Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) in the Construction Industry: Current Practice and Future Prospects

10 pages•Published: June 2, 2026

Abstract

The construction industry faces increasing pressures from climate change, resource constraints, and rapid urbanization, driving growing interest in digital practices to improve project delivery. Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) has emerged as a promising approach; however, literature remains fragmented, with limited synthesis of its applications, benefits, and challenges. This study conducts a literature review of 476 publications and an in-depth analysis of 20 influential studies spanning diverse project types and contexts to evaluate the current state of VDC practice and prospects. The review identifies dominant VDC application trends, implementation patterns, maturity trajectories, and shifting implementation priorities across project phases and organizational contexts. Findings indicate a clear shift from early visualization- and coordination-focused uses toward more integrated, platform-oriented implementations that support project control, data-driven decision-making, and lifecycle considerations. Reported benefits evolve accordingly, from error reduction and communication improvement to enhanced schedule reliability, safety planning, and cost transparency through 4D/5D modeling. Persistent challenges include inconsistent definitions, limited standardization, high upfront investment, insufficient long-term validation of return on investment, and workforce gaps. By synthesizing these trends, the study clarifies how VDC has matured as a project delivery methodology and provides evidence-informed insights for researchers and practitioners. The findings underscore the importance of aligning VDC with Lean practices and emerging digital ecosystems, such as digital twins, artificial intelligence, and mobile technologies, to support more effective, resilient, and sustainable digital transformation in construction.

Keyphrases: 4d/5d modeling, building information modeling, collaboration and integration, construction industry, project delivery, virtual design and construction

In: Wesley Collins, Anthony Perrenoud and John Posillico (editors). Proceedings of Associated Schools of Construction 62nd Annual International Conference, vol 7, pages 871-880.

Links:	https://easychair.org/publications/paper/xlDqn
	https://doi.org/10.29007/dc9d

BibTeX entry

@inproceedings{ASC2026:Virtual_Design_Construction_(VDC),
  author    = {Sanjeev Adhikari and Tran Duong Nguyen},
  title     = {Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) in the Construction Industry: Current Practice and Future Prospects},
  booktitle = {Proceedings of Associated Schools of Construction 62nd Annual International Conference},
  editor    = {Wesley Collins and Anthony Perrenoud and John Posillico},
  series    = {EPiC Series in Built Environment},
  volume    = {7},
  publisher = {EasyChair},
  bibsource = {EasyChair, https://easychair.org},
  issn      = {2632-881X},
  url       = {/publications/paper/xlDqn},
  doi       = {10.29007/dc9d},
  pages     = {871-880},
  year      = {2026}}

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