Artificial Intelligence-Driven Analyses and Innovations for Sustainable Built Environments: From Buildings to Cities and Infrastructure
A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Green Building".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2028 | Viewed by 1225
Editor
Interests: AI; digital twin; building construction; architecture; city; remote sensing; manufacturing; information systems; computer science; sustainability
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The built environment, including cities, buildings and the construction industry, is undergoing a rapid transformation driven by artificial intelligence (AI), digitalization, and data-centric design methodologies, with significant implications for sustainability performance across the built environment. Emerging AI-powered enhancements of the current practices of Building Information Modelling (BIM), GIS, generative design, and data-driven decision frameworks are reshaping how buildings and infrastructure are planned, designed, manufactured, and assembled.
This Special Issue will focus on the intersection of AI, modular construction systems (including volumetric and panelized approaches), and integrated digital frameworks that support Sustainable Development Goals. Particular attention will be given to how AI methods can optimize construction efficiency, building energy performance, reduce material waste, minimize carbon emissions, and enhance the lifecycle performance of buildings. Building energy performance relies on a diverse ecosystem of assessment and modelling tools, including NatHERS-accredited software such as AccuRate, BERS Pro, FirstRate5, and HERO for residential thermal and Whole-of-Home ratings; advanced building performance simulation platforms to analyze heating and cooling loads, airflow, daylighting, and operational efficiency; and NABERS rating tools that evaluate real-world energy, water, indoor environment quality, waste, and embodied carbon performance.
In addition, this Special Issue will also explore the emerging conceptual and methodological frameworks for understanding and adopting AI in construction practice, including BIM–AI integration models, adoption pathways such as PERGE frameworks, and network-based mapping approaches (e.g., CEGM) for identifying technological impact and diffusion patterns.
Beyond technical innovation, this Special Issue welcomes contributions that address the role of AI in shaping academic and professional knowledge production itself, including strategies for communicating complex AI-enabled construction systems, strengthening academic argumentation, and improving interdisciplinary clarity in sustainability research.
Key topics include, but are not limited to, the following:
- AI-enabled modular construction (volumetric vs. panelized systems);
- BIM, GIS, and AI integration for sustainable design and construction management;
- Digital twins and lifecycle sustainability assessment;
- AI-based optimization of materials, energy use, and carbon reduction;
- Frameworks for AI adoption in construction (e.g., PERGE, diffusion models);
- Network analysis of AI methods and construction innovation ecosystems (e.g., CEGM approaches);
- Generative AI in architectural and engineering design;
- Data-driven decision support systems for sustainable construction;
Dr. Samad Sepasgozar
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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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-anonymized 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
- artificial intelligence (AI)
- building information modelling (BIM)
- modular construction
- sustainable construction
- digital twins
- generative design
- data-driven decision making
- lifecycle sustainability assessment
- carbon reduction
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