ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Built Environ.
Sec. Sustainable Design and Construction
Volume 11 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fbuil.2025.1640950
This article is part of the Research TopicPeople, Process, Product, and Policy: Exploring the Nexus For The Sustainable Digital Transformation Of The Construction IndustryView all 4 articles
Graphene-Zeolite Smart Flooring as a Catalyst for Digital and Sustainable Transformation in Construction: A Review
Provisionally accepted
- 1University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa
- 2William VS Tubman University, Harper, Liberia
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The integration of advanced materials and digital technologies into construction is critical to achieving energy efficiency and sustainability. This study investigates the potential of graphene-zeolite smart flooring as a multifunctional solution to enhance building performance. A mixed-methods approach was adopted, combining quantitative data from a survey of 53 construction professionals with a bibliometric analysis of 179 Scopus-indexed publications. The survey identified significant industry support for smart materials and technologies that address energy savings and environmental concerns. At the same time, the bibliometric review, conducted using VOSviewer, revealed research clusters around thermal energy storage, nanomaterials, and digital construction systems. Results indicate that the graphene-zeolite composite improves thermal conductivity, facilitates passive heat storage and release, and enhances air quality through adsorption properties. Moreover, its compatibility with artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, and digital twin technologies enables real-time monitoring and predictive maintenance, advancing the concept of intelligent flooring systems. However, the lack of empirical testing on thermal performance and long-term durability underscores the need for further experimental validation and field deployment studies. These findings contribute to Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy, SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, and SDG 13: Climate Action), offering pathways for more resilient and climate-responsive building practices. Future research should focus on scalable manufacturing, lifecycle assessments, and integration across diverse building typologies to realise the full potential of graphene-zeolite smart flooring in the built environment.
Keywords: Construction Innovation, energy efficiency, Graphene, zeolite, Smart floor, sustainability
Received: 04 Jun 2025; Accepted: 04 Aug 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Stephen, Aigbavboa, Oke, IDOWU and Adekunle. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Seyi Stephen, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa
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