In hospital construction, additional challenges must be considered, such as an increased number of stakeholders and building trades, such as medical and laboratory technology. Due to the increasing requirements and challenges, associated construction processes are becoming more intricate. Especially for complex building types, the effects of this development are clearly noticeable and cause considerable disruptions to the construction process. A main difficulty constitutes the missing definition of the interfaces of building trades and participants. In the present study, interfaces in hospital construction were identified and analyzed by guided interviews with experts from the health sector. The qualitative content analysis, according to Mayring, was used for the evaluation to derive appropriate solution approaches. This paper presents the interfaces using the example of hospital construction in Germany and general approaches of optimization. Hereby, the digital method Building Information Modeling (BIM) plays a decisive role in the optimization of interfaces, especially in complex buildings. Furthermore, a task and building trade control matrix is required to better coordinate the interfaces. The identified approach intends to alleviate potential disputes and misunderstandings among stakeholders, as well as to improve time and financial predictability, which are particularly valuable during inflationary periods.

Sewer infrastructure is vital for flood prevention, environmental protection, and public health. As part of sewer infrastructure, sewer systems are prone to degradation. Traditional maintenance methods for sewer systems are largely manual and reactive and rely on inconsistent data, leading to inefficient maintenance. The KaSyTwin research project addresses the urgent need for efficient and resilient sewer system management methods in Germany, aiming to develop a methodology for the semi-automated development and utilization of digital twins of sewer systems to enhance data availability and operational resilience. Using advanced multi-sensor robotic platforms equipped with scanning and imaging systems, i.e., laser scanners and cameras, as well as artificial intelligence (AI), the KaSyTwin research project focuses on generating digital twin-enabled representations of sewer systems in real time. As a project report, this work outlines the research framework and proposed methodologies in the KaSyTwin research project. Digital twins of sewer systems integrated with AI technologies are expected to facilitate proactive maintenance, resilience forecasting against extreme weather events, and real-time damage detection. Furthermore, the KaSyTwin research project aspires to advance the digital management of sewer systems, ensuring long-term functionality and public welfare via on-demand structural health monitoring and non-destructive testing.

Purpose: Fire safety requirements involve complex spatial and semantic conditions that go beyond simple attribute checks. This review consolidates approaches for automated code compliance checking (ACCC) for fire safety, classifies them by applied technologies, methods, complexity levels and data formats, and assesses their suitability for building permit processes. Design/methodology/approach: A PRISMA-compliant systematic literature review across major databases, augmented by backward and forward snowballing, yielded 16 papers. The included studies were mapped descriptively and analyzed thematically using concept matrices according to Webster and Watson, covering methods, technologies, rule complexity, data formats, and reported opportunities and challenges. Findings: Existing methods effectively support rule checks of lower complexity, but tasks involving spatial reasoning and interdependent safety conditions, such as multi-story compartmentation, remain difficult to automate. Compared to black box systems, white box methods are preferred for their transparency and auditability, with visual programming noted as particularly user-friendly. Despite the many advantages of ACCC, organizational, technical, and regulatory requirements constrain deployment in the permit process. Originality/value: The use of ACCC in the building permit process is a promising opportunity to achieve long-term efficiency gains, reduce errors and lighten the workload in building authorities, provided that the current challenges are addressed appropriately through a coherent implementation strategy. As research activities have accelerated significantly since 2023, the topic is becoming increasingly important, while several challenges remain unresolved. This research identifies further gaps, such as limited support for complex spatial–topological reasoning or insufficient IFC expressiveness for fire-safety properties.