Blockchain, Smart Contracts and Distributed Ledger Technologies in the Built Environment
Key concepts, technologies, and applications

Edited by Abel Maciel,Daniel M. Hall,Mohamad Kassem

ISBN13: 9781839538346

Imprint: Institution of Engineering and Technology

Publisher: Institution of Engineering and Technology

Format: Hardback

Published: 01/06/2025

Availability: Not yet available

Description
The built environment, encompassing the spaces we inhabit, the infrastructure that connects us, and the systems that sustain our societies, is foundational to human progress. It shapes how we live, work and interact, serving as a foundation for social and economic prosperity. Yet, despite its importance, the sector faces enduring challenges: inefficiencies, fragmentation, environmental impact, and a lack of transformative innovation, particularly in areas such as value creation, business model evolution, and major sector-wide transformations. Digitalisation and digital transformation, driven by technologies such as building information modelling (BIM), the internet of things (IoT), artificial intelligence, and immersive technologies, have become essential in helping the sector address these issues. More recently, distributed ledger technologies (DLT), such as blockchain and self-executing contracts like smart contracts, have emerged, offering further opportunities for the built environment. Emerging evidence, as explored in this book, highlights DLT's capabilities in transparency and trust (immutable records and enhanced accountability), efficiency and automation (smart contracts and streamlined processes), data security (decentralised integrity), collaborative governance (shared decision-making), tokenisation (democratised ownership), integration (synergy with Digital Twins, BIM and IoT), and sustainability (circular economies, renewable energy). However, adoption in the built environment faces several challenges, including legal, technical, ethical and stakeholder barriers. Combining theoretical and practical perspectives, this book examines the potential of blockchain and DLT in both the delivery and management of the built environment, addressing their adoption frameworks, applications and associated benefits and challenges. Intended for researchers, practitioners, students, technology developers and policymakers, Blockchain, Smart Contracts and Distributed Ledger Technologies in the Built Environment: Key concepts, technologies, and applications is a comprehensive guide to the adoption and integration of DLT in the built environment.
Chapter 1: Introduction Chapter 2: Distributed ledger technologies, blockchain and smart contracts: technical foundations and key concepts Chapter 3: Socio-technical approach to blockchain adoption in construction: Conceptual models and roadmaps for macro and meso scale implementation Chapter 4: Enhancing Information Security and Digital Trust in Construction: Decentralisation and Encryption Approaches Chapter 5: Blockchain and Tokenisation of Built Assets Chapter 6: Digital Building Logbooks on the Blockchain: First Conceptualization and Future Research Directions Chapter 7: Blockchain for Energy Management in Seaport Infrastructure: A Microgrid Case Study Chapter 8: Decentralising Architectural Design through data governance Chapter 9: Blockchain in Construction Supply Chain Management Chapter 10: Blockchain for Data Observability: Integrating BIM, Digital Twins, and Enterprise CDEs Chapter 11: Blockchain and contract administration in construction Chapter 12: Legal Risks for Blockchain Applications in the Built Environment: Legal Perspective
  • Distributed databases
  • Construction industry
  • Professional & Vocational
  • Tertiary Education (US: College)
Height:
Width:
Spine:
Weight:0.00
List Price: £125.00