Purpose: This paper aims to present a state-of-the-art review of building information modelling (BIM) in the UK construction practice. In particular, the aim is to examine the scope, value and practical implications of BIM implementation in residential projects by evaluating practitioners’ perspectives working in the Greater London Area (GLA). Design/methodology/approach: The paper outlines the general status quo of BIM adoption and maturity in the UK. It then discusses the feasibility of BIM use in residential projects drawing on an online survey and complementary semi-structured interviews with building professionals. The cross-comparison between the evidence base and literature review uncovers the specific benefits, challenges and risks to BIM implementation in the house building sector. Findings: BIM is an evaluation methodology that helps the management of digital information throughout the project lifecycle. At a conceptual level, a BIM-enabled project offers quality assurance and on-time delivery, collaboration and communication improvement, visual representation and clash detection and whole lifecycle value. The findings, however, suggest that the most frequently reported benefits are related to collaboration and the blend of product (software) and process innovation, whilst lifecycle thinking and waste reduction are often overlooked. At present, there is widespread awareness on BIM but with a financial barrier to invest in developing digital capabilities, particularly for small- and medium-sized enterprises. Practical implications: The paper concludes with a critical commentary on the lack of strategic leadership in both the supply and demand side. The role of policy to streamline commercial drivers for whole lifecycle costing in procurement is endorsed to drive the change management required to address the short-term mind-set of senior management and wider fragmentation of the construction industry, also serving as a research question for further research and development in the field. Originality/value: There are relatively few studies evaluating BIM perspectives in UK residential projects. This paper explores the feasibility and “real-life” value of BIM in housing practice, drawing on views and experiences of building professionals in GLA. In particular, the research findings provide an evidence base evaluating the extent to which the house building industry has the expertise and capability to operate in a BIM environment and to comply with the Level 2 mandate and explore which of the generic barriers and drivers of BIM-readiness are more relevant to the design and construction of housing projects.

Across sub-Saharan Africa, 238 million people live in slums or informal settlements. Because of rapid urbanisation and population growth, informal settlements have become a major challenge in the urban landscape, exacerbating issues related to poverty, inadequate infrastructure, housing and poor living conditions. As part of a collaborative interdisciplinary project ISULABANTU, this paper provides an overview of toolkits focused on informal settlement upgrading (ISU) in South Africa and presents the process of an integrated toolkit development for sustainable human settlements in Durban, which was informed by participatory action research and co-production strategies. A toolkit can be a valuable and effective way of engaging communities in the process of ISU and for community members to take full ownership of the process, designing strategies that best respond to their needs. The review of existing toolkits has revealed several critical gaps related to community-led practices, integrated approaches to housing and environmental management, and gender. The integrated ISULABANTU toolkit aims to fill these gaps and complement the existing resources. It provides a framework for action research, active involvement of and partnership building with local communities in upgrading practices required to achieve sustainable human settlements.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the implementation of environmental management systems as well as the critical factors for adapting ISO 14001 in Greek industry. The results were compared to a similar research conducted by Arthur D. Little among USA companies, and proved that the Greek companies consider implementation of IS0 14001 as being significant for the company’s success, with the most important factors being improving an organization’s image, reducing cost and improving quality, and showing care of the environment.

Designing public retrofit programmes for tackling fuel poverty is a complex, global challenge affecting vulnerable households. This paper investigates how health and socio-economic inequalities shape the challenge of fuel poverty, with a focus on multilevel governance and retrofit programmes in London since 2021. The interrelationships between national metrics and local policy are analysed, as well as domestic retrofit programmes across various scales. Limitations are identified in how national and local policies incorporate inequalities, especially in the context of rising energy costs and climate change impacts. In London, there are related shortfalls in the operationalisation of the London Building Stock Model (LBSM). While this tool maps the energy performance certificates in homes, this requires cross-referencing with additional socio-economic databases to identify fuel-poor households, which are not publicly available. Further accountability issues exist due to the lack of binding targets from municipal government, and private-sector retrofits are mainly the responsibility of housing associations, which are not legally obliged to report on energy retrofits and fuel poverty. There is a clear need for inclusive metrics and retrofit programmes that incorporate wider inequality indicators to accurately identify households in fuel poverty. Policy relevance This study examines the complex and dynamic interrelationships between net zero and climate change targets, rising energy prices, and the inequalities of households in fuel poverty. First, public retrofit funding programmes are designed for low-energy-performance properties by prioritising those with low EPC ratings, leading to a relative neglect of the wider health impacts and socio-economic disadvantages faced by more vulnerable households. Second, there is a need for more inclusive national metrics (e.g. Low Income Low Energy Efficiency) and assessment tools. These would map a broader range of local inequalities facing vulnerable households and evaluate the effectiveness of policies. Third, local authorities should set binding targets and lead place-based interventions at the city scale, investing in energy efficiency, local clean energy and vocational education and training, thus creating green jobs and specialised qualifications for domestic retrofits.

This study examines the integration of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles within Romania’s residential real estate sector, concentrating on Constanța, a rapidly evolving urban centre in a transitional economy. Drawing on qualitative data from semi-structured interviews with local real estate professionals and secondary analysis of policy and market documents, the research uncovers inconsistencies in ESG implementation. Environmental compliance is advancing, largely driven by EU regulations such as the European Grean Deal, the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive and the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive. Voluntary certification schemes like BREEAM and LEED are emerging as benchmarks for environmental performance; however, their uptake remains limited and insufficiently tailored to local conditions. Meanwhile, the social and governance dimensions lag behind, characterised by inconsistent application and weak institutional backing. Key barriers to effective ESG integration in Romania’s residential real estate sector include weak regulatory enforcement, fragmented policies, limited green finance, low awareness, and a lack of standardised social value metrics. The study concludes that without moving beyond mere regulatory compliance to a framework embedding social inclusivity and adaptive governance, ESG efforts risk perpetuating existing inequalities. It calls for a reconceptualisation of ESG frameworks, developed for mature markets, to better suit transitional urban contexts and support long-term resilience in residential real estate.

Social value, a core element of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), is increasingly recognised as essential for promoting fairness, equality, well‐being, and community engagement in sustainable industry practices. Despite its significance, the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) sector continues to face challenges in embedding social value effectively into project delivery. These challenges are intensified by a lack of clear theoretical grounding on what social value entails, resulting in fragmented interpretations and inconsistent implementation across AEC professionals. As a result, social value initiatives often struggle to move beyond vague commitments, while disengaged and vulnerable groups are often excluded from decision‐making processes. This study draws on insights from three deliberative focus groups involving 20 industry experts in the UK, exploring barriers to achieving meaningful social value outcomes in the AEC sector. Findings reveal that social value definitions and assessment methods remain vague and inconsistent, while the value of community knowledge is frequently underestimated. Critically, early‐stage project engagement with disengaged groups is often deprioritized due to resource constraints, limiting opportunities for inclusive participation. To address these challenges, the study proposes targeted strategies to overcome power imbalances in stakeholder engagement. These include developing tailored engagement approaches to involve traditionally disengaged groups, alongside the creation of place‐based case studies that exemplify best practices in achieving equitable social value outcomes. By prioritizing inclusive engagement throughout the project lifecycle, the AEC sector can better align social value delivery with sustainable development goals and improve outcomes for marginalized communities.