Since the international governmental institutions required and/or recommended (according to the regulations of each country and continent) all public works to be certified in the BIM (Building Information Modeling) methodology, public and private institutions and universities have sought to integrate BIM into their production and educational processes. This requires the university academic environment to focus its efforts on training students in this methodology, as they will need to apply it in any future work activities related to architecture and construction. This article seeks to analyze which methods are being used by higher education institutions around the world to integrate BIM implementation in AEC (architecture, engineering, and construction) degrees and to determine if a set of regulatory guidelines exists that could serve as a common foundation for institutions to improve this integration process. To this end, a systematic literature review was carried out on WOS and SCOPUS by applying the PRISMA statement methodology. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were selected based on keywords, abstracts, and full content of the articles. In the end, 23 articles were thoroughly studied, the integration and evaluation methods analyzed, and results obtained. The analysis shows a consensus on the need to develop common academic guidelines across university centers that define a strategy for curriculum modifications and teaching and learning strategies. Finally, future lines of research are identified.

The creation and usage of serious games on virtual reality (VR) and/or interactive platforms for the teaching of architecture, construction, urban planning, and other derived areas, such as security and risk prevention, require design processes, studies, and research that lead to further consolidation expansion. In that sense, this paper presents two main aims developed: the improvement of a virtual navigation system through the results of previous user studies and mixed research (quantitative and qualitative) improved based on the user perception for educational and professional uses. The VR system used is based on Unreal Engine programming of the HTC Vive sensor. This study is related to the GAME4City 3.0 and a broader project focused on gamified visualization and its educational uses in architectural and urban projects. The results reflect great interest, good usability, and high motivation for further usage for all types of users. However, an apparent resistance to deepen its use continues to be perceived in academia. Based on the research results, weak points of educational gamified systems have been identified, and the main differences and needs in user profiles’ function. With these data, progress regarding implementing this kind of system at the teaching and professional levels must be pursued.

The main aim of this study is to assess the spatial perception of historical world heritage buildings using wearable technologies in an educational framework. The proposal seeks to complement the real experience of visiting the Casa Batlló Museum, an emblematic space (1904–1906, Antonio Gaudí, Barcelona). The main innovative feature of the project is focused on the usability assessment of the video-guide indoor location-based system. The article addresses the first phase of a more complex project, analyzing the behavior of architecture students previously trained in modeling of complex buildings, in order to improve the system for a second phase that will be developed with students with special needs. Using an indoor location system for watching multimedia contents, we can improve the access, the visit, and the spatial perception of historical places for all kinds of students, with or without any special requirements. The results show a lack of usability of the system, especially due to the design of the mobile interface and to some loss of synchronization between the student position and the multimedia contents. However, the students have a better understanding of the museum’s characteristics because of multimedia content, as a clear improvement compared with the classic audio-guide.

The configuration of urban projects using ICTs is an essential aspect in the education of the future architect. The student must know the technologies that will facilitate their development and presentation, as well as the needs of the citizen and the expectations of the project. The present article focuses on evaluating both the initial and final intrinsic motivation of the student in the process of incorporating gamified virtual reality systems for visualization and interaction in urban projects. The results reflect a significant increase in student motivation as he / she understands the use and potential of such systems in the visualization and understanding of architectural and urban space.

This paper addresses the effect of building orientation efficiency of the green facade in energy consumption, for which the case study is an urban block in Passeig de Gracia, L’Eixample, Barcelona. Nowadays, many countries are faced with the trouble of the deficiency of energy resources and the incapability of saving them. Most of this energy is consumed in the cooling, heating, and artificial ventilation of buildings. For this reason, the development of an integrated strategy like a green facade is essential to transform buildings into structures that consume less energy and to improve the occupants’ comfort conditions. From the perspective of the urban landscape, the green facade can influence the quality of life in cities due to its positive effects such as the purification of air, the absorption of carbon dioxide, and the mitigation of dust, as well as the aesthetic and psychological aspects. Such criteria are based on the adoption of suitable orientation for the green facade, which is the second layer of the facade in an office building with a curtain wall as the main facade. Since the most important factor in the implementation of a green facade is the building’s orientation, the optimum orientation could be the key factor in regards to the reduction of energy consumption and cost and the improvement of overall energy efficiency. We used software that helped simulate the total energy consumption, the cost, and the energy use intensity annually and monthly. Consequently, after testing was carried out, it was proven that a green facade as a second layer with a southeast and/or a southwest orientation results in the maximum energy saving in a coastal city with a Mediterranean climate like Barcelona.