Construction is characterized by engineer-to-order (ETO) production, high variability, and fragmented information flows, which challenge the implementation of data-driven production planning systems. This study investigates how autonomous and semi-autonomous data collection technologies can support continuous, data-driven replanning in construction in line with advanced planning and scheduling (APS) principles. An embedded single case study was conducted on a large renovation and new-build project in Sweden, comprising three use cases involving an unmanned ground vehicle and a helmet-mounted 360° camera. The technologies were evaluated with respect to their ability to capture site data and support planning-related tasks such as progress monitoring, site utilization planning, and workplace safety inspections. The findings show that autonomous and semi-autonomous data collection is technically feasible and can enhance situational awareness and planning support; however, integration between data capture, interpretation, and planning systems remains limited. Most collected data require human mediation, and fully automated feedback loops for continuous planning are not yet achievable with off-the-shelf solutions. The study is relevant to production planning research by empirically examining how APS principles can be adapted to ETO construction contexts and by identifying key technological, organizational, and data-related constraints. The results indicate that near-term value lies in semi-automated workflows that augment human decision-making rather than fully autonomous planning, providing a foundation for more resource-efficient and adaptive production systems.

Introduction: Despite growing recognition of engineered wood products as a critical enabler of low-carbon and circular construction, the diffusion of cross laminated timber (CLT) remains comparatively slow relative to its technical maturity and sustainability potential. This suggests that timber adoption is shaped not only as a design challenge but also by firms’ capabilities, collaborative practices, and the broader conditions under which innovations are developed and commercialized. Such conditions include organize renewal, manage interdependencies, allocate responsibilities, and align around shared value propositions across projects. This study explores how dynamic capabilities, understood as situated practices embedded in recurring cross-project interactions, may enable co-innovation in CLT-based new-build and renovation across projects within the contextual boundary of emerging innovation ecosystems (IE).

Methods: Drawing on an exploratory case study of Swedish CLT-based construction, the empirical material consists of transcribed interviews, focus groups and observation notes representing and contextualizing activities indicative of dynamic capabilities among collaborating firms. Thematic analysis was applied for developing activities into capabilities.

Results: Activities were developed into three levels: project-specific value proposition reconfiguration and resource coordination (Level 1, operational capabilities), joint development and technology implementation (Level 2, dynamic capabilities), and knowledge exchange and actor alignment (Level 3, dynamic capabilities). Capability development occurred through iterative adaptations, informal coordination, and relational negotiations rather than fixed or rule based processes, making it emergent and context-dependent.

Discussion: These findings show that IE structures may create conditions that facilitate collaborative adaptation and learning, potentially supporting innovation beyond individual projects. By foregrounding co-innovation at the firm level, the study shows how these dynamic capabilities can create conditions for scaling CLT adoption beyond isolated projects, supporting broader timber uptake and sustainability ambitions.

Autonoma metoder för uppföljning och styrning av byggprojekt utvecklas snabbt, men utmaningar kvarstår, särskilt i pågående projekt där färdiga lösningar saknas. Robotbaserade system (automatiska) och smarta hjälmar (halvautomatiska) har testats för att möta behov av framkomlighet och föränderliga arbetsmiljöer. Det är svårt att avgöra vilka teknologier som passar bäst, och hantering av strukturerad samt ostrukturerad data är en utmaning. Fortsatta tester krävs för att anpassa lösningarna till byggarbetsplatsernas behov och säkerställa sömlös dataöverföring. För att fullt utnyttja potentialen krävs bättre integration mellan teknik och arbetsprocesser samt systematiska implementeringsstrategier.

Digital transformation in construction is often hindered by fragmented innovation processes and building project-centric technology trials. This study investigates how construction firms can configure and coordinate organizational capabilities to scale digital innovations from isolated Proof of Concept (POC) tests to firm-wide transformation. Drawing on innovation ecosystem theory, construction management, technology and innovation management on innovation uptake, the article presents findings from a qualitative case study of a sensor-based POC in a Swedish building project. Data were collected through eight in-depth interviews and 26 h of participant observation. The analysis identifies four interconnected sets of capabilities across ecosystem, project, and firm interfaces that support scaling, including configurations for value creation, alignment of value propositions, digital maturity, and cross-project learning for value capture. The study contributes to construction management literature by introducing a model of analysis for ecosystem-driven transformation and highlighting the role of digital brokers in aligning actors and accelerating capability-enhanced scale-up. Practical implications include the need for strategic coordination, cross-project learning, and capability configuration across organizational interfaces to overcome structural barriers to digitalization. 

While innovation ecosystems have been proven effective for driving innovation in high-tech industries, their application in construction with cross laminated timber (CLT) products have received limited attention, with most studies adopting a broad perspective on ecosystems, encompassing the entire supply network around individual building projects. This study explores niche innovation ecosystems within the context of construction with CLT products. Data from 15 CLT-based building projects in mid Sweden were collected through observations and interviews and analysed using a method combining existing theory on innovation ecosystem structure with social network analysis. Innovation ecosystem structure was identified within five of the projects, encompassing two unique ecosystems. These ecosystems feature interorganisational links and actor-level expected value capture in two dimensions: value creation within the standard contractual framework of the projects and the innovation ecosystem superimposed on these projects. The novel method bridges the gap between innovation ecosystem research and CLT practices. The findings reveal that niche innovation ecosystems interact with CLT-based building projects through collaborative efforts across multiple projects and partners. These ecosystems feature alignment links that indicate both intra – and inter-project interdependencies, potentially driving innovation in construction. Role extensions within these ecosystems highlight the complexity and adaptability required in the construction industry.

Question: How can sustainability criteria be integrated into a decision model to enhance the application of reverse logistics in construction?

Purpose: The study explored how economic, social, and environmental sustainability criteria could be integrated into a decision model for reverse logistics design.

Research Method: A field study tested a decision model based on multiple-criteria decision analysis at an industrialized housebuilding firm in Sweden. Through theory, observations, interviews, and expert validation, a practical decision model was developed and tested to enhance transport and weatherproofing of modules.

Findings: The theoretical framework primarily developed for the engineering and automotive industries can be adapted for reverse logistics in industrialized housebuilding by using a decision model based on multiple-criteria decision analysis.

Limitations: Further research is needed to validate and refine the model, and to extend its application to other construction products and processes. The findings may be more specific to the process examined in the field study rather than across the industry.

Implications: The criteria of the decision model support decision-making in the weather and transportation protection process, though they can be further refined to provide a more precise basis for decisions.

Value for practitioners: Understanding the importance of systematic decision-making in reverse logistics design can improve sustainability and ensure compliance.