Abstract
The Architectural, Engineering, Construction, and Facility Management (AEC-FM) sector, a crucial component of the global economy, confronts significant challenges, including low technological adoption, fragmented communication, and adverse environmental impacts. The AEC-FM sector's challenges significantly impact a building's lifecycle, with distinct management during pre-construction, construction, and post-construction phases leading to operational inefficiencies. There is a lack of a holistic approach that hampers effective management and decision-making, particularly during the transition from construction to post-construction, involving Building Commissioning (BCx), which is often plagued by data handling issues. Such inefficiencies complicate post-construction Asset Management (AM) processes, resulting in difficulties that may affect client acceptance and the smooth occupancy of the built asset. To address these issues, there is an urgent need for innovative solutions and the adoption of digital technologies, driven by the push for Construction 4.0 with a heightened interest in Digital Twins (DT) and Blockchain (BC). While DT and BC demonstrate the potential to enhance all stages of a building's lifecycle, there remains a significant gap in exploring the synergistic potential of BC and DT for post-construction management activities, including BCx and post-construction AM. This study strives to bridge that gap by employing empirical data and proposing a conceptual framework aimed at guiding stakeholder decision-making processes, ultimately facilitating the adoption of BC-enabled DT for effective post-construction management.This study explores the significance and influencing factors associated with the use of BC-enabled DT for effective post-construction management. The key objectives include assessing the current landscape and challenges within the post-construction phase. Furthermore, the study seeks to investigate how BC and DT can tackle the issues associated with post-construction management while identifying the key factors and considerations necessary for their effective adoption and implementation. The emerging insights are then applied to develop and validate a conceptual framework for BC-enabled DT, considering the decision-making factors pertinent to various stakeholders.
This study adopts interpretivism as its core research philosophy and employs a multi-method qualitative approach framed within a phenomenological context to explore participants' insights on post-construction management, BC, and DT. A comprehensive literature review was conducted to better understand the existing knowledge landscape, refine the research focus, and identify gaps in the literature concerning DT and BC, underscoring the need for further investigation. A total of thirty-two semi-structured interviews with academic and industry practitioners were carried out to facilitate an in-depth examination of participants' experiences, insights, and perceptions related to post-construction management, DT, and BC. Additionally, to enhance the credibility of the research, member validation was conducted through a single focus group and two semi-structured interviews to corroborate the emerging findings and establish a conceptual framework while ensuring that the results accurately represented participant experiences. The data from the semi-structured interviews and the focus group session were analysed thematically using NVivo 12. Five categories emerged that illuminated key issues in post-construction management, participants' understanding of DT and BC, and the evolving characteristics associated with these technologies. Moreover, additional emerging themes were systematically grouped into categories, including the factors influencing the use of BC and DT, as well as the essential prerequisites for their effective implementation.
The study reveals significant challenges in post-construction management, specifically in BCx and AM, which include problems with data transfer, concerns over data security, limited access to information, and fragmentation within the sector alongside its prevailing cultural dynamics. Key insights emphasise the potential of BC-enabled DT to address these challenges by improving BCx and AM through real-time monitoring, enhanced data accessibility, and better decision-making, ultimately fostering trust and collaboration among stakeholders. Further analysis identifies four primary dimensions that impact the successful adoption of BC-enabled DT: people, processes, policies, and technology. These dimensions encompass factors such as affordability, practical applications, availability of skills and knowledge, compliance with standards, stakeholder awareness, integration challenges, and scalability.
The primary contribution of this study is the proposed conceptual framework designed to serve as a foundational tool for understanding the applications of these technologies and providing valuable insights for academics and practitioners alike. This framework underscores the collaborative potential of BC-enabled DT in facilitating real-time monitoring, enhancing data security, improving information access, supporting decision-making, and increasing trust and transparency in BCx and AM processes. Moreover, the framework delineates potential use cases and critical considerations necessary for successful implementation, ultimately reinforcing the viability of BC-enabled DT platforms in addressing the challenges associated with traditional post-construction management practices.
This study enriches the existing knowledge base regarding the roles of emerging technologies within the AEC-FM sector and suggests future research directions focused on the integration of DT and BC for building lifecycle management, thereby advancing the field of digital construction. Additionally, the study advocates for cultivating an innovative culture through collaboration, stakeholder education, and strategic partnerships and posits that embracing digital transformation in the AEC-FM industry is not only crucial for overcoming current challenges but also for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
| Date of Award | 18 Jun 2025 |
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| Original language | English |
| Awarding Institution |
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| Supervisor | Farzad Rahimian (Supervisor) & Nashwan Dawood (Supervisor) |