Exploring Construction Students’ Perceptions of Smart Buildings

9 pages•Published: June 9, 2021

Abstract

Smart buildings use technologies to interconnect different building systems’ data for performance improvement. These buildings can improve the user experience, decrease operation and maintenance costs, and elevate productivity, to name a few. With the advent of information technology, the market for smart building technology is increasingly expanding. Smart buildings and relevant synonyms are becoming prevalent in the architecture, engineering, and construction industries (AEC); however, it is not widely taught in construction education programs. This study aims to determine the current understanding and perception levels of construction management students of the aspects of smart buildings. To do this, two groups of construction management students from Japan and the U.S. were surveyed before and after a smart building workshop. A quantitative research method was used to collect and analyze the data. The results showed similarities and differences between the two groups’ attitudes toward different aspects of smart buildings, the workshop’s role in changing students’ perceptions of smart buildings, and construction education institutions’ role in promoting the smart building concept. This study helps education programs by shedding light on the current knowledge of a sample of students about smart buildings and highlights aspects of the concept that need a focus in educational settings.

Keyphrases: Construction Education, Japan, perception, project-based learning, Smart Building, USA

In: Tom Leathem, Anthony J. Perrenoud and Wesley Collins (editors). ASC 2021. 57th Annual Associated Schools of Construction International Conference, vol 2, pages 284--292

Links:	https://easychair.org/publications/paper/PDKX
	https://doi.org/10.29007/rwtr