Blockchain for Construction

✍ Scribed by Theodoros Dounas, Davide Lombardi

• Publisher: Springer
• Year: 2022
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 229
• Series: Blockchain Technologies
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

This book highlights the design, use and structure of blockchain systems and decentralized ledger technologies (B/DLT) for use in the construction industry. Construction remains a fragmented change-resistant industry with chronic problems of underproductivity and a very low digitization factor compared to other fields. In parallel, the convergence, embedding and coordination of digital technologies in the physical world provides a unique opportunity for the construction industry to leap ahead and adopt fourth industrial revolution technologies. Within this context, B/DLT are an excellent fit for the digitization of the construction industry. B/DLT are effective in this as they organize and align digital and physical supply chains, produce stigmergic coordination out of decentralization, enable the governance of complex projects for multiple stakeholders, while enabling the creation of a new class of business models and legal instruments for construction.

✦ Table of Contents

Contents
Blockchain Technologies in Construction
1 The Purpose of the Book
1.1 Some definitions
1.2 DLT—Decentralized Ledger Technologies
1.3 Blockchains
1.4 Smart Contracts
2 Cryptoeconomics
References
The Promise of Blockchain for the Construction Industry: A Governance Lens
1 Introduction
2 Governance of Blockchains
2.1 The Three Technical Layers of a Blockchain Protocol
2.2 Blockchain Affordances
2.3 Short Excursion to Private Permissioned Blockchains
2.4 Blockchain-Based Governance for New Economic Systems
2.5 Trusted Digital Processes
2.6 Incentive Mechanisms
2.7 New Forms of Economic Activity
3 Crypto-Commons
3.1 Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs)
4 Cryptoeconomic Governance for the Construction Industry
5 Lens 1—Cryptoeconomic Incentives to Embrace Fragmentation?
6 Lens 2—Guided Self-organization to Manage a Complex Construction Industry?
7 Lens 3—Decentralized Governance for a Decentralized Industry?
7.1 Aligning Governance with the Industry Structure
7.2 Blockchain Adoption Framework
7.3 Step 1—Blockchain for Existing Processes
7.4 Step 2—Blockchain-Based Governance for New Incentives and Markets
7.5 Step 3—Decentralized Coordination Through Blockchain-Based Governance
7.6 Discussion
References
Decentralised Autonomous Organisations for the AEC and Design Industries
1 Introduction
2 DAO Platforms
3 DAOs Projects and Explorations in the AEC and Design Industry
4 Benefits and Drawbacks in DAOs
References
The Integration of Automatic BIM Validation and Smart Contracts for Design Compliance and Payment Reliability in the Design Process
1 Introduction
2 Digital Information Management Based on BIM and Blockchain: A State of the Art
2.1 Digital Information Management Based on BIM
2.2 Digital Information Management Based on Blockchain
3 Framework of the Research
4 Proposed Technologies for the Framework of the Research
4.1 Approach to the Automatic Validation of Information
4.2 Potential Blockchain Network to Be Integrated with the Automatic Validation of Information
5 Discussion of the Expected Outcomes
6 Conclusion and Further Developments
References
Capturing and Transforming Planning Processes for Smart Contracts
1 Introduction
2 Background
2.1 Processes in the Design Phase
2.2 BIM and BC
2.3 Information Management and Exchange
3 Frameworks
3.1 Conceptual Framework for Process Modelling
3.2 3A Pattern
3.3 BIMd.Sign Framework
4 Use Case Scenario
5 Discussion and Conclusion
References
Blockchain for Supply Chain Ledgers: Tracking Toxicity Information of Construction Materials
1 Introduction
2 Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)
2.1 Issues Associated with Vinyl Chloride (VCM) in the Manufacture of PVC
2.2 Issues Associated with PVC Additives
3 PVC Production in Europe and China
3.1 PVC Production in Europe
3.2 PVC Production in China
3.3 Issues with Tracking Toxic Material Components
4 PVC Supply Chain Solution Using Blockchain
4.1 Permissioned Versus Non-permissioned Blockchains
4.2 Scalability
4.3 Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAO)
4.4 Supply Chain DAOs
4.5 Components that Enable the Features of a Supply Chain DAO
4.6 Existing Blockchain-Based Solutions
4.7 Energy Consumption
5 Conclusion
References
The Proof-of-Concept of a Blockchain Solution for Construction Logistics Integrating Flows: Lessons from Sweden
1 Introduction
2 Theory
2.1 Sociomateriality
2.2 A Sociomaterial Blockchain Solution for Construction Logistics with Integrated Flows
3 Method
4 Literature Review
5 Development and Testing of Prototype
5.1 Development and Testing Iterations
6 Results and Analysis
6.1 Evaluation
6.2 Sociomaterial Understanding
6.3 Consideration on Test Feedback
7 Discussion
8 Conclusions
References
Conceptual Model Utilizing Blockchain to Automate Project Bank Account (PBA) Payments in the Construction Industry
1 Introduction
2 Literature Review
2.1 UK Government Fair Payment Legislations
2.2 Project Bank Accounts (PBA)
2.3 Cryptography and Encryption
2.4 Off-Chain Messages
2.5 Smart Contracts
3 Methodology
4 Conceptual Model
4.1 Message Signing
4.2 Project Bank Account (PBA) Blockchain Model
5 Payment Guarantee
6 Discussions
7 Conclusion
References
Smart Contracts and Payment in the UK Construction: The Legal Framework
1 Introduction
2 Methodology
3 Legal Framework and Issues
4 Cash Flow Is the Lifeblood of the Industry
5 Does the 1996 Act Apply to Smart Contracts in Construction?
5.1 Court’s Approach
5.2 Definition of Construction Contract
6 Applying the Act to Smart Contracts
6.1 Instalment Payments?
6.2 Payment Cycle
7 Conclusion
References
Private Distributed Ledger for Indoor Scene Annotation
1 Introduction
1.1 Motivation and Contributions
2 Related Work
2.1 Blockchain Technology for AECOO Applications
2.2 Point Cloud-Based Annotation Recording
3 Approach
3.1 System Design and Implementation
3.2 Servers Design and Implementation
3.3 Block Structure
3.4 Blockchain Validation
4 Client Design and Implementation
4.1 Web3D-Based Visualization and Scene Interaction
4.2 Stakeholder Block Update Consensus
5 Case Study
5.1 Annotation and Transformation Task
5.2 Blockchain Computation Performance
6 Discussion
6.1 Data Transfer and Storage Considerations
6.2 Potential Stakeholder Use Cases
6.3 Comparison with DBMSs
6.4 Attack Possibilities on the Blockchain
7 Conclusions and Outlook
References
Collective Digital Factories for Buildings: Stigmergic Collaboration Through Cryptoeconomics
1 Introduction
2 Blockchain and Decentralised Ledger Technologies
3 Smart Contracts: Tokens and Incentives
4 Decentralised Autonomous Organisations (DAOs)
5 Methodology
6 Productivity
7 Supply Chain Integration in the AEC Industry
8 Carbon Impact
9 Policy and Carbon Incentives in the AEC Industry
10 Stigmergy and Coordination
11 Stigmergy and Coordination
12 Smart Contracts Architecture and Project Lifecycle
13 Digital Design Tools: Topologic
14 Design Tool Integration with Smart Contracts
15 Conclusions: Strategy and Constraints
References