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Emerging Technologies and Workflows for BIM and Digital Construction
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Emerging Technologies and Workflows for BIM and Digital Construction

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 July 2026 | Viewed by 20073

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. David Heesom

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Architecture and Built Environment, University of Wolverhampton—Springfield Campus, Grim-Stone Street, Wolverhampton WV10 0JR, UK
Interests: advanced digital technologies for architectural design and construction
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Wei Zhou

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Engineering, Design and Built Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia
Interests: BIM implementation; computer vision; digital construction; digital twin
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The implementation of building information modelling (BIM) processes and technologies over the last 15 years has bought about a signifiacnt enhancement of the digitsation of the industry. This adoption has not been without its challenges with the divide being evident based on global geography (Saka and Chanm, 2023) and individual company size (Turk, 2021). Whilst the adoption of digital technologies and subsequent BIM processes may have been more laboured than other sectors, we are seeing some significant transformations in workflows and applications, not least because of the increased developments in hardware and software technologies.

The progression of hardware and software tools is happening at an unprecented rate. Autonomous vehicles, drones and advanced robotics are some examples of how construction is finding use cases to support a range of site-based activities. In the domain of software, we are seeing the rise in Digital Twin, the increasing use and exploitation of artificial intelligence and virtual and augmented reality tools that blur the line between the physical and the virtual. All of these emergent technologies engage with digital data in various forms and subsequently feed into the digital based workflows at the heart of the BIM process.

The aim of this Special Issue is to provide example use cases and recommended novel workflows for how emerging technologies can be implemented within prevailing BIM workflows to further enhance the digitisation of the construction industry.

References

Saka, A.B. and Chan, D.W., 2023. BIM divide: an international comparative analysis of perceived barriers to implementation of BIM in the construction industry. Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology, 21(5), pp.1604-1632.

Turk, Ž., 2023. Structured analysis of ICT adoption in the European construction industry. International Journal of Construction Management, 23(5), pp.756-762.

Dr. David Heesom
Dr. Wei Zhou
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

  • building information modelling (BIM)
  • emerging technology
  • digital twin artificial intelligence
  • virtual augmented reality
  • digital data
  • robotics

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

24 pages, 2296 KB  
Article
Characterizing the Effects of Cloud-Based BIM Collaboration Tools on Design Coordination Processes
by Devarsh Bhonde, Puyan Zadeh and Sheryl Staub-French
Buildings 2026, 16(7), 1316; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16071316 - 26 Mar 2026
Viewed by 788
Abstract
Design coordination is a critical process for avoiding spatial conflicts and ensuring design alignment in large-scale construction projects. While Building Information Modelling (BIM) tools have improved coordination through 3D model integration and clash detection, inefficiencies persist due to fragmented workflows, frequent tool switching, [...] Read more.
Design coordination is a critical process for avoiding spatial conflicts and ensuring design alignment in large-scale construction projects. While Building Information Modelling (BIM) tools have improved coordination through 3D model integration and clash detection, inefficiencies persist due to fragmented workflows, frequent tool switching, and challenges with issue documentation. Cloud-based BIM collaboration tools offer a promising alternative by enabling real-time model sharing, centralized issue tracking, and enhanced stakeholder communication. However, empirical evidence on their practical implementation and effects on coordination processes remains limited. Unlike prior cloud-BIM reviews that focus on technical capabilities or adoption barriers in isolation, this study provides an empirically grounded framework that links specific tool features to observable workflow changes and their downstream impacts on coordination outcomes. This study investigates the impact of cloud-based BIM collaboration tools on the design coordination process, with a focus on issue identification, resolution, and documentation. A framework was developed using a mixed-methods approach comprising action research, an ethnographic case study, and comparative analysis of three large infrastructure projects to categorize workflow changes resulting from tool adoption. The findings indicate that cloud-based BIM tools streamline coordination by reducing manual transitions, automating documentation, and improving information accessibility during meetings. Nevertheless, their effectiveness is constrained by organizational structures and contract limitations. This study provides a validated process-change framework and practical insights for engineering managers seeking to align digital collaboration tools with project delivery strategies, contributing to both theory and practice in BIM-based coordination and digital transformation in the AEC industry. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Technologies and Workflows for BIM and Digital Construction)
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32 pages, 6911 KB  
Article
Visual Evaluation of Construction Schedule Progress by Linking Photographs and 4D Model
by Sang-Mi Park and Leen-Seok Kang
Buildings 2026, 16(4), 733; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16040733 - 11 Feb 2026
Viewed by 705
Abstract
During the construction period, numerous site photographs are routinely captured; however, their use is largely limited to simple visual inspection of construction status. To enhance the practical utilization of such photographic information, this study proposes a 4D-based construction progress management system that visually [...] Read more.
During the construction period, numerous site photographs are routinely captured; however, their use is largely limited to simple visual inspection of construction status. To enhance the practical utilization of such photographic information, this study proposes a 4D-based construction progress management system that visually evaluates schedule progress by integrating site photographs within a BIM-based information management framework. The proposed system synchronizes site photographs with corresponding 4D model images using coordinate linkage and applies deep learning–based object detection to identify matching construction elements. Construction progress is approximately estimated by analyzing bounding box overlap between detected elements in site photographs and planned elements in 4D model images. A case study conducted on a bridge construction project demonstrated that the trained model achieved an overall mAP@0.5 of 0.532, and that the proposed method enables intuitive and approximate progress evaluation. The results indicate that the proposed system can improve the usability of site photographs as supporting information for 4D-based construction progress management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Technologies and Workflows for BIM and Digital Construction)
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32 pages, 4064 KB  
Article
Exploring Digital Construction Workflows for Project Lifecycle Implementation: The Forest City Perspective
by Wei Zhou, Jia Wang, Matt Stevens and De-Graft Joe Opoku
Buildings 2026, 16(3), 627; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16030627 - 2 Feb 2026
Viewed by 1222
Abstract
Digital construction implementation has not yet realized its promised potential after three decades. Across the entire project lifecycle, adoption has encountered difficulties from high-level standard guidance, a lack of strategies, fragmented delivery approaches, and insufficient digital delivery competency. Establishing digital workflows tailored to [...] Read more.
Digital construction implementation has not yet realized its promised potential after three decades. Across the entire project lifecycle, adoption has encountered difficulties from high-level standard guidance, a lack of strategies, fragmented delivery approaches, and insufficient digital delivery competency. Establishing digital workflows tailored to organizations’ contexts is an essential linkage of the information layer to synthesize the business and technology layers to address these challenges within the ISO 19650 framework. The uneven implementation of building information modelling (BIM) in the Architecture, Engineering, Construction, and Operation (AECO) industry provides a holistic perspective to consider the digitalization workflow dynamics. This report performs a case study through a parallel approach to examining multiple projects’ digital construction implementation of an organization in the Forest City development. Applying an observation research method and real-world data of project records, it analyses its workflows’ digitalization and process digitization, combining with its organization’s structure and overall project strategy. Moreover, it highlights bespoke digital construction ecosystems and relevant stakeholders to streamline workflows. The digital construction implementation results and project benefits as project context indicators verify that fundamental digital workflows of design quality checking, project optimization, asset data collection, and defect management have significant applicability compared with the advanced workflows of integrated 5D cost management and precast design and production. Their adoptability keeps consistency with those of applicability using the extra cost, application complexity, and disruption level indicators from the technology–organization–environment (TOE) framework to measure. These multiple project studies reveal the feasibility for organizations to achieve lifecycle digital construction implementation competency. The feasibility is underpinned by introducing an in-house digital engineering team to organization structure, cultivating applicable digital delivery capabilities through workflows digitalization and process digitization, and synthesizing ISO 19650 with workflows to enable more contextualized digital construction implementation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Technologies and Workflows for BIM and Digital Construction)
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28 pages, 4054 KB  
Article
A Core Ontology for Whole Life Costing in Construction Projects
by Adam Yousfi, Érik Andrew Poirier and Daniel Forgues
Buildings 2025, 15(14), 2381; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15142381 - 8 Jul 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2019
Abstract
Construction projects still face persistent barriers to adopting whole life costing (WLC), such as fragmented data, a lack of standardization, and inadequate tools. This study addresses these limitations by proposing a core ontology for WLC, developed using an ontology design science research methodology. [...] Read more.
Construction projects still face persistent barriers to adopting whole life costing (WLC), such as fragmented data, a lack of standardization, and inadequate tools. This study addresses these limitations by proposing a core ontology for WLC, developed using an ontology design science research methodology. The ontology formalizes WLC knowledge based on ISO 15686-5 and incorporates professional insights from surveys and expert focus groups. Implemented in web ontology language (OWL), it models cost categories, temporal aspects, and discounting logic in a machine-interpretable format. The ontology’s interoperability and extensibility are validated through its integration with the building topology ontology (BOT). Results show that the ontology effectively supports cost breakdown, time-based projections, and calculation of discounted values, offering a reusable structure for different project contexts. Practical validation was conducted using SQWRL queries and Python scripts for cost computation. The solution enables structured data integration and can support decision-making throughout the building life cycle. This work lays the foundation for future semantic web applications such as knowledge graphs, bridging the current technological gap and facilitating more informed and collaborative use of WLC in construction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Technologies and Workflows for BIM and Digital Construction)
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16 pages, 455 KB  
Article
Which Aspects of Leadership Are Associated with Trustful Use of BIM and Other Digital Technologies in Construction?
by Katarina Olofsson Hallén, Mikael Forsman and Andrea Eriksson
Buildings 2025, 15(10), 1670; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15101670 - 15 May 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1923
Abstract
The AECO industry is currently undergoing a digital transformation, and leadership and trust are considered important factors in the successful use of digital work systems within organizations. There are indications that certain leadership qualities can promote trustful use of digital work systems; however, [...] Read more.
The AECO industry is currently undergoing a digital transformation, and leadership and trust are considered important factors in the successful use of digital work systems within organizations. There are indications that certain leadership qualities can promote trustful use of digital work systems; however, there is limited research on what these specific characteristics are. Therefore, it is of interest to investigate which aspects of leadership specifically promote the trustful use of digital technologies. The purpose of this study was to investigate which aspects of leadership are associated with trustful use of digital work systems. Various aspects of leadership in digital transformation were investigated in a way that has not been carried out before in the construction industry. An online survey was completed by 314 experts from various fields of expertise at Sweden’s largest infrastructure owner. The main findings showed that the most important factors for the trustful use of digital work systems were role clarity and digital literacy of the management team. It is recommended that the construction industry educate management teams about the implications of digital transformation in terms of new technologies and changing work practices and roles. This will help managers support employees by clarifying their roles and responsibilities in a complex organization. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Technologies and Workflows for BIM and Digital Construction)
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17 pages, 930 KB  
Article
Exploring the Use of Lean, Offsite and Simulation in Housing Delivery: Evidence from the UK
by Emmanuel Itodo Daniel, Ashendra Nikeshala Konara and Olalekan Oshodi
Buildings 2024, 14(6), 1642; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14061642 - 3 Jun 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2739
Abstract
The subpar performance of housing construction projects has been attributed to their reliance on traditional construction methods. In response to this issue, numerous innovative approaches, including modern methods of construction (MMC), have been employed to facilitate the execution of housing projects. The present [...] Read more.
The subpar performance of housing construction projects has been attributed to their reliance on traditional construction methods. In response to this issue, numerous innovative approaches, including modern methods of construction (MMC), have been employed to facilitate the execution of housing projects. The present study explores the use of MMC, specifically lean, offsite, and simulation (LOS) techniques, in delivering housing construction projects within the United Kingdom. Employing a qualitative research approach, eighteen relevant stakeholders from England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland were interviewed to fulfil the study’s purpose. The findings demonstrate that the integration of LOS techniques is advantageous in the delivery of housing construction projects. Moreover, governmental support, collaboration, leadership, training, stakeholder engagement, and environmental consideration were identified as critical factors facilitating the implementation of LOS in housing project delivery. This study provides valuable insights into the key factors that support the adoption of LOS techniques within the UK context and can serve as a guide for stakeholders in the future use of LOS in the UK housing sector. Furthermore, the empirical and qualitative evidence presented on the application of lean, offsite, and simulation (LOS) in housing delivery in the UK can contribute to efforts to address the country’s housing shortage. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Technologies and Workflows for BIM and Digital Construction)
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26 pages, 2800 KB  
Article
Assessment Framework for BIM-Digital Twin Readiness in the Construction Industry
by Aljawharah A. Alnaser, Ali Hassan Ali, Haytham H. Elmousalami, Ahmed Elyamany and Ahmed Gouda Mohamed
Buildings 2024, 14(1), 268; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14010268 - 18 Jan 2024
Cited by 63 | Viewed by 8793
Abstract
This study introduces a pioneering structural equation modeling (SEM)-based framework to assess BIM-DT adoption readiness in sustainable construction. The research’s approach delves into the intricate correlation between key success factors (KSFs) and sustainable parameters (SPs), fostering BIM-DT deployment. This interdisciplinary perspective provides a [...] Read more.
This study introduces a pioneering structural equation modeling (SEM)-based framework to assess BIM-DT adoption readiness in sustainable construction. The research’s approach delves into the intricate correlation between key success factors (KSFs) and sustainable parameters (SPs), fostering BIM-DT deployment. This interdisciplinary perspective provides a holistic understanding of the impact of KSFs on BIM-DT adoption. The research aims to identify KSFs and parameters, prioritize their relative weights for BIM-DT implementation, analyze KSFs and SPs correlations, and offer practical insights into the findings. The results revealed the importance of sustainability considerations in BIM-DT adoption, with cost optimization and resource management playing pivotal roles. The findings also revealed that the readiness of the organization to adopt the technology, availability of technology operators, availability of standards and codes for the new technology, availability of knowledge, skills, and competencies to adopt the technology, and availability of funds and financial investment are the top-ranked KSFs contributing to the successful adoption of BIM-DT. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Technologies and Workflows for BIM and Digital Construction)
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