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Cutting-Edge Research in the Building Information Modelling (BIM) Application for Sustainable Construction

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 November 2025 | Viewed by 2642

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Sonia Lupica Spagnolo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Politecnico di Milano, Department of Architecture, Built Environment and Construction Engineering, Via G. Ponzio 31, 20133 Milan, Italy
Interests: BIM; digitalization; information integration in construction; building process optimization; interoperable ICTs
Prof. Dr. Alberto Pavan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Architecture, Built Environment and Construction Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy
Interests: BIM; knowledge management; digital twins; ICT for construction; digital platforms; standardization; cost management
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The technological revolution has affected every aspect of the construction industry, with a consequent impact on services, production processes, and the supply chain, as well as on the collection, use, and management of information. The keywords for this digital revolution include reliable data management in real environments, digital collaboration, and intelligent objects. Existing solutions currently make buildings smarter and more sustainable, and they include automation, energy efficiency, and improved productivity and health. Among significant digital technologies, BIM facilitates improved knowledge of the entire project during the pre-construction design phase and during and after construction. By implementing BIM, we can improve the building process by accelerating workflows, decreasing and preventing errors, and enhancing communication between relevant actors.

Despite recent digital transformation, the construction sector is one of the main fields responsible for energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Thus, it is vital to identify new strategies, in the form of methods and tools, that can foster sustainability. This is the reason that the proposed Special Issue will present original research contributions and the latest advancements in BIM applications for more sustainable construction. Original research and reviews on the following subjects, among others, are welcome:

  • Building information modelling (BIM);
  • Digital twins;
  • Semantic web for information management;
  • Advancements in technology for sustainability;
  • Blockchain;
  • BIM-based building process management;
  • BIM-based solution for operation and maintenance;
  • Digital building logbooks;
  • Building passports;
  • Product lifecycle management;
  • Lean construction.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Sonia Lupica Spagnolo
Prof. Dr. Alberto Pavan
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 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

  • building information modelling (BIM)
  • digital transformation
  • built environment
  • sustainable construction
  • data management
  • digital twins
  • digital building logbooks

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

23 pages, 3590 KiB  
Article
Cost Efficiency in Buildings: An Ontological Perspective for Sustainable Life Cycle Management
by Martina Signorini, Chiara Gatto, Jacopo Cassandro, Alberto Pavan and Sonia Lupica Spagnolo
Sustainability 2025, 17(13), 5685; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17135685 - 20 Jun 2025
Viewed by 179
Abstract
The AECO (Architecture, Engineering, Construction, and Operation) sector is highly complex, involving multidisciplinary collaboration, extensive data management, and significant financial investments. Decisions in early phases significantly impact operational and maintenance costs, as well as the environmental and economic sustainability of a project over [...] Read more.
The AECO (Architecture, Engineering, Construction, and Operation) sector is highly complex, involving multidisciplinary collaboration, extensive data management, and significant financial investments. Decisions in early phases significantly impact operational and maintenance costs, as well as the environmental and economic sustainability of a project over its lifecycle. Cost efficiency and sustainability are critical and interconnected goals across the sector, spanning all phases of a building’s lifecycle. Ontologies, as formal and structured representations of knowledge within a particular domain, have the potential to enhance cost efficiency by improving decision-making, reducing redundancies, and optimizing resource allocation. Despite their relevance, cost ontologies are still lacking in the AECO sector. This paper addresses this gap by presenting both a methodological and conceptual contribution: it outlines a structured and iterative methodology for developing a cost ontology, and it defines the core concepts required to semantically represent construction cost information. The methodology emphasizes stakeholder engagement and refinement cycles, while the ontological structure ensures machine-readability and interoperability. The approach involves a preliminary analysis of the necessary cost parameters for defining the ontology and a subsequent validation of a practical case study. The results show the development of a heterogeneous and standardized data structure designed to define a cost ontology, aimed at improving the updatability, transparency, and sustainability-oriented interpretation of construction cost data by both humans and machines. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cutting-Edge Research in the Building Information Modelling (BIM) Application for Sustainable Construction)
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26 pages, 1874 KiB  
Article
Performance Optimization of Building Envelope Through BIM and Multi-Criteria Analysis
by Stefano Cascone, Valeria Anastasi and Rosa Caponetto
Sustainability 2025, 17(12), 5294; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17125294 - 8 Jun 2025
Viewed by 334
Abstract
In response to the growing demand for sustainable and performance-driven building design, this study proposes an integrated digital methodology that combines Building Information Modeling (BIM), parametric scripting, and multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) to optimize external wall assemblies. The approach leverages Autodesk Revit and Dynamo [...] Read more.
In response to the growing demand for sustainable and performance-driven building design, this study proposes an integrated digital methodology that combines Building Information Modeling (BIM), parametric scripting, and multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) to optimize external wall assemblies. The approach leverages Autodesk Revit and Dynamo to automate the parametrization of insulation thickness while ensuring compliance with regulatory thresholds for thermal transmittance and surface mass. Acoustic performance is estimated using ECHO software, and a Weighted Sum Model (WSM) is applied to evaluate and rank configurations based on four criteria: economic cost, Global Warming Potential (GWP), embodied energy, and acoustic insulation. A case study involving 24 wall assemblies—generated from eight base stratigraphies and three insulation materials—demonstrates the method’s ability to balance environmental impact, occupant comfort, and construction feasibility. The results indicate that natural and bio-based materials, such as rammed earth and cork, offer the best overall performance, while conventional systems remain competitive in terms of cost. The proposed workflow reduces design time, increases transparency, and supports informed decision-making during early design stages. This research contributes to the digitalization of sustainability assessment in architecture by promoting integrative, replicable, and regulation-aligned practices for low-impact building envelopes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cutting-Edge Research in the Building Information Modelling (BIM) Application for Sustainable Construction)
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23 pages, 5144 KiB  
Article
Building Information Modeling–Life Cycle Assessment: A Novel Technology for Rapid Calculation and Analysis System for Life Cycle Carbon Emissions of Bridges
by Yong Yang, Xiaogang Yue, Yongle Luo, Li Jin and Buyu Jia
Sustainability 2024, 16(23), 10574; https://doi.org/10.3390/su162310574 - 2 Dec 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1349
Abstract
With the rapid development of bridge construction, environmental concerns have become increasingly prominent. Low-carbon, green, and sustainable bridge engineering has emerged as an inevitable trend. A comprehensive carbon emission calculation system is key to achieving low-carbon bridges. This study proposes a rapid calculation [...] Read more.
With the rapid development of bridge construction, environmental concerns have become increasingly prominent. Low-carbon, green, and sustainable bridge engineering has emerged as an inevitable trend. A comprehensive carbon emission calculation system is key to achieving low-carbon bridges. This study proposes a rapid calculation and analysis system for bridge carbon emissions (Building Information Modeling–Life Cycle Assessment, BIM-LCA). This system, using the bridge information model as a carrier, calculates and manages data on material consumption, machinery, transportation, and energy throughout the bridge’s life cycle. It then calculates the carbon emissions for each stage. This system simplifies the complex and cumbersome data collection and analysis processes found in traditional methods while also making the carbon emissions across the full bridge life cycle more accessible and visible. Being applicable to all types of bridges, this system can provide insights and a basis for decision-making in the early design stages and during construction and operation to support carbon reduction. Ultimately, it promotes low-carbon, environmentally friendly, and sustainable bridge engineering development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cutting-Edge Research in the Building Information Modelling (BIM) Application for Sustainable Construction)
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