About this Research Topic
According to Merriam-Webster, metatheory is a theory concerned with the investigation, analysis, or description of theory itself. In the context of built environment subject, metatheories are recognizable as theories on which the multidisciplinary built environment subject and its sub-subjects are based.
Interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary learning, experiments, practices, and research in engineering and scientific areas in the subject field of built environment can be well informed and/or supported by metatheories established over a long term from accumulated practices and research at various work stages covering planning, design, construction, operation, maintenance, deconstruction, and logistics, etc. at strategic, tactic and operational levels. The evolution of metatheories is now at a new era where traditional knowledge and wisdom are fast energized by innovative approaches to using data and information purposely collected at various work stages of buildings and infrastructures in effective, efficient and economic ways. In the active processes to pursue the dependability and sustainability of the built environment around the world, there are new grand challenges in front of professionals in terms of not only the engagements in new construction but also the maintenance of aging and/or ailing facilities. The development of subject metatheories is therefore crucial to support informed rapid decision making and standardized production processes that can assure quality, health, safety, resources efficiency, constructability, reliability, adaptability, and sustainability, etc. through most comprehensive considerations on people, products and processes inside dynamic systems interactions among the built environment, the social environment, and the natural environment.
This Research Topic aims to provide a joint convergence research forum among multiple specialty sections at Frontiers of Built Environment for academics and professionals around the world to present theoretical and practical knowledge on the engineering and managerial aspects of world-leading research in and practices on work stage and/or physical system oriented metatheories for the built environment profession currently under digital transformation towards the era of Industry 5.0. The goal of this research topic is to develop a unique transdisciplinary topical collection to show the advances of professional knowledge that support the development of multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary metatheories in the subject field of built environment.
The scope of this Research Topic covers all issues relating to built environment metatheories. Issues with this Research Topic could be connected to, but are not limited to, the following listed areas:
• Approaches to the dependability of engineering and managerial systems.
• Approaches to the durability enhancement of construction materials and products.
• Approaches to the maintenance of aging and ailing buildings and infrastructures.
• Approaches to the reliability of production, logistical and operational systems.
• Approaches to the supportability of services systems.
• Case studies on the use of principles at individual work stages.
• Grand challenges in the development and adoption of built environment related theories.
• Lessons learned from the history and evolution of built environment related theories.
• Meta-analysis of interactions among built, social and natural environments.
• Methodology of evidence-based practice for interconnected professional services.
• Professional excellence approaches to higher education and specialty training.
• Professional excellence approaches to occupational and public health and safety.
• Professional excellence approaches to value oriented research and knowledge exchange.
• Principles of adaptation and resilience to climate change and environmental deterioration.
• Principles of circular construction economy.
• Principles of location-based environmental management systems.
• Principles of professional guide development and implementation.
• Regulatory principles for people, products and processes in the built environment.
• Standardized approaches to quality assurance and productivity enhancement.
• Standardized digital construction methodology.
• Standardized due diligence methodology.
• Systematic methodology for dynamic adaptability and resilience against disasters.
• Systematic methodology for stage/system oriented resources efficiency.
• Technical review on the development of engineering and managerial principles.
• The sustainability philosophy and principles of stage/system oriented professional services.
• The history and evolution of built environment related theories.
Interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary learning, experiments, practices, and research in engineering and scientific areas in the subject field of built environment can be well informed and/or supported by metatheories established over a long term from accumulated practices and research at various work stages covering planning, design, construction, operation, maintenance, deconstruction, and logistics, etc. at strategic, tactic and operational levels. The evolution of metatheories is now at a new era where traditional knowledge and wisdom are fast energized by innovative approaches to using data and information purposely collected at various work stages of buildings and infrastructures in effective, efficient and economic ways. In the active processes to pursue the dependability and sustainability of the built environment around the world, there are new grand challenges in front of professionals in terms of not only the engagements in new construction but also the maintenance of aging and/or ailing facilities. The development of subject metatheories is therefore crucial to support informed rapid decision making and standardized production processes that can assure quality, health, safety, resources efficiency, constructability, reliability, adaptability, and sustainability, etc. through most comprehensive considerations on people, products and processes inside dynamic systems interactions among the built environment, the social environment, and the natural environment.
This Research Topic aims to provide a joint convergence research forum among multiple specialty sections at Frontiers of Built Environment for academics and professionals around the world to present theoretical and practical knowledge on the engineering and managerial aspects of world-leading research in and practices on work stage and/or physical system oriented metatheories for the built environment profession currently under digital transformation towards the era of Industry 5.0. The goal of this research topic is to develop a unique transdisciplinary topical collection to show the advances of professional knowledge that support the development of multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary metatheories in the subject field of built environment.
The scope of this Research Topic covers all issues relating to built environment metatheories. Issues with this Research Topic could be connected to, but are not limited to, the following listed areas:
• Approaches to the dependability of engineering and managerial systems.
• Approaches to the durability enhancement of construction materials and products.
• Approaches to the maintenance of aging and ailing buildings and infrastructures.
• Approaches to the reliability of production, logistical and operational systems.
• Approaches to the supportability of services systems.
• Case studies on the use of principles at individual work stages.
• Grand challenges in the development and adoption of built environment related theories.
• Lessons learned from the history and evolution of built environment related theories.
• Meta-analysis of interactions among built, social and natural environments.
• Methodology of evidence-based practice for interconnected professional services.
• Professional excellence approaches to higher education and specialty training.
• Professional excellence approaches to occupational and public health and safety.
• Professional excellence approaches to value oriented research and knowledge exchange.
• Principles of adaptation and resilience to climate change and environmental deterioration.
• Principles of circular construction economy.
• Principles of location-based environmental management systems.
• Principles of professional guide development and implementation.
• Regulatory principles for people, products and processes in the built environment.
• Standardized approaches to quality assurance and productivity enhancement.
• Standardized digital construction methodology.
• Standardized due diligence methodology.
• Systematic methodology for dynamic adaptability and resilience against disasters.
• Systematic methodology for stage/system oriented resources efficiency.
• Technical review on the development of engineering and managerial principles.
• The sustainability philosophy and principles of stage/system oriented professional services.
• The history and evolution of built environment related theories.
Keywords: Buildings, Built environment, Construction, Design, Infrastructure, Metatheory, Operation, Theory.
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
