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.

The architecture, engineering, construction, and operations industry is distinguished by having plenty of and a variety of data, which makes the acquisition, storage, retrieval, and use of information difficult. Due to a data exchange system primarily based on paper-based transmission, multiple classification systems, the use of inconsistent criteria and practices, and a significant number of stakeholders involved during the building life cycle (each with distinct requirements and levels of access to information), the entire construction process must deal with ineffective information exchange among actors. Instead of multiple sources of information and tools to collect, store, and share data, one single source of information could become a reference point for numerous stakeholders. In this regard, a digital building logbook is assumed to be a collector of building-related data starting from the design phase, which plays a fundamental role in information management. This paper proposes a systematic literature review aimed at identifying the main features of the tool, investigating its growth in the construction sector. The results show that the digital building logbook’s main application is in the operations and maintenance field with relevance to renovation. However, a common model is absent, varying greatly based on the country and category of building. This analysis contributes to increasing awareness by identifying the attributes, gaps, and potentialities of the subject matter.

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the readiness of facility management (FM) to digitalize the construction sector by adopting digital technologies, especially the digital twin (DT). After the analysis of the literature, the study investigates opportunities and challenges recognized by the market. Design/methodology/approach: To collect market perceptions of digital uptake in FM, the participatory action research (PAR) methodology is adopted as a collaborative research approach that involves researchers and participants working together to identify a problem, collect and analyze data and take action to create meaningful change. PAR is iteratively applied in three phases. First, a comparison approach analyses three literature and two case studies. Second, a questionnaire survey retrieves insights from the market. Finally, interviews to FM operators are conducted to discuss the outcomes of the previous two phases. Findings: Survey results and case studies comparison highlight growing interest in DT but a gap in its implementation. DT has the potential to transform FM by enhancing efficiency, predictive maintenance, energy optimization and lifecycle management. However, adoption is hindered by high costs, integration challenges and the need for specialized training. Case studies emphasize the importance of data-driven decision-making and clear client objectives. While Internet of Things, artificial intelligence and Big Data are key enablers, issues like data processing and interoperability remain. Overcoming these barriers will require standardization, cost reduction and workforce upskilling, making strategic investment in digital transformation crucial for long-term sustainability. Originality/value: This paper elaborates a comprehensive assessment of FM readiness for digital transformation through the adoption of DT. By combining literature analysis, case studies comparison, surveys and interviews, the study provides a relevant perspective on the opportunities and challenges associated with DT implementation, bridging the gap between academic research and market operations.

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.

The lack of an appropriate information management along the life cycle of a construction work is one of the major issues that AEC sector is facing. The collection and exchange of information is already complex for new buildings, but it becomes even more difficult for renovations. Thus, the building logbook could have an essential role in improving the availability and quality of data for several stakeholders involved in the building process. The repository of building-related information, such as energy consumption and production or maintenance operations, is a bilateral tool to connect users and third parties. The aim of the paper is to present the digital logbook developed within BIM4EEB, an ongoing Horizon2020 project that has analysed firstly the needs and requirements necessary for its development and then it has defined its structure in order to be stored and accessed inside the BIM management system.

The AECO (Architecture, Engineering, Construction, and Operation) sector is highly complex, involving multidisciplinary collaboration, extensive data management, and significant financial investments. Decisions in early phases significantly impact operational and maintenance costs, as well as the environmental and economic sustainability of a project over its lifecycle. Cost efficiency and sustainability are critical and interconnected goals across the sector, spanning all phases of a building’s lifecycle. Ontologies, as formal and structured representations of knowledge within a particular domain, have the potential to enhance cost efficiency by improving decision-making, reducing redundancies, and optimizing resource allocation. Despite their relevance, cost ontologies are still lacking in the AECO sector. This paper addresses this gap by presenting both a methodological and conceptual contribution: it outlines a structured and iterative methodology for developing a cost ontology, and it defines the core concepts required to semantically represent construction cost information. The methodology emphasizes stakeholder engagement and refinement cycles, while the ontological structure ensures machine-readability and interoperability. The approach involves a preliminary analysis of the necessary cost parameters for defining the ontology and a subsequent validation of a practical case study. The results show the development of a heterogeneous and standardized data structure designed to define a cost ontology, aimed at improving the updatability, transparency, and sustainability-oriented interpretation of construction cost data by both humans and machines.