Construction is a resource-intensive industry where a circular economy (CE) is essential to minimize global impacts and conserve natural resources. A CE achieves long-term sustainability by enabling materials to circulate along the critical supply chains. Accordingly, recent research has proposed a paradigm shift towards CE-based sustainability. However, uncertainties caused by fluctuating raw material prices, scarce materials, increasing demand, consumers’ expectations, lack of proper waste infrastructure, and the use of wrong recycling technologies all lead to complexities in the construction industry (CI). This research paper aims to determine the enablers of a CE for sustainable development in the CI. The system dynamics (SD) approach is utilized for modeling and simulation purposes to address the associated process complexity. First, using content analysis of pertinent literature, ten enablers of a CE for sustainable development in CI were identified. Then, causality among these enablers was identified via interviews and questionnaire surveys, leading to the development of the causal loop diagram (CLD) using systems thinking. The CLD for the 10 shortlisted enablers shows five reinforcing loops and one balancing loop. Furthermore, the CLD was used to develop an SD model with two stocks: “Organizational Incentive Schemes” and “Policy Support.” An additional stock (“Sustainable Development”) was created to determine the combined effect of all stocks. The model was simulated for five years. The findings show that policy support and organizational incentive schemes, among other enablers, are critical in implementing a CE for sustainable development in CI. The outcomes of this study can help CI practitioners to implement a CE in a way that drives innovation, boosts economic growth, and improves competitiveness.

Real estate plays a crucial role in driving national economies. However, the process of transferring properties and engaging with various stakeholders can be hindered by a lack of adequate information, complex procedures, and excessive paperwork. The advent of digital real estate has revolutionized the industry and how stakeholders interact. The present study aims to conduct a bibliometric and systematic review of digital real estate, utilizing historical, institutional, country, and keyword analyses for the bibliometric review and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines for the systematic review. Through thematic analysis, the study identified four key themes for transforming digital real estate: information communication technologies, data collection technologies, data networking tools, and digital decision-making systems. Additionally, the study proposes a digital real estate transformation framework that can assist stakeholders, urban planners, and decision-makers in embracing digital tools and technologies. The study concludes that digital real estate has the potential to revolutionize future urban planning and real estate development through the use of decision support systems and advanced technologies.

Safety is a well-researched yet underperforming management aspect of the construction industry. Building information modeling (BIM) can help, and some frameworks have addressed safety management in limited phases of the project lifecycle. This study positions BIM centrally in the safety management process and develops a safety management framework that covers the entire lifecycle of a construction project in the context of developing countries. A systematic literature review is conducted to identify the safety factors and BIM features that are synthesized to devise BIM-based safety improvement strategies. The strategies are presented to construction management professionals from developed and developing countries through an online questionnaire survey, and their level of agreement is identified. Afterward, construction safety experts are engaged to integrate these strategies into appropriate lifecycle phases. Additionally, these experts are also engaged to develop an automated hazard recognition process to leverage BIM potential in safety management. The integration of strategies into project lifecycle phases resulted in a comprehensive safety implementation framework leveraging the BIM platform. This framework takes a lead from the experience of developed countries and considers the limitations of developing countries in terms of resources and technology. Furthermore, a BIM-based process map for hazard identification is developed. The process map takes the BIM model as input and provides a detailed safety report. The process map can be automated to enhance effective safety management. This study expands the body of knowledge through a BIM-driven lifecycle safety management framework for developing countries where BIM adoption is still in its early stages. It is a fresh take on safety automation to make the construction industry safer and more reliable. However, it is limited due to inadequate safety reporting and documentation in developing countries. Future research can improve upon this limitation by positioning in a safety-compliant culture.

Building information modeling (BIM), through its data-rich digital representation of building elements, has revolutionized the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry. Facilitating the process of its implementation, several legal aspects of BIM have been discussed and standardized in the published contract systems, but legal provisions for dispute resolution through BIM are yet to be established. With more enhanced use of BIM, there is a need for a dedicated protocol for utilizing BIM in construction dispute resolution. This study aims to identify, analyze, and classify the potential legal aspects for integrating BIM into the construction dispute resolution process and thereby determine the corresponding provisions required in BIM-enabled contracts. Potential legal aspects were extracted through an analysis of published literature, including research papers, FIDIC contracts, and standard BIM contract documents. A questionnaire survey involving 140 respondents was conducted from which the 24 identified legal aspects were validated to be incorporated in BIM contracts as contract provisions. The proposed BIM-DRes framework maps the legal aspects and finalized contractual provisions with the phases of a construction project and highlights the main stakeholders associated with or affected by these aspects. The developed framework was further validated by three experts from the construction industry. This research explores this overlooked area and expands the body of knowledge on BIM-based dispute resolution, setting the ground for the extension of BIM-enabled contracts.

The healthcare industry significantly impacts the environment due to its high usage of energy and natural resources and the associated waste generation. This study applied a cradle-to-grave Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA) approach to assess the environmental and social life cycles of public hospitals. One hundred twenty-four public hospitals were selected for the current study; their sustainability performance was compared with those certified by Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). The comparison revealed several factors contributing to the poor sustainability performance of public hospitals. These include inadequate management, substandard planning, political interference, insufficient staffing and funding, high energy consumption, high expenses, inconsistent healthcare policies, and conventional building designs. System thinking was leveraged, and a causal loop diagram (CLD) was developed to visualize the interdependency of the identified indicators of LCSA. Based on the findings of the study, a policy framework is proposed to guide the development of sustainable healthcare buildings. The framework includes using eco-friendly materials and techniques in construction, harnessing solar energy, improving hospital management practices, promoting public awareness about sustainability, conserving energy and water, and adopting sustainable waste management and transportation. Additionally, it emphasizes addressing social issues such as improving indoor air quality, thermal comfort, lighting, acoustics, patient safety, and security and ensuring that healthcare services are accessible and affordable. This study contributes to the literature on sustainable healthcare buildings by providing a practical policy framework for achieving sustainability in the healthcare sector.