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Advanced Developments in Digital and Sustainable Innovation of Design and Construction Management

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 16 October 2026 | Viewed by 82

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Built Environment Department, School of Art, Design and Architecture, 302 Roland Levinsky Building, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK
Interests: built environment; construction management; innovation; circular economy; digital equity; ethics; sustainable practices in construction
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
School of Art, Design and Architecture, Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business, University of Plymouth, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK
Interests: construction and quality management; digital innovation and project management strategies; low-carbon; resilient buildings

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Guest Editor
Department of Building and Real Estate, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
Interests: value engineering/management; construction management; heat stress management; ethics; sustainable construction; environmental management

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The integration of digital technologies and sustainability principles is reshaping the landscape of design and construction management. Recent advancements in Building Information Modeling (BIM), digital twins, artificial intelligence (AI), and automation are enhancing decision-making, improving efficiency, and reducing errors across project lifecycles. Simultaneously, the construction industry faces mounting pressure to minimize environmental impacts, adopt circular economy practices, and align with global sustainability goals. The convergence of these two domains—digital innovation and sustainable construction—presents both opportunities and challenges. On one hand, digital tools enable predictive analysis, optimized resource allocation, reduction in carbon footprint, and lifecycle assessments, all of which support more sustainable outcomes. On the other, issues around implementation costs, data interoperability, and skill shortages and workforce adaptation remain critical barriers. This Special Issue seeks contributions that advance knowledge around the intersection of technology and sustainability in construction management. Key areas of interest include novel frameworks for integrating digital tools with sustainable practices, case studies of successful implementation and/or key barriers, strategies for overcoming organizational and regulatory hurdles, and future visions for a resilient and sustainable built environment. By fostering interdisciplinary research, this Special Issue aims to accelerate the transition toward smarter, more sustainable, and more efficient construction management practices worldwide.

Dr. Olugbenga Timo Oladinrin
Dr. Joao Alencastro
Dr. Lekan Ojo
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. 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

  • digital innovation
  • modern methods of construction
  • sustainable construction
  • digital integration
  • building information modeling (BIM)
  • automation in construction
  • digital twins
  • artificial intelligence (AI)
  • circular economy
  • lifecycle assessment (LCA)
  • construction management
  • project delivery innovation
  • resilient built environment
  • sustainable design practices

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

29 pages, 1626 KB  
Article
Digital Transformation in the Construction Industry: Lessons and Challenges from the Journey of Brazilian Construction Companies
by Maria Gabriella Teixeira Lima, Thaís de Melo Cunha, Luis Felipe Cândido and José de Paula Barros Neto
Sustainability 2026, 18(1), 407; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18010407 - 31 Dec 2025
Abstract
Digital Transformation (DT) is a strategic challenge that reshapes the way companies operate. Nevertheless, its adoption in the construction industry remains slow. This paper analyzes the DT process in Brazilian construction companies through two phases. Initially, an exploratory study was conducted with 17 [...] Read more.
Digital Transformation (DT) is a strategic challenge that reshapes the way companies operate. Nevertheless, its adoption in the construction industry remains slow. This paper analyzes the DT process in Brazilian construction companies through two phases. Initially, an exploratory study was conducted with 17 firms using semi-structured interviews with their Technical Directors. Second, three companies were selected for case studies involving 14 in-depth interviews, observation, and document analysis. Data underwent content analysis. In the exploratory phase, DT was found to be mainly pursued to improve construction efficiency. Barriers were strongly associated with individual aspects, especially limited knowledge about technologies and resistance to change, reinforced by difficulties in implementing organizational changes. Most problems that DT seeks to address are concentrated in the technical department and construction site. Companies adopted approaches such as technology investments, open innovation, organizational restructuring, and training, but the success of these strategies depends on top management engagement and employee acceptance. Besides cultural barriers, technological obstacles, system integration and digital delay were identified, along with process difficulties such as the complexity and costs of the DT journey. Indirect sustainability objectives also emerged, indicating that DT is perceived as both technological advancement and a means to transform the sector. Finally, based on the empirical findings, a multi-level framework comprising 12 strategies for DT in the construction industry was proposed. Overall, the empirical field investigated remains in the early stages of DT, with experimentation with technologies and a focus on efficiency, characteristics of digitization, a step prior to total transformation. The study provides a valuable diagnosis of DT to support the digital transition and informs policymakers in designing initiatives that foster DT, contributing to sector sustainability and SDG9. Full article
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