Editorial: Innovation and lean practices for sustainable construction project management; emerging technologies, strategies and challenges

Abstract

The construction sector, representing a significant portion of the global economy, has been pivotal in delivering successful complex projects like skyscrapers and undersea tunnels (McKinsey, 2020). Despite its scale and achievements, the industry has struggled with limited productivity gains and inefficiencies, including frequent cost and time overruns and a considerable environmental impact due to high resource and energy consumption (Rodriguez Trejo et al., 2024;Sheikhkhoshkar et al., 2023). Over the previous decades, many strategies, innovations, technologies, methodologies and tools have been developed and applied to address these challenges. In this regard, methodologies such as lean construction have been adopted, drawing from lean manufacturing principles to improve process efficiency by reducing waste and maximizing value (Dauda et al., 2024). This approach has led to more rapid, cost-effective and higher-quality project deliveries, fostering a culture of teamwork and enhancing client satisfaction by mitigating common project issues (Gonz alez et al., 2022). Moreover, lean project delivery models like integrated project delivery (IPD) and alliancing are reshaping the construction industry by fostering stakeholder collaboration. This approach aligns with lean principles, focusing on reducing waste and enhancing efficiency, while tackling common issues such as budget overruns and delays. The shift towards a more integrated and cooperative project management method promises to deliver projects more effectively, meeting time and budget constraints while ensuring quality (Elghaish et al., 2022;Rashidian et al., 2024).On another front, the advent of Industry 4.0 technologies such as building information modeling (BIM), blockchain, virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) is set to revolutionize the construction industry by addressing its longstanding challenges (Dawood et al., 2022;Rahimian et al., 2021). BIM revolutionizes construction by digitizing project management through a collaborative 3D model. Enriched with detailed information, this model serves throughout a building's lifecycle, improving planning, design, construction and operation. BIM enhances efficiency, reduces errors and fosters better collaboration among stakeholders, making it an indispensable tool in modern construction practices (Sompolgrunk et al., 2023). Blockchain technology introduces transparency and security in transactions and documentation (Singh et al., 2023). VR and AR provide immersive experiences for visualizing projects before they are built, enhancing decision-making and training (Adebowale and Agumba, 2024). Robotics and AI bring automation and smart analytics, respectively, optimizing construction processes, reducing errors and improving safety (Abioye et al., 2021;Oke et al., 2024). Together, these technologies contribute to solving critical issues in construction, such as cost overruns, project delays and safety concerns, leading to more efficient, sustainable and cost-effe...