Dr. Farzad Rahimian is Professor of Digital Engineering and Manufacturing at Loughborough University and the former Lead of the Centre for Sustainable Engineering at Teesside University, Prof Farzad Rahimian has the experience to direct a centre of over 100 academics, postdocs, and PhD students delivering internationally recognised research in sustainability and Net Zero solutions. His expertise spans digital construction, sustainable built environment practices, circular construction management, offsite construction, BIM, digital twins, and AI applications across Industry 4.0/5.0 technologies. Prof Rahimian's research impact is demonstrated through 7000 citations and an H-index of 45, ranking in the top 0.3% globally in Civil and Environmental Engineering over the last five years. As Editor-in-Chief of Smart and Sustainable Built Environment (ranked #1 in Scopus Architecture category), he shapes international discourse in sustainable construction. His contributions have earned prestigious recognition, including the Bill Curtin Medal from the Institution of Civil Engineers (2024), multiple Outstanding Knowledge Transfer Partnership Awards from Innovate UK, and the Scottish Knowledge Exchange Innovation of the Year Award (2018). With over two decades of industry collaboration, Prof Rahimian has secured £3 million in grants and led projects valued at over £20 million, partnering with technology leaders including Edinburgh Datalab, Bouygues Group, ARaymond, and Yondr Data Centres. His international network spans 20+ countries, collaborating with world-leading institutions including the University of Cambridge, Virginia Tech, Penn State, TU Delft, and the National University of Singapore. He has now supervised 16 PhD graduates who hold senior positions at institutions including Cambridge, Edinburgh, and Strathclyde. His work strongly aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals, contributing significantly to Industry Innovation (29 documents), Responsible Consumption (16 documents), and Sustainable Cities (10 documents).Dr. M. Reza Hosseini is Distinguished Scholar in construction technology at the University of Melbourne’s School of Design. He is Research Fellow at the Centre for Research in Assessment and Digital Learning (CRADLE) and affiliated with Deakin University’s Mediated Intelligence in Design research laboratory. With a background in civil engineering, an M.Sc. in construction engineering and management, and a Ph.D. in virtual design and construction, he focuses on leveraging advanced technologies to promote sustainability in construction, particularly in emission reduction and circular construction practices. Prof. Dr. Abiola Akanmu is Professor of smart design and construction at the Myers Lawson School of Construction at Virginia Tech. She heads the Smart Systems laboratory, focusing on harnessing technological advancements to enhance workforce development, as well as health and safety initiatives. Prof. Lafhaj is Full Professor in civil engineering at Centrale Lille, France, Founder and President of Institut Français de la Construction Lean (IFCL), and Chair Holder in “Construction 4.0.” He is Former Dean of International Affairs, Member of the Management Committee of Centrale Lille, and Member of the Board of Directors of Centrale Lille Institut. His research focuses on the industrialization of construction, Industry 4.0 and Construction 4.0, the implementation of Lean construction, 3D printing in construction, supply chain management, modular and offsite construction, digital construction, sustainable construction and buildings, environmental practices in construction, ecological construction materials, and smart and connected construction sites and buildings.Dr. Laure Ducoulombier is Researcher at Centrale de Lille Institut, specializing in Construction 4.0, 3D printing, IoT, AI, robotics, and virtual and augmented reality. Laure's career began with a Ph.D. on thermal insulation solutions at Bouygues Construction. Throughout 15 years in the company, Laure has been one of the Founders and Leader of the Construction 4.0 Chair, a major partnership between Centrale Lille and Bouygues Construction who aimed to lead the digital and industrial transition of the construction sector by mixing together researchers and Bouygues Construction employees.
