Special Sessions
Smart & Sustainable Construction 4.0: Integrating Advanced Materials, Digital Twins, and Energy Optimization
Special Session
This Special Session addresses two interrelated challenges currently facing the construction industry: digital transformation and energy sovereignty in the built environment. By establishing strong links between advanced material engineering and intelligent digital management systems, the session explores innovative pathways toward the design and operation of structurally resilient, hygrothermally efficient, and low-carbon buildings and infrastructure.
Particular emphasis is placed on advanced composite materials, including Fiber-Reinforced Polymers (FRPs) based on synthetic fibers (glass, carbon, basalt) as well as natural fibers (jute, flax, hemp, sisal, etc.), and their role in improving mechanical performance, durability, fire resistance, and thermal behavior of building components. Beyond composites, the session also welcomes contributions on low-carbon and circular construction materials (recycled constituents, bio- and geo-sourced resources, and alternative binders), with an emphasis on performance-based design and durability.
The session also highlights the integration of digital technologies such as Building Information Modeling (BIM), Digital Twins, Building Operating Systems (BOS), and computer vision/IoT sensing to enable smart lifecycle management, predictive maintenance, and optimized energy performance. Contributions leveraging AI/ML for monitoring, anomaly detection, forecasting, and decision support are particularly encouraged. Through this holistic approach, the session aims to foster buildings that are not only structurally safe and durable, but also thermally optimized, energy-efficient, and responsive to user needs, while minimizing embodied and operational carbon.
Session Chairs
Yasmina Ed-Dariy, National School of Architecture of Fez (ENA Fez), Morocco.
Ayman Mossallam , University of California, Irvine (UCI), USA.
Yassine El Mendili, Graduate School of Engineering in Construction (ESTP Paris), France.
Younes Salami, National School of Architecture of Fez, Morocco.
Hassane Jarar oulidi, Hassania School of Public Works (EHTP), Morocco.
The Three Core Pillars of the Session:
- Advanced Materials and Composites: Nanomaterials, polymers, and FRPs reinforced with synthetic and natural fibers; multifunctional composites; and innovative retrofitting/strengthening solutions for enhanced mechanical strength, durability, and sustainability.
- Structural Safety and Stability: Soil-Structure Interaction, seismic and extreme-load behavior, structural health monitoring, and advanced fire science and fire-protection systems.
- Smart Structural Systems: Intelligent structural components, sensing and self-diagnostic solutions, and integrated mechanical systems for improved resilience and service-life extension.
- The promotion of alternative and low-carbon materials, including the valorization of industrial and mining waste, geopolymers, and bio-based materials, in alignment with carbon neutrality objectives.
- Digital Modeling and Lifecycle Management: BIM and Digital Twins for integrated design, construction, operation, maintenance, and deconstruction, including interoperability and digital-thread approaches.
- The integration of 3D printing and additive manufacturing in construction, in connection with advanced materials, structural customization, and energy optimization.
- Building Operating Systems and Automation: BOS platforms, IoT networks, and cyber-physical systems enabling real-time monitoring, control, commissioning, and optimization of structural and energy-related parameters.
- Human-Centered Smart Buildings: Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), comfort and indoor-environment quality (thermal, hygric, and air quality), and user-driven performance and energy-feedback strategies.
- Building Energy Efficiency: Advanced Building Energy Management Systems (BEMS), AI-based forecasting and optimization, fault detection and diagnostics, and demand-response strategies.
- Thermal Performance of Buildings: Innovative insulation materials, thermal mass/PCM optimization, advanced envelopes, and coupled heat-moisture transfer modeling for robust comfort and energy performance.
- Sustainable and Energy-Autonomous Buildings: Integration of renewable energy systems, energy storage, building-to-grid interaction, and low-carbon strategies, including life-cycle metrics (LCA/EPD) for embodied and operational carbon reduction.
Submission
All papers should be submitted to the ICATH’2026 Easychair online submission website at: 
Technical committees
Yasmina Ed-Dariy, National School of Architecture of Fez (ENA Fez), Morocco
Rami A. Hawileh, American University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.
Ayman Mossalam, University of California, Irvine (UCI), USA.
Yassine El Mendili, Graduate School of Engineering in Construction (ESTP Paris), France.
Youness Salami, National School of Architecture of Fez (ENA Fez), Morocco.
Imane Mirimi, National School of Architecture of Oujda (ENA Oujda), Morocco.
Loubna Bouselham, National School of Architecture of Oujda (ENA Oujda), Morocco.
Zaid Romani, National School of Architecture of Tetouan (ENA Tetouan), Morocco.
Mohcine Benaicha, National School of Architecture of Rabat (ENA Rabat), Morocco.
Khadija Annaba, Graduate School of Engineering in Construction (ESTP Paris), France.
Fouad Boukhelf, Graduate School of Engineering in Construction (ESTP Paris), France.
Hichem Benzaama, Graduate School of Engineering in Construction (ESTP Paris), France.
Ilhame Harbouz, Green Tech Institute, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), Morocco.
Hassane Jarar Oulidi, Hassania School of Public Works (EHTP), Morocco
Ahsen Maqsoom, Green Tech Institute, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), Morocco.
Samira Moukannaa, Geology and Sustainable Mining Institute, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), Morocco.
Mohamed Alaoui Hassani Saidi, National School of Applied Sciences (ENSA Al Hoceima), Abdelmalek Essaâdi University, Morocco.
Issam Hanafi, National School of Applied Sciences (ENSA Al Hoceima), Abdelmalek Essaâdi University, Morocco.
Loubaba Rida, National School of Applied Sciences (ENSA Al Hoceima), Abdelmalek Essaâdi University, Morocco.
Hanane Moulay Abdelali, Mohammadia School of Engineers (EMI), Mohammed V University in Rabat, Morocco.
Jamila Ibrahimi, Mohammadia School of Engineers (EMI), Mohammed V University in Rabat, Morocco.
Ancuta Rotaru Faculty of Civil Engineering, Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Iași, Romania.
Marinela Barbuta, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Iași, Romania.
Daniel Lepăduțu, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Iași, Romania.
Loredana Judele, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Iași, Romania.
Ayoub Elbaraka, Euro-Mediterranean University of Fez, Fez, Morocco.