Smart Tech 4.0 in the Built Environment: Applications of Disruptive Digital Technologies in Smart Cities, Construction, and Real Estate

Smart Tech 4.0 in the Built Environment: Applications of Disruptive Digital Technologies in Smart Cities, Construction, and Real Estate

Since the beginning of industrialization, there have been several paradigm shifts initiated through technological revolutions, inventions, and leaps. These were later named the industrial revolutions. Accordingly, the first industrial revolution focused on mechanization, followed by advancements in electrical energy and its usage (second industrial revolution) and digitalization (third industrial revolution) [1]. The fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0) is based on digital transformation and aims to revolutionize industries’ manufacturing, distribution, and process improvement [2]. Recently, the focus is shifting to Industry 5.0, which aims to complement the existing “Industry 4.0” approach. It puts research and innovation at the service of the transition to a more human-centric, sustainable, and resilient industry. However, there are fields such as the built environment that are lagging behind the technology curve and are yet to materialize the true potential of Industry 4.0.

The traditional built environment needs to transform into a smart built environment. Accordingly, it needs a technological transformation aligned with the Industry 4.0 requirements. Disruptive digital technologies must be adopted in the built environment and its associated fields such as construction, cities, real estate, architecture, and urban planning to achieve this goal of technological transformation. Accordingly, in line with the United Nations sustainable development goals, integrated smart cities, construction, and real estate goals can be achieved to promote sustainability in the built environment. Such technologies in line with Industry 4.0 requirements (hereby referred to as the Smart Tech 4.0) have been proposed in various built environment fields. To date, more than 20 such technologies have been identified. Some examples include, but are not limited to: Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Big Data, Internet of Things (IoT), Clouds, 3D Scanning, Laser Scanning, 3D Printing, Wearable Technologies, Wireless Technologies, Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), Mixed Reality (XR), Robotics, Blockchains, Software as a Service (SaaS), Digital Twins, Building Information Modeling (BIM), Machine Learning (ML), Ubiquitous Computing, Mobile Computing, Renewable Energy, Autonomous Vehicles, and 5G Communications [3]. Though the huge potential for the adoption and applications of such technologies exist in the built environment, the research around the adoption and implementation of these smart technologies is currently limited. To address this gap, this Special Issue (SI) sought contributions from academic researchers and industry professionals, including construction managers, city and urban planners, project managers, civil engineers, IT managers, real estate and property managers, web developers, software developers, architects, governance management specialists, data scientists, computer systems analysts, and others, to submit their scholarly works.

The scholarly contributions in this Special Issue present some important technologies, aspects, and applications of Smart Tech 4.0 in the built environment. In the papers submitted to this SI, researchers have developed a wide range of novel ideas, frameworks, approaches, models, and prototypes that provide valuable resources, guidelines, implications, and adoption approaches for built-environment practitioners, managers, policy, and decision-makers. Overall, this Special Issue compiles diverse but relevant thought-provoking ideas of Smart Tech 4.0 applications in the built environment.