Promoting real estate sensitivity among AEC students: A board game-based approach to applied learning

The Architectural Engineering Construction (AEC), Facility Management (FM), and Real Estate (RE) sectors often operate in silos, leading to fragmentation in technologies, processes, and policies. However, real innovation and value creation require a broader understanding that extends beyond individual disciplines. Architects, engineers, researchers, and construction managers must also recognise how their decisions affect other domains and ultimately the end users. Despite the importance of the end users and real estate owners in the AEC value chain, RE education is often excluded from AEC programmes, creating a significant gap that leaves AEC, FM, and CTM stakeholders without a fundamental understanding of RE concepts and their influence on property value. RE factors like location often have a greater impact on the perceived value of a property than construction technology or execution. It is essential for AEC students to develop an understanding of RE dynamics and their role in shaping property value. This research aims to bridge this gap by introducing a board-game-based approach to foster RE sensitivity and learning among AEC students who lack formal exposure to RE concepts. The goal of this research is twofold: (1) to design a board game that enhances real estate learning and (2) to evaluate its effectiveness in providing basic knowledge of the real estate factors and dynamics. The game simulates RE investment, property economics, market behaviour, and decision-making, offering hands-on learning. It was tested with 18 construction and design researchers, and analysis of gameplay discussions, scores, interviews, and feedback forms shows the game provided basic RE understanding—achieving its primary goal.