This study critically examines the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in sustainable construction education, with a particular focus on scrutinizing promising AI applications for integration into green building curricula. By synthesizing recent research from the past decade, we identify key AI-driven tools—such as interactive energy optimization simulations, real-time monitoring systems for adaptive energy efficiency, and AI-Based Design Optimization Tools—that enhance educational outcomes by deepening students’ understanding of sustainable design principles and providing hands-on experience in managing energy and resource efficiency.

In the second phase of this work, we will analyze the most effective methods for incorporating each promising AI application into college-level education on sustainability. This detailed plan will explore how best to integrate these technologies into curricula, ensuring that students are equipped with the skills and practical knowledge necessary to thrive in the evolving, AI-driven construction industry. We believe that exposing students to these cutting-edge technologies is crucial to preparing them for the AI era in construction.

In conclusion, this review highlights the significant role AI can play in revolutionizing sustainable construction education. By providing a strategic framework for embedding AI applications into academic programs, we aim to enhance student learning and readiness for the technological advancements reshaping the industry. The findings underscore the importance of ongoing exploration into AI’s role in education, contributing to the development of a more sustainable, efficient, and AI-ready workforce.

Authored by
Mr. Shahrooz -- Ghorbani (East Carolina University) and Dr. tianjiao zhao (East Carolina University)

Various non-educational factors impact the educational performance of students. While these factors span a broad spectrum, including social, cultural, economic, and other domains, sleep norms and routines account for a significant portion of the effect. Despite this, the importance of proper sleep norms is often overlooked. The physical resilience of students can also mask the issue. Thus, it is imperative to explore the impact of sleep habits and norms on engineering students’ performance and perceptions. This paper reports on the second phase of a study investigating the effects of circadian rhythm and sleep routines on students. In this phase, conducted in Fall 2023 and 2024, engineering students, primarily from construction, mechanical, and biomedical engineering programs, were recruited to participate in the study at (deidentified) University. An instrument was developed to gather quantitative data, and statistical analysis was conducted to discern similarities and differences between students. Additionally, gender and major-based subgroups were analyzed to further explore patterns and variations. While the gender and major-based groups showed different response scores for impacting factors, the overarching results highlight a misalignment between sleep routines and students’ educational activities. This paper also details similarities and differences among students from various majors. This research illuminates a relatively underexplored potential area for engineering education, emphasizing the impact of proper sleep routines on student performance. It encourages engineering education scholars and administrators to recognize the significance of healthy sleep in educational system planning and design.

Authored by
Dr. Saeed Rokooei (Mississippi State University), Dr. Raheleh Miralami (Mississippi State University), and Read Allen Robertson (Mississippi State University)

In the ever-evolving landscape of construction safety, integrating advanced technologies is crucial for effectively preparing future engineers. This paper explores the incorporation of cutting-edge technologies in construction safety education, highlighting a team project that investigated various forms of smart personal protective equipment (PPE). More specifically, the team project aimed to integrate smart sensing technologies with PPE such as smart helmets, smart vests, and smartwatches to provide critical physiological and environmental information that can significantly improve situational awareness while allowing workers to receive updates without diverting their attention from their tasks. Engaging in this hands-on project enabled students to apply theoretical knowledge to practical scenarios, enhancing their comprehension of the materials and concepts present in lectures. Throughout this hands-on team project, students gained a more comprehensive understanding of the multifaceted construction safety and health issues and how innovative wearable technologies leveraging sensing techniques are utilized on worksites nowadays. The team-based approach not only developed their technical skills but also significantly improved their communication and collaboration abilities. Students learned to articulate their ideas clearly, listen actively, and resolve conflicts constructively, creating a collaborative environment that nurtured mutual respect and understanding. Feedback from students regarding this pedagogical exploration was overwhelmingly positive. They expressed appreciation for the opportunity to test cutting-edge technologies in a practical setting, and highlighted how the project deepened their understanding of construction safety issues. They valued active learning, which made the theoretical aspects of their studies more relevant and applicable. This educational experience highlights the importance of a pedagogical framework that combines active learning strategies with advanced technology integration, as we strive to prepare students to become proactive leaders competent to tackle the complex safety challenges that they will encounter in the workplace after school.

Authored by
Dr. Yanxiao Feng (New Jersey Institute of Technology) and Dr. Huiran Jin (New Jersey Institute of Technology)

As virtual learning continues to evolve following the COVID-19 pandemic, understanding how students collaborate in these environments has become increasingly critical for educators. Research underscores a significant link between peer interactions and collaborative learning outcomes, emphasizing the need for effective virtual collaboration strategies in engineering education. This study examines student learning patterns, collaborative processes, and their impact on learning outcomes in virtual environments through a quantitative survey of 290 students from the College of Engineering at Michigan State University. The survey measured perceptions of engagement and virtual collaboration, focusing on communication methods, interaction patterns, platform usage, and their influence on performance and collaborative effectiveness. The findings revealed that most participants preferred face-to-face communication despite online settings. This emphasizes the importance of physical interactions and highlights the need to improve in virtual collaboration. Students generally reported feeling comfortable, committed, and supported by their peers, fostering a strong sense of community and shared responsibility. However, some students felt like outsiders, which affected their sense of belonging. This research provides valuable insights into how virtual collaboration shapes student engagement and offers guidance for designing effective online engineering education programs.

Keywords: engineering education; virtual learning; virtual design; virtual collaboration; student engagement.

Authored by
Ms. Cornelia Asiedu-Kwakyewaa (Michigan State University) and Dr. Dong Zhao (Michigan State University)

In February 2024, undergraduate students from the Construction Engineering Technology and Architecture programs at our institution participated in two national design competitions under the auspices of the National Association of Home Builders NAHB Student Chapter for the first time, achieving commendable success with the receipt of two trophies. This paper presents the findings from a survey conducted among the students directly involved in the competition projects, those who assisted with the projects, traveled to the International Builders' Show (IBS) in Las Vegas, and served as presenters. The survey aimed to assess the impact of this high-engagement experience on students’ educational and professional development. The results suggest significant benefits in areas such as increased motivation, enhanced understanding of the building industry, improved job prospects, and development of key skills including teamwork, leadership, and problem-solving. The data underscores the value of integrating practical competition experiences within academic curricula to enrich student learning and better prepare them for their future careers in the architecture and construction industries. This paper discusses these outcomes in detail, providing insights into how competitive participation aligns with academic and industry objectives, thereby fostering a more comprehensive educational approach.

Authored by
Dr. Behnam Shadravan (Florida A&M University) and Dr. Doreen Kobelo Regalado (Florida A&M University - Florida State University)

This research explores the transformative impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on advanced construction technologies. The study investigates how AI integration can enhance construction management processes, improve project completion rates, provide quicker updates, and reduce costs. Despite the widespread adoption of AI in industries such as software, education, and automotive, the construction sector has been slower to embrace these advancements. This research aims to identify the benefits and challenges of incorporating AI into construction projects, including its effects on social and workforce environments and cost implications. Utilizing a survey methodology and literature review, the study targets construction companies, focusing on higher managers, construction managers, executives, and research and development branches. The findings will cover demographics, company positions, work experience, technology usage, and the perceived advantages and disadvantages of AI in the workplace. The combined data from surveys and literature reviews will provide insights into the potential future growth of AI in the construction industry.
Keywords: AI, Construction Industry, Advancement, Managers, Project Management, Project Control

Authored by
Dr. Sanjeev Adhikari (Kennesaw State University), Arbaaz Hussain Syed (Affiliation unknown), Dr. Sandeep Langar (The University of Texas at San Antonio), and Dr. Rachel Mosier P.E. (Oklahoma State University)

Introducing and adapting new technologies in well-established academic majors requires informed planning, scheduling, and institute-wide coordination. New technologies often can be multidisciplinary tools that can be used in different programs.

This research tries to address the following identified issues:

• Defining the current use of technology status in the industry and the necessity of including the topic in undergraduate-level education (Why?)
• Investigating the best approach in planning and developing - short courses or embedding the topic into the appropriate courses (How?)
• Evaluating the proper timing to present the topic to ensure maximum retainage for optimum internship/co-op performance (When?
• Properly outlines Student Learning Objectives (SLOs) for showcasing and accreditation purposes

This research is the follow-up on the lessons learned from the successful case study of applying LiDAR technology in a Construction Management (CM) Estimating course (presented at the 2024 ASEE conference).

Authored by
Dr. Farzam S. Maleki P.E. (Wentworth Institute of Technology ) and Dr. Hariharan Naganathan (Wentworth Institute of Technology)

The construction industry is crucial for driving economic growth, advancing social development, and protecting the environment of communities globally. As such, it plays a key role in sustainable development. However, the environmental footprint of the built environment is significant, accounting for 40 percent of global energy consumption and 33 percent of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Natural disasters further exacerbate this impact by causing widespread destruction, resulting in material waste, increased resource consumption, and emissions during reconstruction. As such, achieving environmental improvement and promoting sustainable construction practices, including circular construction and life-cycle assessments (LCAs), is critical for reducing the industry’s environmental footprint and fostering a more responsible built environment. To achieve sustainability goals in the construction industry, it is essential to equip the future construction workforce with knowledge and skills related to sustainable construction practices. The goals of this study are to (1) understand the impact of natural disasters on communities, including damages and recovery efforts, and explore the potential of implementing sustainable practices, such as circular construction, in post-disaster recovery by interviewing 109 stakeholders in disaster-prone communities; and (2) investigate the knowledge gap among civil engineering (CE) and construction management (CM) students regarding sustainable construction practices, as well as the significance of integrating sustainable topics into CE and CM curricula through 121 student surveys. The results of this study underscore the benefits of incorporating sustainability in post-disaster recovery. Furthermore, they highlight the knowledge gap among CE and CM students regarding sustainable practices, including circular construction, as well as the benefits of equipping the future construction workforce with such knowledge and skills to enhance both professional success and tackle environmental challenges. The findings of this study contribute to the field of sustainable construction by advocating for curriculum revisions that integrate sustainable practices. By preparing the future construction workforce to adopt sustainable practices and focusing on their implementation in post-disaster recovery, this study addresses key sustainable development goals (SDGs) and supports efforts to create a more responsible built environment. Furthermore, these efforts benefit communities and stakeholders by fostering sustainable reconstruction that not only reduces environmental impact but also has the potential to reduce the cost of reconstruction.

Authored by
Claudia Calle Müller (Florida International University) and Mr. Mohamed ElZomor P.E. (Florida International University)

Global challenges require innovative and interdisciplinary approaches, and promoting self-assessment is essential for enhancing students' cognitive development. However, conventional evaluation methods in education frequently cause stress, anxiety, and discomfort among students. To address this, the study examines the effects of unannounced, continuous assessments paired with supplementary activities designed to strengthen student learning. This study explores the impact of unannounced, continuous assessments combined with supporting activities to enhance student learning and reduce the stress associated with traditional exams. Recognizing that self-assessment is integral to cognitive development, researchers implemented this innovative evaluation method in four courses—two in civil engineering and two in architecture—with a total of 79 students. Throughout the semester, students participated in regular but unannounced evaluations, encouraging consistent study habits while alleviating the pressure of major exams. These evaluations were supplemented with activities designed to reinforce learning and prepare students for the assessments. A survey conducted at the end of the semester revealed that, while students initially felt nervous, they found the unannounced evaluations beneficial to their overall learning experience. The continuous preparation, supported by the reinforcement activities, helped students improve their performance and gain greater confidence in their knowledge by the course's conclusion. The results indicate that this method led to better academic outcomes, with students expressing reduced anxiety and an increased sense of academic integrity due to the ongoing assessments. The study highlights the potential of unannounced, continuous evaluations to foster deeper learning, reduce exam-related stress, and enhance students’ confidence in their knowledge. The authors discuss the factors driving these results and explore avenues for broader implementation of such pedagogical strategies to improve both learning outcomes and academic integrity. Implications for further research and educational practice are provided, with recommendations for broader implementation of these pedagogical strategies to improve academic performance and integrity.

Authored by
Blanca Esthela Moscoso (Affiliation unknown), David Francisco Coronado (Affiliation unknown), Dr. MiguelAndres Andres Guerra P.E. (Universidad San Francisco de Quito USFQ), and Valeria Dayana Izurieta (Affiliation unknown)