The architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry faces challenges related to inefficiencies and fragmentation that highlight the need for advanced construction technologies and drive interest in innovative solutions such as the platform approach to design. This study assessed platform-based building design through (1) interviews with practitioners from China, Jordan, and the UK, which helped to define the platform approach in the AEC industry and the challenges involved, and (2) a residential building design simulation conducted to evaluate the potential of the platform approach. The simulated design’s materials costs, energy efficiency, and construction time were compared with those of the traditional building design. The results of the comparison corroborate the interview findings concerning practitioners’ perspectives on platform definition, benefits, challenges, and implementation. The findings also demonstrate the potential of the platform approach to enhance productivity and scalability through modularization, kit-of-parts configuration, and standardization. This research bridges the gap between theory and practice by supporting shareholder perspectives on building design and construction with the results of a simulated platform approach to a real-world design project. This research addresses the urgent need to better understand and test the platform approach to achieve material, energy, and construction time savings through collaborative and practice-informed design.

With the advancement of building industrialization and sustainable development, modular demountable buildings, as an efficient and environmentally friendly form, show significant potential in scenarios such as emergency housing and rural construction. However, they face issues including insufficient component adaptability, low demounting efficiency, and low integration level. Based on the Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DFMA) theory, this paper proposes solutions and takes M-Box1.0 as a case study to explore design strategies from four dimensions: product modularization, logistics optimization, rationality of demounting, and component integration. The results show that M-Box1.0 has excellent ventilation and lighting performance. Compared with similar products on the market, it has fewer parts and lower costs. Moreover, it reduces construction waste through prefabrication and demountable connections. This study clarifies the advantages of DFMA-oriented design and has practical significance for promoting the efficient and energy-saving development of building industrialization.

The persistent fragmentation of the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry drives the pursuit of advanced and unified construction solutions. This study investigated the limited understanding and adoption of one of these solutions, the platform approach to design for manufacturing and assembly (P-DfMA) within the AEC industry. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 design professionals from China and the UK to understand how they utilize this approach. Governmental policy documents were also analyzed to examine how they hinder or facilitate the adoption of P-DfMA. The results were mapped using the technology–organization–environment (TOE) framework. Challenges and adoption considerations were identified by a thematic analysis, supported by text-mining results from Voyant Tools, with the most frequent keywords visualized in charts. The findings indicate that P-DfMA adoption is conceptually fragmented within the AEC industry, with a gap between theory and practice. Technical limitations in organizational structuring and environmental misalignment hinder adoption. Challenges and considerations span five domains: design, digital, financial and procurement, organizational, and sustainability. This research offers novel insights gained by integrating multi-layered analyses of construction practice interviews and policy perspectives within the TOE framework, along with timely insights into the socio-technical dynamics shaping the future of the industry.

Currently, the global construction industry is facing challenges of stagnant efficiency and cost overruns. The potential of modular construction has not been fully unleashed due to the disconnection between design and manufacturing. This paper proposes a P-DFMA (Platform-Design for Manufacture and Assembly) building product platform architecture for modular apartments. The research establishes a three-level standardization framework of “modular unit-component-connector”, covering core residential modules, light steel keel systems, and high-strength bolt joints. Finite element simulation using SimSolid is employed to ensure manufacturing feasibility, and a standardized component library and a full-process collaborative P-DFMA architecture for modular apartments are developed. Verified through the case of the modular dormitory building project at Tianjin Chengjian University, the results show that compared with the traditional prefabricated construction mode, the P-DFMA platform mode achieves a cost savings rate of 54.8% in project design, production, and cross-link collaboration. This proves the feasibility and architectural advantages of the platform in improving the full-process efficiency and optimizing costs of modular buildings.

Operational inefficiencies hinder progress in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry. Platform-based approaches systematically utilize standardized and variable components and workflows to support customization and reuse across projects, making them viable solutions. This study addresses two research questions: (1) What are the current trends and challenges facing platform-based approaches in the AEC industry? (2) What research opportunities and future directions exist for platform-based approaches in the AEC industry? It conducted a bibliometric review and trend analysis using data collected from Engineering Village, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, Scopus, SpringerLink, and Web of Science. Research interest increased from 16 publications between 2001 and 2014 to 18 publications in 2024. The UK dominates the field with 193 publications; however, collaboration across author groups remains weak. The trend analysis revealed an imbalanced research distribution, with 70% of publications focusing on product platforms and technological innovation, while governance, knowledge sharing, and stakeholders remain underexplored. Insights from the automotive and consumer goods industries highlight transferable strategies. The novelty and timeliness of this research lie in the multi-layer analyses, which integrated artificial intelligence-assisted bibliometric analysis with qualitative thematic and cross-industry analysis to generate insights on trends and challenges, translating them into a roadmap addressing AEC industry challenges.