Abstract
Construction 4.0 has become a buzzword since the penetration of building information modeling (BIM), cyber-physical systems, and digital and computing technologies into the construction industry. Among emerging technologies, distributed ledger technology (DLT), or blockchain, is a powerful business enhancer whose potential can disrupt projects, AEC (architecture, engineering, and construction) firms, and construction supply chain, and in a broader sense, the whole construction industry. This technology has not reached the plateau of productivity due to several barriers and challenges. Previous studies have started to investigate the barriers to implementing DLT in various sectors and segmentations. However, we still need further surveys in the construction industry. This study evaluates the applicability of identified challenges and barriers based on a sustainability perspective. Precisely, we will answer which challenges need to be addressed for the sustainability of the construction industry. To meet the research objective, the ordinal priority approach (OPA) in multiple attributes decision-making (MADM) was utilized. This novel method determines the weight of sustainability attributes and barriers simultaneously. The results show that DLT implementation needs (i) infrastructure for data management, (ii) advanced applications and archetypes, and (iii) customers’ demand, interest, and tendency, and (iv) taxation and reporting. Solving high-ranked challenges is the key to social sustainability from the aspects of “supply chain management and procurement”; “transparency, anti-corruption, and anti-counterfeiting”; and “fair operation and honest competition.”
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Data availability
The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author.
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Acknowledgements
The work presented in this paper corresponds to the doctoral dissertation of the first author at Southeast University, China. This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant Nos. [72171048 and 71771052]. More information regarding the Ordinal Priority Approach (OPA) can be found at www.ordinalpriorityapproach.com.
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This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant Nos. [72171048 and 71771052].
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Mahsa Sadeghi: conceptualization, methodology, software, and writing—original draft. Amin Mahmoudi: conceptualization, methodology, software, and writing—original draft, review, and editing. Xiaopeng Deng: validation, writing (review and editing), and supervision.
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Appendices
Appendix A
Considering the fact that DLT can contribute to sustainability, how much the following ATTRIBUTES are important? Please sort the following SUSTAINABILITY ATTRIBUTES from 1 to 30
Appendix B
It seems that solving barriers to DLT implementation causes sustainability in the construction industry. Please, sort the following alternatives for each SUSTAINABILITY ATTRIBUTE based on procedures.
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Sadeghi, M., Mahmoudi, A. & Deng, X. Adopting distributed ledger technology for the sustainable construction industry: evaluating the barriers using Ordinal Priority Approach. Environ Sci Pollut Res 29, 10495–10520 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-16376-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-16376-y