ABSTRACT The integration of Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry faces complex challenges across project phases, hindering adoption. This study pioneers the use of Cross-Impact Matrix Multiplication Applied to Classification (MICMAC) to systematically map direct and indirect interdependencies among 17 key challenges, extracted from a systematic review of 65 sources and validated by 10 industry experts.‏ Employing a sociotechnical systems lens, the analysis reveals bivariate instability drivers—‘Data Integration Issues’ and ‘Data Management Concerns’—that propagate risk from design to operation via causal chains and feedback loops (e.g. design-phase data fragmentation → execution-phase real-time processing failure). While prior BIM–AI integration studies predominantly employ isolated barrier enumeration, ISM for hierarchy building, or DEMATEL for cause–effect mapping, they rarely reveal indirect causal propagation and bivariate instability amplifiers that span project phases. This study applies MICMAC—which uniquely classifies variables by direct + indirect influence/dependence power and exposes feedback loops and systemic instability—to uncover phase-crossing vulnerabilities and bivariate strategic variables (not identifiable via ISM’s hierarchy alone or DEMATEL’s pairwise causality without multiplication iterations). The resulting model provides the first phase-sensitive, predictive systemic framework for BIM+AI adoption risks in the AEC industry.‏

ABSTRACT This study proposes a multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) approach to determine appropriate re-roofing material assemblies (MCAs) for retrofitting low-rise residential structures in India's warm-humid climatic zone. The aim was to provide a material selection framework that facilitates informed retrofit decisions, matching energy efficiency objectives with realistic, climate-specific solutions for India's housing sector. Using Bhubaneswar, Odisha, as a representative case, the assessment evaluated 23 MCAs through three major performance criteria: thermal transmittance (Uroof); energy use intensity reductions (EUI); and annual electric cost (EC). The findings revealed that conventional reinforced cement concrete slabs consistently failed to meet performance standards, whereas cases like Madras terrace roofing, high surface reflective indexed paints and a few bio-based and engineered insulation materials offered significant reductions. The re-roofing approach to retrofit offers a potential reduction of 97.5% in Uroof, up to 17.67% in EUI and 43.2% EC. Overall, 14 MCAs of the 23 were identified as suitable to be added in the choice basket for use in the selected case, with 10 MCAs consistently ranked to be ‘Highest preference’ across all criteria. The results demonstrate the framework’s potential to guide climate-responsive, energy-efficient retrofits and provide a scalable approach that can be replicated for other cities and climate zones.

ABSTRACT Responsive facades, also referred to as adaptive, kinetic, or dynamic facades, have recently gained increasing attention for their ability to regulate indoor environments in buildings by responding to the external climatic conditions. This study systematically reviews the applications and performance outcomes of responsive facade technologies using PRISMA 2020 guidelines and reorganizes the literature through an intersecting analytical framework linking technical mechanisms, performance dimensions, and system integration levels. Peer-reviewed articles published between 2010 and 2025 were retrieved from the Scopus and Web of Science databases, resulting in 48 eligible studies. The synthesis demonstrates that responsive facades consistently enhance thermal and visual comfort, improve environmental adaptability, and reduce total building energy demand by up to 40–70% in specific climatic contexts. Technologies such as electrochromic glazing, shape-memory materials, phase-change elements, and building-integrated photovoltaic systems demonstrate particularly high potential for integrated energy management. Beyond energy efficiency, responsive facades contribute to occupant satisfaction and system resilience. The proposed framework clarifies the interdependencies between design logic, operational performance, and systemic integration, offering a comprehensive basis for understanding responsive facades as coordinated environmental systems. Key challenges and strategic research pathways are identified to support their broader implementation in sustainable and energy-efficient building design.

ABSTRACT The design and use of the built environment (BE) in emergency department (ED) settings can influence system performance and experience of patients, families, and staff, and has been widely investigated in the field of evidence-based design. However, a wider and integrated approach to exploring how the ED BE influences the performance and outcomes of the system and its users is lacking. This review synthesises literature describing how the ED BE has been designed and analysed to support the four outcome measures important in healthcare – system performance, staff experience, patient outcomes, and patient experience. We followed the PRISMA guidelines to select relevant publications. Four databases were searched, i.e. PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Ovid (last search in July 2025), which resulted in 71 double-reviewed records included. Content analysis of included studies was conducted using the four outcome measures as a heuristic device, with inductive BE categories and ED spaces emerging from the publications. Findings consist of 169 design prescriptions of BE strategies presented according to 12 design principles, the four outcomes and five categories of spaces. This review provides a useful reference to the principles described in the extant literature and can be leveraged to facilitate discussion of local priorities. The design principles associated with more outcomes are: safety and security measures, patient flow and care models, accessibility and mobility, technology integration, and sensory-friendly environments. To our knowledge, this paper is the first to extensively review BE attributes with a broad range of ED outcome measures. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42024575408.

ABSTRACT Effective CAD data management is crucial for engineering design productivity, yet challenges in file organization, interoperability, and workflow efficiency persist. While prior studies addressed technical aspects of PDM systems and file formats, the interaction between technical solutions and human factors remains underexplored. This study bridges this gap by examining the combined impact of structured training and file format standardization on CAD workflow performance, evaluating 120 professionals in control and experimental groups and assessing improvements in archiving, project categorization, security practices, and employing a QFD analysis to assess 35 CAD formats through expert testing, establishing performance hierarchies for manufacturing, AEC, and media applications. Key findings revealed a significant improvement after training, with large effect sizes across variables, reflecting meaningful enhancements in consistency, file retrieval, storage management, and security practices. Furthermore, based on expert ratings and normalized weighting, this study revealed a Pareto distribution where dwg, dxf, IGES, STEP, STL, and SVG collectively accounted for the majority of the weighted TIR, guiding format selection for specific industry applications. Manufacturing workflows benefited most from IGES and STEP formats, whereas AEC collaboration prioritized DWG and DXF. Media and entertainment pipelines relied on SVG, OBJ, and mb/.ma formats for texture and animation efficiency. These results show that human competency and technical interoperability in CAD data management must be developed together. By highlighting practical improvements in human–technical interactions and providing data-driven format hierarchies, the study offers actionable insights for workflow optimization, cross-platform collaboration, and adoption of interoperable CAD formats in professional settings, enhancing efficiency and standardized data management.

ABSTRACT Recently, the rapid advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been reshaping architectural education, creating a need to align emerging digital skills with accreditation frameworks. This study investigates the integration of Prompt Engineering (PE) as a core pedagogical skill that enables architecture educators and students to harness AI tools and enhance learning processes effectively. The research focuses on the limited incorporation of PE skills within current accreditation systems, despite their potential to strengthen design thinking, analytical reasoning, and creative synthesis in architectural education. Through a systematic literature review, six main PE skills were identified. Accreditation systems across various architectural educational institutions were analyzed. A research gap exists in providing a comprehensive review that directly links PE skills to architectural education standards and accreditation frameworks. To address this gap, the study employs a mixed-method approach that combines qualitative and quantitative analyses of data collected from 98 Egyptian architecture educators. The statistical analysis, conducted using the Friedman Test and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), evaluated the relative importance of UNESCO–UIA educational capabilities and the six PE skills. Relative Weights analysis highlighted key correlations. The main contribution of this study is the development of a linkage between the top 10 UNESCO–UIA architectural education capabilities and PE skills, along with relevant AI technologies. This framework provides educators and curriculum developers with evidence-based guidance for adapting teaching strategies, ultimately bridging the gap between established accreditation standards and emerging automation technologies while advancing innovation in architectural and construction education.

ABSTRACT Recent advances in generative design have enabled the automated generation of floor plans, yet existing models often suffer from issues such as constraint violations, limited layout diversity, and computational inefficiency. Raster-based methods provide fine-grained shape control but lack global spatial reasoning, while diffusion models generate more diverse results at the cost of computational efficiency. To address these challenges, this study develops a hybrid generative framework that combines Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) with Graph Attention Networks (GATs). This approach enables the direct generation of vectorized floor plan layouts to enhance both diversity and topological accuracy. The algorithmic model is then integrated with RevitAPI to establish a fully automated pipeline from layout generation to parametric 3D modeling. As a proof of concept, a user-centric prototype is developed to enable interactive constraint-aware editing of spatial layouts, automated room boundary generation, and seamless generation of parametric 3D models from exported specifications. Prototype demonstration on the RPLAN dataset shows that the proposed workflows are lightweight and efficient in producing valid floor plans, as evaluated using the realism scores. The workflows have the potential to scale the design automation practice during early-stage building design processes.

ABSTRACT This study investigates the mechanisms of corporate-led urban development through a layered analysis of the Siemens Campus Erlangen project in Germany. While urban development has traditionally been led by the public sector, recent decades have seen multinational corporations increasingly assume a central role by creating campus-scale, mixed-use districts. Employing a three-tiered analytical framework (1) the strategic masterplan, (2) institutional planning structures, and (3) architectural design and implementation the study examines how planning instruments, spatial strategies, and architectural practices interact to shape the built environment. The findings reveal that corporate-led urban development emerges from a synergistic interplay of hierarchical layers: a strategic masterplan acting as a structural device for spatial organization, statutory plans (Bebauungsplan) serving as a dual mechanism for urban integration, and architectural interventions that mediate between institutional frameworks and corporate imperatives. By tracing these interactional dynamics, the research bridges the governance-design gap and introduces a robust methodological framework for analyzing corporate urbanism. Despite limitations arising from the single-case focus, the study offers meaningful policy and academic contributions regarding public-private cooperation and sustainable campus development.

ABSTRACT The rapid expansion of rural tourism in China has driven the conversion of rural houses into rural tourism homestays (RTHs), many of which rely on energy-intensive systems for indoor climate control, raising sustainability concerns. Natural ventilation offers a low-cost strategy to improve energy efficiency and indoor airflow comfort, yet its effectiveness in RTHs remains underexplored. This study investigates wind-driven natural ventilation in three representative RTH typologies in North China, selected from previously optimized prototypes developed through a multi-objective optimization framework balancing energy use, daylighting, and thermal comfort. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations were conducted using the Butterfly plugin within Rhino/Grasshopper under prevailing summer wind conditions, and mesh convergence and discretization uncertainty were assessed using a three-grid Grid Convergence Index (GCI) analysis. Baseline simulations revealed that all typologies contained indoor areas with suboptimal ventilation. Optimization was performed on operable window openings, operable skylight openings, and courtyard configurations, and the tested parametric scenarios across typologies increased the comfortable velocity area ratio by up to 8.46% and the average air velocity by up to 2.42% (relative to the baseline) at the building or floor level. Finally, typology-specific passive design recommendations were put forward for RTHs in North China. The study further establishes a parametric CFD-based workflow for ventilation-oriented design optimization, contributing to low-carbon rural revitalization and evidence-based decision-making in sustainable rural tourism development. Highlights Explores natural ventilation in rural tourism homestays in North China. Applies a parametric CFD-based workflow using Butterfly in Rhino/Grasshopper. Optimizes operable window openings, skylight openings and courtyard design. Proposes passive ventilation strategies for different homestay typologies.

ABSTRACT This research examines how participatory design can be used to bring social sustainability principles into the facade design industry, where technical and economic priorities often dominate. Drawing on a review of literature and five semi-structured interviews with architects, facade consultants, and facade system designers in Türkiye, the study identifies recurring gaps in timing, collaboration, and responsibility that limit the consideration of social sustainability criteria. These gaps are then used as the basis for a conceptual framework that maps social sustainability principles across the phases of facade design and specifies points where participatory methods could make a difference. The conceptual framework is intended as an exploratory step: it does not offer universal rules, but a structured way of thinking about where and how participation can be introduced in a fragmented and highly technical design process. The contribution lies in extending participatory design research into a specialized design industry context and showing how social sustainability can be translated from broad principles into practical interventions. While the study is based on a small sample and situated within the Turkish industry, the approach points to opportunities for further testing and adaptation in other design environments where collaboration is limited and social concerns remain underdeveloped.