, information silos, homogenised research, and short-sighted strategies. Research should prioritise effectiveness, applications, diverse fields, and interdisciplinary collaboration to advance smart cities comprehensively. In the post-COVID-19 era, using big data to optimise city management is key to fostering intelligent, green, and humane cities and to exploring efficient mechanisms to address urban development challenges in the new era. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Planning and Construction Management Under Smart City Development)

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Other

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20 pages, 10687 KB

Open AccessSystematic Review

Future Research Directions for Megaprojects on Sustainable and Smart Cities in the Construction 5.0 Era

by Didem Ugurlu Akdemir and Begum Sertyesilisik

Buildings 2026, 16(9), 1691; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16091691 - 25 Apr 2026

Viewed by 310

Abstract

Construction projects contributing to smart city (SC) development largely consist of megaprojects due to their complex and multidisciplinary nature and their high costs. Effective project management (PM) is essential for the implementation of these projects in the Construction 5.0 era. This study aims to systematically analyze the research trends and identify FRDs in construction PM for megaprojects, which are essential for the development of SCs in the Construction 5.0 era. With this aim, a systematic literature review based on the PRISMA 2020 checklist was performed through a bibliometric analysis using VOSviewer version 1.6 Studies are gathered under five main clusters (i.e., the PM cluster, the smart construction and data security cluster, the SC and technology cluster, the spatial data integration cluster, and the lifecycle cluster). It has been determined that two main nodes (i.e., SC and digital twin) are located at the center of all these clusters. As a result of the analysis, two future research directions are determined (i.e., the relationship between megaprojects and SCs and the relationship between construction project management and SCs). As the identified clusters, nodes, and future research directions are interrelated and comply with the PMBOK 7th edition performance domains, focusing on them to support construction PM performance complies with efforts to facilitate the successful implementation of megaprojects integrated with SCs. The findings demonstrate the lack of a PM model within the SC ecosystem that synchronizes all phases of megaproject construction with SCs. Thus, this study can contribute to the development of smart, sustainable, and resilient cities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Planning and Construction Management Under Smart City Development)

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