Nowadays, buildings renovation is a subject of special interest since the building and construction sector is the main body responsible for energy consumption and emissions. Hence, it is necessary to concentrate on refurbishment to achieve Europe’s climate neutrality by 2050 according to European Agenda goals. The BIM4EEB Project, a BIM-based fast toolkit for the efficient renovation of residential buildings, directs the attention toward developing an exhaustive toolkit based on Building Information Modeling (BIM) to be adopted in the renovation of existing residential buildings, to make the flow of information efficient, decreasing intervention working time while improving building performances, quality, and comfort for inhabitants. BIM4EEB is developing a BIM management system connected to an operational and multifunctional toolkit for various architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) stakeholders, integrating a set of tools for improving BIM adoption in renovation environments based on an interoperable flow of information. This paper presents the Horizon2020 Project and the framework used to develop the toolkit. In addition, the first outcomes of the toolkit development are outlined. The validation procedure in real environments has started to demonstrate the efficacy and applicability of the methodology and tools. Although the project is still in progress, benefits connected to the framework and the BIM-based toolkit result in an enhanced building renovation process.

This paper is related to the field of digital-informed modelling of heritage assets (HBIM). The scientific literature has been addressing this topic for years with many different facets: focusing digitalization on the analysis and modelling of heritage asset geometries, construction, development over time, or the representation of materials and degradations. This research aims not only to optimize the common digital workflows but also to demonstrate the effectiveness of digitalization and virtual reality applications in preserving the memory of places. Furthermore, a strategy for the maintenance of cultural heritage through virtual reality in a participatory process is proposed. The applied method develops appropriate new workflows and tools to enable enjoyment of monuments of the developed case study remotely; moreover, it allows the creation of content from ordinary users that can be incorporated into the digital models over time. Therefore, virtual and augmented reality environments are proving to be effective methods even for non-experts to understand space, allowing for active citizenship involvement.

This paper introduces some studies developed regarding the Medicea Villa at Poggio a Caiano, in Italy. The monumental building was built by Lorenzo de’ Medici and his heirs following the design of the famous architect Giuliano da Sangallo, between 1485 and 1520. The Villa embodies many of the typical features of the Italian Renaissance, added a monumental double circular stairway in the front façade during neoclassical times, heading to the upper balcony surrounded by a balustrade. The Villa was surveyed taking advantage of Terrestrial Laser Scanning and Digital Photogrammetry, in order to produce a detailed model to be translated into a HBIM digital prototype then. The Scan-to-BIM approach was obtained with a generation of semantics and components proper of Sangallo’s architectural grammar, first of all defining the object, then geometry, and then their parametrization. This process led to a model of the exteriors, used to better understand the architectural composition of the volumes, to make some hypothesis on its shape according to the original architect’s drawing in the Taccuino Senese, on its general structural behaviours, to understand the limits of a process and the perspective of a research that goes from a digital survey to the HBIM environment.

The integration of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) into Building Information Modeling (BIM) processes is becoming increasingly important for enhancing the environmental performance of construction projects. This scoping review examines how LCA methods and environmental data are currently integrated into BIM workflows, focusing on automation, data standardization, and visualization strategies. We selected 43 peer-reviewed studies (January 2010–May 2025) via structured searches in five major academic databases. The review identifies five main types of BIM–LCA integration workflows; the most common approach involves exporting quantity data from BIM models to external LCA tools. More recent studies explore the use of artificial intelligence for improving automation and accuracy in data mapping between BIM objects and LCA databases. Key challenges include inconsistent levels of data granularity, a lack of harmonized EPD formats, and limited interoperability between BIM and LCA software environments. Visualization methods such as color-coded 3D models are used to support early-stage decision-making, although uncertainty representation remains limited. To address these issues, future research should focus on standardizing EPD data structures, enriching BIM objects with validated environmental information, and developing explainable AI solutions for automated classification and matching. These advancements would improve the reliability and usability of LCA in BIM-based design, contributing to more informed decisions in sustainable construction.

Since the buildings and construction sector is one of the main areas responsible for energy consumption and emissions, focusing on their refurbishment and promoting actions in this direction will be helpful to achieve an EU Agenda objective of making Europe climate-neutral by 2050. One step towards the renovation action is the exploitation of digital tools into a BIM framework. The scope of the research contained in this paper is to improve the management of information throughout the different stages of the renovation process, allowing an interoperable exchange of data among the involved stakeholders; the development of an innovative BIM-based toolkit is the answer to the research question. The research and results obtained related with the development of an interoperable BIM-based toolkit for efficient renovation in buildings in the framework of the European research project BIM4EEB. Specifically, the developed BIM management system allows the exchange of the data among the different tools, using open interoperable formats (as IFC) and linked data, in a Common Data Environment, to be used by the different stakeholders. Additionally, the developed tools allow the stakeholders to manage different stages of the renovation process, facilitating efficiencies in terms of time reduction and improving the resulting quality. The validity of each tool with respect to existing practices is demonstrated here, and the strengths and weaknesses of the proposed tools are described in the workflow detailing issues such as interoperability, collaboration, integration of different solutions, and time consuming existing survey processes.

This study aims to identify and analyze existing gaps in the integration of immersive approaches for collaborative processes with Building Information Modeling (BIM) in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) sector. Using a systematic approach that includes metadata analysis and review procedures, we have formulated specific research questions aimed at guiding future investigations into these gaps. Additionally, the analysis generates insights that could guide future research directions and improvements in the field. The methodology involves a comprehensive review of the literature, focusing on the interaction between immersiveness, BIM methodology, and collaborative processes. Data from 2010 to 2023 have been analyzed to ensure relevance and completeness. Our findings reveal current limitations in the field, such as the need for fully integrated prototypes and the execution of empirical studies to clarify operational processes. These limitations serve as the basis for our research questions. The study offers actionable insights that could guide future research and improvements in the AEC sector, particularly in the adoption of immersive technologies. The research underscores the urgency of addressing these challenges to facilitate ongoing development and greater adoption of immersive technologies in the AEC sector.