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Advancing Digitalisation in Construction: Responding to New and Emerging Drivers...
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Advancing Digitalisation in Construction: Responding to New and Emerging Drivers and Changes

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (22 August 2022) | Viewed by 22939

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Ricardo Codinhoto

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Architecture & Civil Engineering, University of Bath, Bath, UK
Interests: integrated design; design theory; design management; healthcare buildings; wellbeing; facilities management; lean design; BIM
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Much like everything else, the architectural, engineering, construction, operations and maintenance sector is undergoing a digital transformation. Technologies that hithertofore were restricted to digital solutions are permeating the pre- and post-construction building industry. We have learnt a great deal from embracing building information modelling. Particularly in the last ten years, we have witnessed an unprecedented joint effort to remove the various barriers, preventing the advancement of digitalisation. Concomitantly, we are witnessing significant contextual changes, driving and reinforcing the need for digitalisation. Organisations can now create data ecosystems to capture and analyse data trails from environments and building users, and determine how to enhance building use and performance. These building data ecosystems seed the development of intelligent cities when connected.

This Special Issue call aims to attract research articles investigating new and emerging drivers and necessary and current changes. We are looking at issues impacting people, processes or information technology, in turn enabling a digitally built future.

Dr. Ricardo Codinhoto
Guest Editor

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 monthly 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

  • agile digital processes
  • AI/ML artificial intelligence and machine learning
  • automation and hyperautomation
  • blockchain
  • building information modelling
  • circular economy
  • collaborative and participative learning
  • digital twins and digital dizygotic twin
  • edging technology for the built environment
  • generative design
  • Internet of Behaviour (IoB)
  • Internet of Things (IoT)
  • SCBI – smart cities, buildings and infrastructure

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

26 pages, 8947 KiB  
Article
A Methodological Framework to Optimize Data Management Costs and the Hand-Over Phase in Cultural Heritage Projects
by Lidia Pinti and Serena Bonelli
Buildings 2022, 12(9), 1360; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings12091360 - 01 Sep 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1850
Abstract
This paper illustrates a methodological approach to optimize the data management process and to reduce costs related to information loss, from the preliminary phases to the Facility Management (FM) one. The growing concern about sustainability issues has steadily increased attention to cultural heritage’s [...] Read more.
This paper illustrates a methodological approach to optimize the data management process and to reduce costs related to information loss, from the preliminary phases to the Facility Management (FM) one. The growing concern about sustainability issues has steadily increased attention to cultural heritage’s key role. Concurrently, Europe promotes the application of digital methods for managing interventions both for new and existing buildings. The data issue, especially in heritage projects, represents a crucial aspect; data-recovering activities or shortages of information contribute to relevant expenses and discourage stakeholders. The research focuses on how procedures involving digitalization, applied to heritage projects, can improve the information workflow, supporting the hand-over stage. Although the application of digital techniques has recognized advantages, enhancements for optimizing time and cost savings are required. The research result is a methodological framework to obtain complete heritage as-built deliverables for the management phase. The defined structure is applied through a case study approach to the restoration of a historical lyric theater. Thus, the as-built model represents a database for controlling costs and maintenance procedures. In the end, the work provides a tangible contribution to the Heritage BIM (HBIM) delivery and can be a starting point for future improvements. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancing Digitalisation in Construction: Responding to New and Emerging Drivers and Changes)
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18 pages, 7992 KiB  
Article
Identification and Extracting Method of Exterior Building Information on 3D Map
by Donghwa Shon, Byeongjoon Noh and Nahyang Byun
Buildings 2022, 12(4), 452; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings12040452 - 06 Apr 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2208
Abstract
Although the Korean government has provided high-quality architectural building information for a long period of time, its focus on administrative details over three-dimensional (3D) architectural mapping and data collection has hindered progress. This study presents a basic method for extracting exterior building information [...] Read more.
Although the Korean government has provided high-quality architectural building information for a long period of time, its focus on administrative details over three-dimensional (3D) architectural mapping and data collection has hindered progress. This study presents a basic method for extracting exterior building information for the purpose of 3D mapping using deep learning and digital image processing. The method identifies and classifies objects by using the fast regional convolutional neural network model. The results show an accuracy of 93% in the detection of façade and 91% window detection; this could be further improved by more clearly defining the boundaries of windows and reducing data noise. The additional metadata provided by the proposed method could, in the future, be included in building information modeling databases to facilitate structural analyses or reconstruction efforts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancing Digitalisation in Construction: Responding to New and Emerging Drivers and Changes)
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24 pages, 1054 KiB  
Article
Modeling the Constraints to the Utilization of the Internet of Things in Managing Supply Chains of Off-Site Construction: An Approach toward Sustainable Construction
by Zaheer Abbas Kazmi and Mahmoud Sodangi
Buildings 2022, 12(3), 388; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings12030388 - 21 Mar 2022
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2698
Abstract
Despite persistent calls for cleaner production and improved automation of construction processes, the adoption of the Internet of Things (IoT) in managing the supply chains of off-site construction businesses has been discouraged due to various constraints. This paper methodically identifies and prioritizes the [...] Read more.
Despite persistent calls for cleaner production and improved automation of construction processes, the adoption of the Internet of Things (IoT) in managing the supply chains of off-site construction businesses has been discouraged due to various constraints. This paper methodically identifies and prioritizes the crucial factors that impede the application of the Internet of Things (IoT) in off-site construction. Content analysis and an expert-based evaluation strategy were used to identify and evaluate the constraints affecting Internet of Things adoption in off-site construction. The ISM, MICMAC, and DEMATEL techniques were used to analyze the data. This study identifies the “lack of clear strategy for governing IoT utilization in supply chain management” as the most significant factor that impedes the application of the Internet of Things (IoT) in off-site construction businesses. The outcomes also provide a rich source of insights into off-site construction businesses to clearly recognize the implications of utilizing IoT technologies in managing the supply chains of businesses and what to expect when applying IoT technologies and solutions. While this paper advocates for improved green construction practices, cleaner production, and automation in the construction industry, it has set the stage for integrating IoT technologies in the supply chain management of off-site construction businesses. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancing Digitalisation in Construction: Responding to New and Emerging Drivers and Changes)
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29 pages, 2385 KiB  
Article
COVID-19 Pandemic and Its Effects on the Usage of Information Technologies in the Construction Industry: The Case of Romania
by Vlad Leontie, Liviu-George Maha and Iuliana Claudia Stoian
Buildings 2022, 12(2), 166; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings12020166 - 03 Feb 2022
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 4090
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has made the world face a whole new reality, and the measures taken for slowing the spread of the disease included social distancing, as well as national, regional, or local lockdowns and restrictions regarding the movement of people. For such [...] Read more.
The COVID-19 pandemic has made the world face a whole new reality, and the measures taken for slowing the spread of the disease included social distancing, as well as national, regional, or local lockdowns and restrictions regarding the movement of people. For such an important sector of the Romanian economy as the construction industry, the restrictive measures imposed by the authorities led to postponing, delaying, or stopping the current projects. This paper aims at investigating the main effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Romanian construction sector, as well as the role of the digitalization process in mitigating the negative impact on the companies activating in this domain, in the context of the current levels of use of information technologies. The research involved the use of qualitative (exploratory in-depth interviews) and quantitative (online surveys applied to members of the local building sector, such as engineers, architects, contractors, and managers) data collection methods, respectively descriptive statistics for data categorization and interpretation. In general, the Romanian construction sector was only slightly affected, with the most significant negative effects being the delays and cost overrun due to safety and health issues. This paper is one of the first studies to explore and assess the effects of COVID-19 on the Romanian construction industry and the role of digitalization in reducing the pandemic impact. The main findings reveal that the companies in this industry that have a high digitalization degree overpassed in a smoother manner the current pandemic situation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancing Digitalisation in Construction: Responding to New and Emerging Drivers and Changes)
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31 pages, 6524 KiB  
Article
Development of a BIM and IoT-Based Smart Lighting Maintenance System Prototype for Universities’ FM Sector
by Beatriz Campos Fialho, Ricardo Codinhoto, Márcio Minto Fabricio, Júlio Cezar Estrella, Cairo Mateus Neves Ribeiro, Julio Mendonça dos Santos Bueno and João Pedro Doimo Torrezan
Buildings 2022, 12(2), 99; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings12020099 - 20 Jan 2022
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 4693
Abstract
Reactive maintenance (RM) is a core service of the operation and maintenance (O&M) phase, the most prolonged and costly within the building lifecycle. RM is characterised by inefficient asset information and communication management, impacting critical FM problems and users’ experience. Building information modelling [...] Read more.
Reactive maintenance (RM) is a core service of the operation and maintenance (O&M) phase, the most prolonged and costly within the building lifecycle. RM is characterised by inefficient asset information and communication management, impacting critical FM problems and users’ experience. Building information modelling (BIM) and Internet of things (IoT) has enabled the development of digital twins, moving facilities management (FM) from a reactive approach towards a predictive one. Although previous studies have investigated the application of such technologies to FM, there is a lack of understanding on procedural issues related to its implementation in FM and RM. This research aimed to characterise strategies and decisions involved in prototyping a BIM and IoT-based smart-lighting maintenance system and identify its potential impacts on universities’ maintenance processes. The adopted research strategy and data collection methods involved prototyping, questionnaires, and interviews. The results show a high level of complexity in converging maintenance needs and technological abilities for FM and the importance of procedures and standards at organisational and industry levels. Moreover, it evidenced that the automation of functions and the centralisation of information enabled by BIM and IoT can optimise service provision, generate environmental and efficiency gains, and improve users’ safety and satisfaction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancing Digitalisation in Construction: Responding to New and Emerging Drivers and Changes)
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19 pages, 1719 KiB  
Article
The BIM-Based Building Permit Process: Factors Affecting Adoption
by Kaleem Ullah, Emlyn Witt and Irene Lill
Buildings 2022, 12(1), 45; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings12010045 - 04 Jan 2022
Cited by 21 | Viewed by 5374
Abstract
Public organizations responsible for building permits are increasingly considering the potential applications of Building Information Modelling (BIM) in their workflows, but BIM adoption still remains a complex challenge. This research aims to investigate the factors affecting BIM adoption for building permits through a [...] Read more.
Public organizations responsible for building permits are increasingly considering the potential applications of Building Information Modelling (BIM) in their workflows, but BIM adoption still remains a complex challenge. This research aims to investigate the factors affecting BIM adoption for building permits through a case study of a public organization currently developing and piloting a BIM-based building permit process. A thematic analysis of semi-structured interview data revealed ten factors that influence BIM adoption for building permits: complexity (in both development and use) of a BIM-based building permit system; relative advantages/disadvantages of BIM for building permits; the existing building permit system; management support for a BIM-based building permit process; organizational culture; BIM awareness; training and learning; available expertise for a BIM-based building permit process; external pressure; and legal context. The findings are important for public authorities’ understanding of both the enablers and challenges of the BIM-based building permit process, and have practical implications for professionals in public authorities in particular, and also the Architecture Engineering Construction/Facilities Management (AEC/FM) industry in general, to guide their steps towards adopting BIM. This research also highlights the potential benefits of BIM adoption for the building permit process. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancing Digitalisation in Construction: Responding to New and Emerging Drivers and Changes)
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