Perera, C. S. R.; Francis, V. and Gao, S. (2026) Uptake of industry 4.0 technologies in Australian construction firms. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, 33(3), pp. 2071-2088. ISSN 0969-9988
Abstract
Purpose – Industry 4.0 in the construction industry (CI), also known as Construction 4.0, transforms construction projects into digital environments, integrating advanced technologies throughout each stage. This study investigated the application, maturity and adoption interest of 14 Industry 4.0-related technologies in the CI (Con4.0-tech) in Australian construction firms. Design/methodology/approach – Using purposive and snowball sampling, data was collected via 19 semi-structured interviews with directors, managers, innovation officers, etc. Data was then content analysed using NVivo software. Findings – The study revealed five key application areas for Con4.0-tech: real-time data capture, digital communication, data analysis, visualisation and off-site construction. While the level of technology use varied, the research suggests a clear shift towards technology-driven practices in Australian construction. An interesting finding is the direct correlation between technology maturity and its use. Construction firms demonstrated a stronger preference for established technologies with proven value. Notably, innovative firms actively explore new technologies, while others wait for broader industry adoption before integrating them. Originality/value – This research uniquely explores the adoption of Con4.0-tech within Australian construction firms, providing a novel perspective on current industry practices. The empirical evidence offers valuable implications for driving technological advancement and enhancing construction project delivery.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Australia; construction industry; industry 4.0; technology adoption |
| Index terms: | Australia, new technology, industry 4.0, construction 4.0, real-time data, technology adoption, construction industry, off-site construction, sampling, construction firm, construction project delivery, data analysis, manager, interview, visualization, preference, evidence, methodology, construction project |
| Subjects: | industry analysis, project controls, data management, design practice, data analysis and analytics, technology adoption, data collection methods, building construction, Geography, production management, decision-making and reasoning, research methods, innovation and technology management, practitioner, organization, digital engineering, evaluation and assessment methods |
| Topics: | Geographical Context, Project Management, Engineering Principles, Design Practice, Digital Applications, Time Control, Business Strategy, Research Practice, Roles and Professions, Construction Technology |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here