Exploratory literature review of blockchain in the construction industry: Fid-Bau Portal

Exploratory literature review of blockchain in the construction industry

Scott, Denis J. / Broyd, Tim / Ma, Ling

Abstract First academic publications on blockchain in construction instantiated in 2017, with three documents. Over the course of several years, new literature emerged at an average annual growth rate of 184%, surmounting to 121 documents at time of writing this article in early 2021. All 121 publications were reviewed to investigate the expansion and progression of the topic. A mixed methods approach was implemented to assess the existing environment through a literature review and scientometric analysis. Altogether, 33 application categories of blockchain in construction were identified and organised into seven subject areas, these include (1) procurement and supply chain, (2) design and construction, (3) operations and life cycle, (4) smart cities, (5) intelligent systems, (6) energy and carbon footprint, and (7) decentralised organisations. Limitations included using only one scientific database (Scopus), this was due to format inconsistencies when downloading and merging various bibliographic data sets for use in visual mapping software.

Highlights • Exploratory literature review of 121 academic documents on blockchain in the construction industry. • The review chapter presents 33application categories and is organised into seven subject areas. • Mixed methods approach was adopted which incorporates a qualitative review and quantitative analysis.