Artificial Intelligence for the Built World

Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies are rapidly transforming the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry. In this Special Issue, cutting-edge research results in the application of AI in AEC are collected around eight themes under the topic of “AI for the Built World”. The eight key themes are: Digital Twins & AI, AI-Based Decision Support, Natural Language Processing (NLP) & Remote Perception, Physics-Informed AI, Building Energy & Environment, Infrastructure Planning & Maintenance, Semantic Model Generation, and AI in Geo-technical Engineering. Across these themes, the research highlights significant advancements. NLP and Remote Perception research introduces models for AI-assisted planning, regulatory document digitalization, and advanced object detection in point clouds for applications such as Building Information Modelling (BIM) and quality assessment. Digital Twins research focuses on real-time anomaly detection in building systems, fine-grained as-built modelling of mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) systems using few-shot learning (FSL), and enhancing infrastructure monitoring through data imputation techniques. Furthermore, Infrastructure Planning & Maintenance features intelligent detection methods for assessing bridges and roads, while Semantic Model Generation showcases AI frameworks for automated compliance checking (ACC) and enhancing safety risk assessments through the integration of Large Language Models (LLMs) and Knowledge Graphs. Finally, Physics-Informed AI and AI-Based Decision Support presented innovations like real-time welding defect detection and Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning (MARL) for structural optimization and automated floor plan design.