Recent theories concerning the 4th industrial revolution “Industry 4.0”, indicate that building construction process digitalization can open new research perspectives and themes for the development of the construction industry, particularly in the field of Construction Project Management. The theme of Construction Management in the building project life-cycle phases (design, execution and operation) is of capital importance for the economic recovery and development of the construction sector, an industry sector that still struggles to recapture the pace and find a new identity and future perspectives. Surely, the theme of the Smart Factory causes to focus on the building process and its different Value Chains, aiming at the creation of a more efficient connection between its players: client/final user; owner; designers; construction companies and their suppliers.

In the research environment created by the collaboration of the research group of building production of the University of Bologna and the one of Construction Management and Economics of the Tampere University of Technology of Finland, this workshop has the aim of highlighting the research themes that could develop the drivers of change and innovation in the project management processes of design, construction and maintenance.

The research themes to be investigated could facilitate the innovation process and the development of the “Smart Factory” in construction, aiming at creating a “Smart Building Site” for construction projects. The objectives are many: implementation of the circular economy principles, orientating towards the improvement of building life cycle environmental and economic sustainability; improvement of process efficiency of the value chains through the development of innovative methods and tools that will improve the design and the execution of building projects; improvement of building life cycle-based design to optimise costs and impacts of operations and maintenance.