Shriraam Ravindran

Blockchain is a relatively new concept that originated from the first cryptocurrency known as Bitcoin and was soon noted to have a much wider range of applications than just serving as the platform for digital cryptocurrency. A blockchain (BC) is essentially a decentralized ledger that records every transaction made in the network, known as a ‘block’, the body of which comprises encrypted data of the entire transaction history. The implementation of decentralized technology in any industry would require augmented security, enforce accountability, and could potentially accelerate a shift in workflow dynamics from the current hierarchical structure to a decentralized, cooperative chain of command and affect a cultural and societal change by encouraging trust and transparency. This paper presents an evaluation survey of blockchain technology and its applications in the built environment and examines the potential integration with the BIM process. Moreover, the study explores how employing distributed ledger technology (DLT) could be advantageous in the BIM working environment by reinforcing network security, providing more reliable data storage and management of permissions, and ensuring change tracing and data ownership. The study discusses the basic fundamentals of distributed ledgers, their potential future applications and current advances, and their classification based on inherent characteristics of consensus reaching and permission management. Furthermore, the paper evaluates the potential application of BC technologies in enhancing the framework for automating the construction design review process such as smart contract technologies and Hyperledger Fabric, as well as discussing the pros, cons, and possible future research directions.

A Blockchain Technology (BCT) is an emergent digital technology that in recent years has gained widespread traction in various industrial, public, and business sectors; primarily in financial and banking realms owing to the rapid increase of cryptocurrency valuation in recent years. A blockchain Technology (BCT) is, in essence, a decentralized ledger that records every transaction made in the network, known as a ‘block’, the body of which comprises of encrypted data of the entire transaction history. It was introduced as the working mechanism that formed the operational basis of Bitcoin, the first digital cryptocurrency to gain extensive mainstream appeal. The introduction of decentralized technology in any industry would require strengthened security, enforce accountability, and could potentially accelerate a shift in workflow dynamics from the current centralized architectures to a decentralized, cooperative chain of command and affect a cultural and societal change by encouraging trust and transparency. It was evident that the underlying principles characteristic of BCT functional attributes and secure digital infrastructure could find application in nearly any conceivable industry. BCT aims at creating a system that would be a robust self-regulating, self-monitoring and cyberresilient system that assures the facilitation and protection of truly efficient data exchange system. This research depicts a survey of blockchain technology and its applications in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry and examines the potential incorporation within the Building Information Modeling (BIM) process. Furthermore, the paper investigates how …

lockchain Technology (BCT) is a growing digital technology that in recent years has gained widespread traction in various industries in the public and private sectors. BCT is a decentralized ledger that records every transaction made in the network, known as a ‘block’, the body of which is comprised of encrypted data of the entire transaction history. BCT was introduced as the working mechanism that forms the operational basis of Bitcoin, the first digital cryptocurrency to gain mainstream appeal. The introduction of decentralized data exchange technology in any industry would require strengthened security, enforce accountability, and could potentially accelerate a shift in workflow dynamics from current centralized architectures to a decentralized, cooperative chain of command and affect a cultural and societal change by encouraging trust and transparency. BCT aims at creating a system that would offer a robust self-regulating, self-monitoring, and cyber-resilient data transaction operation, assuring the facilitation and protection of a truly efficient data exchange system. In the state of Florida, climate change and unpredicted weather disasters have put pressure on state and local decision-makers to adapt quick and efficient post-disaster recovery systems. Part of the recovery efforts is the reconstruction of buildings and infrastructure. The introduction of new technologies in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry can contribute to addressing recovery and rebuilding after the event of a natural disaster. With parallel technological advancement in geospatial data and Geographic Information System (GIS), as well as worsening climatic conditions, concerns can be suitably addressed by employing an integrated system of both Building Information Modeling (BIM) and BCT. While several potential applications of BIM must provide solutions to disaster-related issues, few have seen practical applications in recent years that indicate the potential benefits of such implementations. The feasibility of BIM-based applications still rests on the reliability of connectivity and cyber-security, indicating a strong use case for using BCT in conjunction with BIM for post-disaster recovery. This research depicts a survey of BCT and its applications in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industries and examines the potential incorporation within the BIM process to address post-disaster rebuilding problems. Moreover, the study investigates the potential application of BCT in improving the framework for automating the building permitting process using Smart Contract (SC) technologies and Hyperledger Fabric (HLF), as well as discussing future research areas. The study proposes a new conceptualized framework resulting from the integration of BCT and BIM processes to improve the efficiency of building permit processes in post-disaster events.

Blockchain technology has been devised from the first cryptocurrency known as Bitcoin and was soon noted to have a much more full range of applications beyond serving as the platform for the digital cryptocurrency. Conceptually, a blockchain (BC) is defined as a decentralized ledger that registers every transactional operation made in encrypted data format. The implementation of such concept bring about augmented security, enforce accountability, and could potentially accelerate a shift in the work environment dynamics from the current centralized structure to a decentralized, cooperative chain of transactions by encouraging trust and transparency. This paper presents an overview of BC technology and its applications in the AEC industry and its potential integration with the building information (BIM) process. Furthermore, the study explores how BC technologies can improve the BIM working environment by reinforcing network security, providing more reliable data storage and management of permissions, ensuring change tracing and data ownership. The paper discusses the fundamental principles of distributed ledgers, their current applications and potential future advances, and their classification based on inherent characteristics of consensus reaching and permission management. The study presents some examples the prospective application of BC technologies in enhancing the framework for automating the code compliance checking process such as smart contract technologies and Hyperledger Fabric, as well as discussing the pros, cons, possible directions, and future research directions.