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Innovation in Sustainable Building and Smart Construction Projects

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Green Building".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 August 2026 | Viewed by 25

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Construction Management, Kennesaw State University, Marietta, GA 30060, USA
Interests: sustainable design and construction; virtual reality; augmented reality; building information modeling; virtual design and construction; construction education; construction 4.0
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue aims to explore and promote innovations in sustainable building and smart construction projects, focusing on the integration of advanced technologies and environmentally responsible practices in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry. As the global demand for sustainable infrastructure grows, the construction sector is undergoing a transformative shift, embracing digital tools, intelligent systems, and green materials to meet environmental, economic, and social sustainability goals.

Smart construction technologies such as Building Information Modeling (BIM), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), Internet of Things (IoT), and robotics are revolutionizing how buildings are designed, constructed, and managed. These innovations enhance project efficiency, reduce waste, improve safety, and enable data-driven decision-making throughout the lifecycle of buildings. Simultaneously, sustainable building practices, such as lifecycle assessment (LCA), energy-efficient design, and circular construction, are critical to reducing carbon footprints and promoting resilience in the built environment.

This Special Issue will serve as a platform for researchers, educators, and industry professionals to share original research, case studies, reviews, and experimental work that advances the research and application of smart and sustainable construction practices. We also aim to bridge the gap between academic research and industry implementation, fostering collaboration and innovation across disciplines.

We welcome contributions that address, but are not limited to, the following themes:

  • Smart construction technologies and digital transformation in the AEC industry;
  • BIM-integrated sustainability analysis and project management;
  • AR/VR applications for design visualization, training, and safety enhancement;
  • AI and machine learning for predictive analytics and construction optimization;
  • Sustainable building materials and construction methods;
  • Lifecycle assessment (LCA) and lifecycle costing (LCC) in sustainable design;
  • Net-zero energy buildings and passive design strategies;
  • Circular economy and resource-efficient construction;
  • Automation and robotics in sustainable construction;
  • Building performance simulation and energy modeling;
  • Digital twin technologies for facility management and sustainability;
  • Lean construction and process innovation;
  • Smart cities and urban sustainability initiatives;
  • Educational technologies for sustainable construction training and curriculum development.

I look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Sanjeev Adhikari
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. Sustainability 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 2400 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

  • sustainable building
  • smart construction
  • building information modeling (BIM)
  • augmented reality (AR)
  • virtual reality (VR)
  • artificial intelligence (AI) in construction
  • digital twin
  • circular construction
  • construction automation
  • robotics in construction
  • construction education
  • construction innovation

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Published Papers

This special issue is now open for submission.
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