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Green concepts and Building Information Modeling (BIM) are increasingly adopted in construction processes, including new and heritage buildings, to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and create accurate digital models for observation, analysis, and optimization. However, BIM adoption faces challenges including a lack of regulations, refusal, insufficient staff, high costs, and enormous data. This paper contributes to the evaluation of BIM adoption in heritage green retrofitting processes, focusing on its advantages and challenges. This can be achieved through an evaluation methodology based on a couple of analyses: bibliometric analysis and case study-based SWOT analysis. The bibliometric analysis identifies essential factors influencing BIM adoption through co-occurrence terms that frequently appear together in related or transdisciplinary research. The second involves an analytical study of those factors individually through case study-based SWOT analysis, then developing a holistic SWOT analysis by discussing the advantages through strengths and opportunities and the challenges through weaknesses and threats. Finally, this paper proposes a holistic SWOT-based matrix, which offers four types of strategies: strengths and opportunities (S + O), weaknesses and opportunities (W + O), strengths and threats (S + T), and weaknesses and threats (W + T), considering priorities, organizations, and success metrics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, digital fabrication techniques have captured the attention of many architects and makers due to their ability to challenge traditional construction techniques and complex forms that were hard to apply in the past. Digital fabrication has bridged the gap between the architectural design and construction processes by creating a direct digital link to the appropriate fabrication machines. Nevertheless, integrating digital fabrication techniques in the architectural design processes is still a major challenge to creating a culture of digital building all over the world. In this regard, this paper has arranged 10 key questions and their answers with a particular focus on how to integrate digital fabrication techniques into the architectural design process. It provides an overview of digital fabrication concepts and processes, computer software, material selection, the most popular digital fabrication techniques and their architectural applications such as free-form geometries, façades design, buildings, bridges, pavilions as well as structures like columns, walls, and slabs, along with the most significant challenges and opportunities facing the widespread use of these techniques in architecture. In an effort to identify new research trends, this paper concludes by discussing the state of the art in architecture-related digital fabrication research and research potential gaps, which will be beneficial to further research and scientific investigations in this field. Hence, a conceptual framework is suggested as a guideline for numerous architects, fabricators, and researchers to follow for integrating digital fabrication techniques into the architectural design process in order to take advantage of this strategy at scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Can skyscrapers survive after COVID-19? Can the idea of integrating vertical farming (VF) into vertical architecture support the environmental, economic, and social issues in the post-pandemic era? Answering these questions is the main objective of this study. Therefore, it explores a) the impact of the pandemic on the built environment, especially skyscrapers; b) the challenges facing the survival of skyscrapers; c) the design parameters and main components of VF; and d) the expected feasibility of integrating VF into vertical architecture to reduce the effects of the pandemic. The research concludes that the skyscraper-integrated vertical farming (SIVF) paradigm can create a closed ecosystem that preserves the environment by a) supporting food security, b) improving indoor environmental quality, c) enhancing psychological and physical health, d) saving energy, e) reducing greenhouse gas emissions and releasing oxygen, and f) supporting the local economy. Consequently, the SIVF paradigm can inaugurate an innovative approach that provides insights into new research trends and discoveries. However, further constraints in the adoption of SIVF should be addressed, and collaborations between researchers and multidisciplinary experts must be created to achieve suitable solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]