Connectivity, digitization, and emerging Industry 4.0 technology such as AI, automation, robotics, IoT, and cyber-physical space have transformed social relations, the means of production, and the world of labor. The construction industry has also been transformed by Industry 4.0 technologies, mainly through Building Information Modeling (BIM)-based digitization. This revolution in the construction industry has been called Construction 4.0 and is based on the use of innovative technologies that promote digitalization and automation of design, construction, and management processes. Furthermore, the workforce for the construction industry in the context of Construction 4.0 must have adequate skills for this new scenario. Previous literature reviews have analyzed the idea of transitioning the construction industry to Construction 4.0 and implementing specific technologies in the industry. However, there has been limited exploration of the skills necessary for the Construction 4.0 workforce. This article aims to address this gap by identifying the technologies and skills that have been scientifically researched and applied in the construction industry, specifically related to the concepts of Industry 4.0 and Construction 4.0. Utilizing a scoping literature review in the Scopus database, this study seeks to identify: (i) emergent C4.0 technologies in the AEC industry; and (ii) which skills or competencies are demanded when using these technologies. All of our bibliographical searches are inserted and restricted to the concept of Construction 4.0. A total of 108 articles related to technologies and 15 related to skills in the Construction 4.0 context were selected for analysis. Twenty-one technologies were identified and grouped into five sets according to their similarities and applications: AI-assisted technologies, Advanced manufacture, Smart tools, Digital simulation/Visualization, and Data acquisition/detection. The skills were identified and grouped into soft and hard skills. However, the findings point out that the new skills needed by the workforce are described in a dispersed way, without a central theme of research in the context of Construction 4.0. Our findings contribute to a better understanding of the transformations towards Construction 4.0 and provide data for industry and universities to respond appropriately to the new demands of the construction industry.

The increasing demand for multifamily housing in the United States requires alternatives for building more affordable and sustainable housing to improve the quality of life for millions of families. Offsite construction (OSC) strategies may be a viable alternative for tackling this problem. Although the use of OSC is significant in the multifamily housing market in the world and it is also very promising in the US, a scarce amount of literature has focused on this topic. The purpose of this study is to identify specific factors that affect decisions on the use of OSC in multifamily housing in the US. Focusing on the sustainability dimensions of construction—social, environmental, and economic—the authors reviewed literature that was published between 2000 and 2019 and identified factors that are related to OSC adoption in general construction, in housing construction, and, more specifically, in multifamily housing construction in the US. Subsequently, a discussion on some important factors affecting decisions on the use of OSC in the American multifamily market is provided. The discussion focused on factors that, although important, have been under explored in the literature that addresses the use of OSC in multifamily projects, especially in the US, which are: customer’s attitude, building performance, and building comfort and indoor environmental quality (IEQ). In addition, a brief discussion regarding the importance of design to the uptake of OSC in multifamily projects is provided. This is one of the first studies dedicated to exploring the social, environmental, and economic factors that affect the use of OSC in multifamily housing in the US. The study also identifies research gaps, which serve as a roadmap for future research.

Background: A growing number of educators have started exploring student-centered approaches to improve students’ learning and satisfaction with courses and programs. While prior research shows a positive impact of such strategies on student learning, further exploration of the perceptions of traditional, lecture-based and other more inquiry-based active learning as experienced by students within the same university is needed. Purpose: To compare students’ perceptions of the learning environment in studio-type courses within an innovative pilot student-centered transdisciplinary learning experience to the environment in traditional lecture or lecture-and-lab courses. Program description: An innovative learning experience that employs student-centered teaching strategies to engage students in the transdisciplinary exploration of technology and liberal arts within a technology-focused college in a large land-grant university. Sample: At the end of the first semester, eight students who chose to leave the program were interviewed. At the end of the second semester, eight students who chose to remain in the program and four students who left after the first semester were interviewed. Design/Method: Student were interviewed individually during the end of either their Fall 2014 semester or Spring 2015 semester. A thematic analysis was conducted. Frequency of occurrence was counted and compared for each theme. Results: The most frequently mentioned differences between traditional courses and this learning experience regarded instruction, assessment, and uncertainty. Students enjoyed the flexibility of a more student-centered approach, but struggled with understanding assessment and time management within self-directed transdisciplinary coursework. Student learning preferences appeared to influence their perceptions of each teaching method. Conclusions: Although results seemed to be influenced by personal preferences, time management and dealing with uncertainty were sources of frustration across both groups of students. Scaffolding students in these two areas may help students make an easier transition toward more student-centered learning environments.

The present research analyzes the impact of nine factors related to household demographics, building equipment, and building characteristics towards a home’s total energy consumption while controlling for climate. To do this, we have surveyed single-family owned houses from the 2015 Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS) dataset and controlled the analysis by Building America climate zones. Our findings are based on descriptive statistics and multiple regression models, and show that for a median-sized home in three of the five climate zones, heating equipment is still the main contributor to a household’s total energy consumed, followed by home size. Social-economic factors and building age were found relevant for some regions, but often contributed less than size and heating equipment towards total energy consumption. Water heater and education were not found to be statistically relevant in any of the regions. Finally, solar power was only found to be a significant factor in one of the regions, positively contributing to a home’s total energy consumed. These findings are helpful for policymakers to evaluate the specificities of climate regions in their jurisdiction, especially guiding homeowners towards more energy-efficient heating equipment and home configurations, such as reduced size.

In recent years, there has been an increase in environmental awareness in the United States, leading to steady growth in environmentally conscious consumerism. Looking specifically at green home marketing, understanding the consumer behavior of the next generation of homebuyers, Generation Z (GenZ), is important for environmental and business reasons. This study surveyed 116 university students to explore the influence of specific barriers and types of motivation (intrinsic, instrumental, and non-normative) on their perceptions of green homes. Our findings suggest certain barriers have more influence on GenZ consumers than others, with the perceived lack of choice in selecting Green Home Features (GHFs) as the top barrier, followed by a lack of information about GHFs, and then the perceived effort to analyze GHFs. Furthermore, for GenZ consumers, intrinsic and non-normative motivations seem to significantly affect their willingness to buy green homes, whereas instrumental motivation does not. Our findings expand on previous studies on green consumer behavior to provide a new benchmark for understanding GenZ’s consumer behavior, specifically towards green homes. Our results can be used by marketers and policymakers to study future home trends, attract more potential buyers to green homes, and help create a sustainable environment for future generations.