Ways of Leveraging the Metaverse to Optimise Sustainability in Construction

Olusegun Oguntona¹, Opeoluwa Akinradewo², Clinton Aigbavboa³

1. Walter Sisulu University
2. University of the Free State
3. University of Johannesburg

Published in Proceedings of the International Conference on Smart and Sustainable Built Environment (SASBE 2024), edited by Ali GhaffarianHoseini, Amirhosein GhaffarianHoseini, Farzad Rahimian and Mahesh Babu Purushothaman. Springer Nature, Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering, volume 591, 2025, pages 1700 to 1709. DOI 10.1007/978-981-96-4051-5_162.

Abstract

The present fourth industrial revolution (4IR) era has seen the multidisciplinary proliferation and optimisation of numerous digital technologies and innovations. These technologies, such as artificial intelligence, virtual reality, augmented reality, and the Metaverse, have proven highly beneficial as they enhance productivity and efficiency. In the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry, it has also been established that the adoption and integration of these technologies hold significant potential to advance the sustainability agenda of the sector. To this end, this study explores the avenues for leveraging the Metaverse, a unique virtual shared space that harnesses the convergence of physical and digital entities to promote sustainable construction. The quantitative research method was adopted for the study. Registered and active construction professionals in the South African AEC sector were sampled using a structured questionnaire survey. The study employed descriptive and exploratory factor analysis to analyse the collected data. Findings from the survey revealed twenty potential factors that can facilitate the adoption and utilisation of the Metaverse to optimise sustainability in the AEC sector. By employing a concerted and multidisciplinary approach and effort by relevant stakeholders in the AEC sector, the capabilities of the Metaverse will be fully maximised to transform the sector into a safe, productive, resource-efficient, and sustainable one.

Keywords

Session

Published in the proceedings.

How to Cite

Oguntona, O., Akinradewo, O., & Aigbavboa, C. (2025). Ways of Leveraging the Metaverse to Optimise Sustainability in Construction. In A. GhaffarianHoseini, A. GhaffarianHoseini, F. Rahimian, & M. B. Purushothaman (Eds.), Proceedings of the International Conference on Smart and Sustainable Built Environment (SASBE 2024) (Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering, Vol. 591, pp. 1700–1709). Springer Nature Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-96-4051-5_162

About the Conference

Presented at SASBE 2024, the International Conference on Smart and Sustainable Built Environment, held in Auckland from 7 to 9 November 2024 and chaired by Professors Ali and Amirhosein GhaffarianHoseini, founders of GDI Academy. The version of record is published by Springer Nature; this page is the conference archive record kept by GDI Academy.