Dr Hamidreza Alavi
PhD, FHEA, MASCE
Senior Lecturer in Construction Informatics
School of the Built Environment
Role
Hamidreza Alavi is a Senior Lecturer in Construction Informatics in the School of the Built Environment at Oxford Brookes University, where his role combines teaching, research and postgraduate supervision. He is also an Academic Affiliate in the Department of Engineering at the University of Cambridge.
His work brings together construction management and digital technology. He focuses on how buildings and infrastructure are delivered, operated and maintained, and how data, artificial intelligence, BIM and digital twins can support better decisions across the asset lifecycle. His research uses information already generated by projects and operational assets - including models, sensor data, laser scans and maintenance records - to develop practical evidence for owners, contractors and facility managers.
Hamidreza joined Oxford Brookes in 2025 from the University of Cambridge, where he was a Research Associate in the Department of Engineering and made substantial contributions to teaching in Construction Management, including the development of a new undergraduate module. He completed his PhD at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) in Barcelona, where he later held a teaching role, and was a Visiting Research Fellow at the BIM TOPiCS Lab at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. His wider professional experience includes project management in Spain and BIM delivery on construction projects in Australia.
Areas of expertise
• Construction informatics and digital construction
• Building Information Modelling (BIM)
• Digital twins for buildings, roads and infrastructure
• Artificial intelligence, machine learning and large language models in construction
• Asset, facility and maintenance management
• Construction project delivery, procurement and risk
• Data-driven decision support systems
• LiDAR, point clouds and computer vision for the built environment
• Augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) in construction
• Sustainable and circular construction, retrofit and net-zero buildings
• Occupant-centric building performance and comfort
• UAV/drone-based construction progress monitoring, photogrammetry and site inspection
His work brings together construction management and digital technology. He focuses on how buildings and infrastructure are delivered, operated and maintained, and how data, artificial intelligence, BIM and digital twins can support better decisions across the asset lifecycle. His research uses information already generated by projects and operational assets - including models, sensor data, laser scans and maintenance records - to develop practical evidence for owners, contractors and facility managers.
Hamidreza joined Oxford Brookes in 2025 from the University of Cambridge, where he was a Research Associate in the Department of Engineering and made substantial contributions to teaching in Construction Management, including the development of a new undergraduate module. He completed his PhD at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) in Barcelona, where he later held a teaching role, and was a Visiting Research Fellow at the BIM TOPiCS Lab at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. His wider professional experience includes project management in Spain and BIM delivery on construction projects in Australia.
Areas of expertise
• Construction informatics and digital construction
• Building Information Modelling (BIM)
• Digital twins for buildings, roads and infrastructure
• Artificial intelligence, machine learning and large language models in construction
• Asset, facility and maintenance management
• Construction project delivery, procurement and risk
• Data-driven decision support systems
• LiDAR, point clouds and computer vision for the built environment
• Augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) in construction
• Sustainable and circular construction, retrofit and net-zero buildings
• Occupant-centric building performance and comfort
• UAV/drone-based construction progress monitoring, photogrammetry and site inspection
Teaching and supervision
Modules taught
Hamidreza is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and has taught at undergraduate and postgraduate level for more than ten years at Oxford Brookes, the University of Cambridge and UPC Barcelona. He has taught across more than ten modules and has extensive experience of module leadership, curriculum design, assessment development and delivery.
Current module leadership
• PMAN7007 BIM in Practice
• CONM4003 Construction Communication and Information Technology 1
• CONM5006 Construction Communication and Information Technology 2
Teaching, assessment and supervision
• PMAN7006 Advanced Construction Technology and BIM
• CONM6010 Facilities and Maintenance Management
Current module leadership
• PMAN7007 BIM in Practice
• CONM4003 Construction Communication and Information Technology 1
• CONM5006 Construction Communication and Information Technology 2
Teaching, assessment and supervision
• PMAN7006 Advanced Construction Technology and BIM
• CONM6010 Facilities and Maintenance Management
His teaching uses problem-based learning, authentic project scenarios and structured professional roles. Students work with BIM models, point-cloud data and digital-twin environments while considering procurement, risk, project delivery and the practical consequences of their recommendations. His education research examines how authentic, role-based and digitally supported learning can help students develop professional judgement in construction engineering and management.
At the University of Cambridge, he designed and led 3D9 Construction Management, a new undergraduate module introduced in 2025-26, led 4D4 Construction Engineering, and contributed to 4D16 Construction Management, GD1 Sustainable Offsite Construction, A2 Lab Model Structures and 3M1 Mathematical Methods. At UPC, he was module leader for BIM for Engineers and Asset and Facilities Management.
Professional CPD
He also develops and leads professional CPD in BIM, digital twins and data-driven construction workflows for built-environment practitioners, including the From BIM to Digital Twins programme at Oxford Brookes.
At the University of Cambridge, he designed and led 3D9 Construction Management, a new undergraduate module introduced in 2025-26, led 4D4 Construction Engineering, and contributed to 4D16 Construction Management, GD1 Sustainable Offsite Construction, A2 Lab Model Structures and 3M1 Mathematical Methods. At UPC, he was module leader for BIM for Engineers and Asset and Facilities Management.
Professional CPD
He also develops and leads professional CPD in BIM, digital twins and data-driven construction workflows for built-environment practitioners, including the From BIM to Digital Twins programme at Oxford Brookes.
Supervision
Hamidreza supervises MSc dissertations across construction management, digital construction, AI, digital twins, procurement, project risk and infrastructure management. Recent topics include:
• LiDAR-enabled monitoring of construction progress with integrated risk assessment
• Artificial intelligence in construction procurement and decision-making
• Digital-twin-driven data integration for project delivery and performance monitoring
Across his academic career, he has supervised more than 50 postgraduate research dissertations and undergraduate final-year projects, several of which have contributed to peer-reviewed publications and awards. He has co-supervised a PhD student, advised doctoral researchers at Cambridge and UPC, served as an internal examiner for MSc theses, and acted as an external examiner for PhD theses.
PhD and MPhil supervision
Hamidreza welcomes enquiries from prospective PhD and MPhil candidates, including applicants seeking support to develop proposals for funded studentships, scholarships or fellowships. He is particularly interested in supervising research on:
• Digital twins for asset condition assessment, maintenance planning and retrofit
• AI and large language models applied to construction, building and asset data
• Computer vision, LiDAR and point-cloud methods for progress and condition monitoring
• Data-driven procurement, supply-chain and risk decision-making
• Circular economy and net-zero decision support in early design stages
Prospective students are welcome to email a CV and a short outline of their research idea to h.alavi@brookes.ac.uk.
• LiDAR-enabled monitoring of construction progress with integrated risk assessment
• Artificial intelligence in construction procurement and decision-making
• Digital-twin-driven data integration for project delivery and performance monitoring
Across his academic career, he has supervised more than 50 postgraduate research dissertations and undergraduate final-year projects, several of which have contributed to peer-reviewed publications and awards. He has co-supervised a PhD student, advised doctoral researchers at Cambridge and UPC, served as an internal examiner for MSc theses, and acted as an external examiner for PhD theses.
PhD and MPhil supervision
Hamidreza welcomes enquiries from prospective PhD and MPhil candidates, including applicants seeking support to develop proposals for funded studentships, scholarships or fellowships. He is particularly interested in supervising research on:
• Digital twins for asset condition assessment, maintenance planning and retrofit
• AI and large language models applied to construction, building and asset data
• Computer vision, LiDAR and point-cloud methods for progress and condition monitoring
• Data-driven procurement, supply-chain and risk decision-making
• Circular economy and net-zero decision support in early design stages
Prospective students are welcome to email a CV and a short outline of their research idea to h.alavi@brookes.ac.uk.
Research
Hamidreza develops and evaluates digital methods - including BIM, digital twins, artificial intelligence and computer vision - to improve how buildings and infrastructure are delivered, operated and maintained. His research is applied and industry-facing, with collaboration involving contractors, consultants, asset owners, local authorities and academic partners.
His work has appeared in journals including Automation in Construction, Building Research & Information and Facilities. He has more than 30 peer-reviewed publications, including two books published by Springer Nature and Routledge, Taylor & Francis. A full and current list of his publications is available on Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Pgm3uLIAAAAJ
His current industry and knowledge-exchange work focuses on healthy homes and building performance, data-informed road and infrastructure maintenance, and decision-support approaches that help asset owners and public-sector partners turn operational data into practical interventions.
Research interests
• Digital twins for buildings, roads and infrastructure
• AI, machine learning and large language models for construction and asset data
• BIM-based decision support for building condition assessment and maintenance
• Occupant-centric building management, comfort and indoor environmental quality
• Computer vision, LiDAR and point clouds for construction progress monitoring
• Circular construction, renovation and net-zero decision-making
• Healthcare facility design and management
Research grants and projects
Hamidreza has led and contributed to externally funded research and knowledge-exchange projects supported by Horizon Europe, Horizon 2020, national research agencies and public-sector partners.
Current projects
• CIRCULAR1st - Smart Automation for Prioritising Sustainable and Circular Building Solutions in Early Design Stages. Core team member; Spanish State Plan for Scientific and Technical Research and Innovation (PEICTI), 2025-28.
• AEGIR - Digital and Physical Incremental Renovation Packages and Systems Enhancing Environmental and Energetic Behaviour and Use of Resources. Research team member; Horizon Europe, 2023-26, with 28 industrial and academic partners.
Recent projects
• BUILDSPACE - Enabling Innovative Space-driven Services for Energy Efficient Buildings and Climate Resilient Cities. Horizon Europe, 2023-25.
• OMICRON - Automated and optimised maintenance, renewal and upgrade of roads using robotised technologies and intelligent decision-support tools. Horizon 2020, 2021-24.
• VA4BHC - Virtual Assistant for Better Healthcare. Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, 2022-25.
• DigTwins4buildings - Human-centric Digital Twins for Building Management. FAPERGS, Brazil, 2022-23.
• BIM for Facility Managers - Principal Investigator. Catalonia's Agency for Management of University and Research Grants (AGAUR), 2019-22.
• Five commissioned research projects for Terrassa City Hall, Barcelona, on BIM for asset and facility management - Principal Investigator, 2018-22.
Collaboration and enquiries
Hamidreza welcomes collaboration with academic colleagues and industry partners on funded research, knowledge exchange, proof-of-concept work and consultancy involving construction management, digital twins, AI, asset data, infrastructure maintenance and building performance. He is also interested in joining UK and European funding bids as a co-investigator. Please contact h.alavi@brookes.ac.uk.
His work has appeared in journals including Automation in Construction, Building Research & Information and Facilities. He has more than 30 peer-reviewed publications, including two books published by Springer Nature and Routledge, Taylor & Francis. A full and current list of his publications is available on Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Pgm3uLIAAAAJ
His current industry and knowledge-exchange work focuses on healthy homes and building performance, data-informed road and infrastructure maintenance, and decision-support approaches that help asset owners and public-sector partners turn operational data into practical interventions.
Research interests
• Digital twins for buildings, roads and infrastructure
• AI, machine learning and large language models for construction and asset data
• BIM-based decision support for building condition assessment and maintenance
• Occupant-centric building management, comfort and indoor environmental quality
• Computer vision, LiDAR and point clouds for construction progress monitoring
• Circular construction, renovation and net-zero decision-making
• Healthcare facility design and management
Research grants and projects
Hamidreza has led and contributed to externally funded research and knowledge-exchange projects supported by Horizon Europe, Horizon 2020, national research agencies and public-sector partners.
Current projects
• CIRCULAR1st - Smart Automation for Prioritising Sustainable and Circular Building Solutions in Early Design Stages. Core team member; Spanish State Plan for Scientific and Technical Research and Innovation (PEICTI), 2025-28.
• AEGIR - Digital and Physical Incremental Renovation Packages and Systems Enhancing Environmental and Energetic Behaviour and Use of Resources. Research team member; Horizon Europe, 2023-26, with 28 industrial and academic partners.
Recent projects
• BUILDSPACE - Enabling Innovative Space-driven Services for Energy Efficient Buildings and Climate Resilient Cities. Horizon Europe, 2023-25.
• OMICRON - Automated and optimised maintenance, renewal and upgrade of roads using robotised technologies and intelligent decision-support tools. Horizon 2020, 2021-24.
• VA4BHC - Virtual Assistant for Better Healthcare. Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, 2022-25.
• DigTwins4buildings - Human-centric Digital Twins for Building Management. FAPERGS, Brazil, 2022-23.
• BIM for Facility Managers - Principal Investigator. Catalonia's Agency for Management of University and Research Grants (AGAUR), 2019-22.
• Five commissioned research projects for Terrassa City Hall, Barcelona, on BIM for asset and facility management - Principal Investigator, 2018-22.
Collaboration and enquiries
Hamidreza welcomes collaboration with academic colleagues and industry partners on funded research, knowledge exchange, proof-of-concept work and consultancy involving construction management, digital twins, AI, asset data, infrastructure maintenance and building performance. He is also interested in joining UK and European funding bids as a co-investigator. Please contact h.alavi@brookes.ac.uk.
Publications
Professional information
Memberships of professional bodies
Memberships and professional recognition
• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA), Advance HE
• Member, American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
• Member, ASCE United Kingdom International Group
• Member, ASCE Construction Institute
• Member, UK Engineering Professors' Council
Editorial and peer-review roles
Editorial Board Member, Smart and Sustainable Built Environment (Emerald), 2023-present; Guest Editor, Sensors (MDPI), special issue on Intelligent Sensing, Digital Twins and AI Applications for Smart Infrastructure and the Built Environment, 2026-present; Guest Editor, Buildings (MDPI), special issue on Advancements in Net-Zero-Energy Buildings, 2025-present; and former Editorial Board Member, Journal of Architecture and Infrastructure Planning, 2022-23.
Reviewer of more than 100 manuscripts across 18 journals, including Automation in Construction, Building and Environment, Energy and Buildings, Data-Centric Engineering (Cambridge University Press) and the ASCE Journal of Infrastructure Systems. He has also reviewed book proposals in construction engineering and management for Taylor & Francis and grant proposals for the Research and Sponsored Projects Office at UAE University.
• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA), Advance HE
• Member, American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
• Member, ASCE United Kingdom International Group
• Member, ASCE Construction Institute
• Member, UK Engineering Professors' Council
Editorial and peer-review roles
Editorial Board Member, Smart and Sustainable Built Environment (Emerald), 2023-present; Guest Editor, Sensors (MDPI), special issue on Intelligent Sensing, Digital Twins and AI Applications for Smart Infrastructure and the Built Environment, 2026-present; Guest Editor, Buildings (MDPI), special issue on Advancements in Net-Zero-Energy Buildings, 2025-present; and former Editorial Board Member, Journal of Architecture and Infrastructure Planning, 2022-23.
Reviewer of more than 100 manuscripts across 18 journals, including Automation in Construction, Building and Environment, Energy and Buildings, Data-Centric Engineering (Cambridge University Press) and the ASCE Journal of Infrastructure Systems. He has also reviewed book proposals in construction engineering and management for Taylor & Francis and grant proposals for the Research and Sponsored Projects Office at UAE University.
Conferences
Conference leadership and scientific service
Area Chair and Session Chair for five international conferences hosted at the University of Cambridge in July 2026: SASBE, BDTSC, FUTUREROADS, CONVR and ICIO. He has also served on the International Scientific Committee for the International Conference on Digital Frontiers in Buildings and Infrastructure (University of Barcelona, 2026; TU Delft, 2025) and chaired the Digital Twins in Action (BIM) session at the ASCE International Conference on Computing in Civil Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, 2024.
Selected invited talks
• 'Twin Talks: 7D BIM for Facility Management', Schulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary, 2026
• 'From Blueprint to Digital Twin: Rethinking Design Detailing through Data-Driven Modelling', The Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction, UCL, 2025
• 'Digital Twin for Building Operation and Maintenance: the AEGIR Project', Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, 2025
• 'Advancing Road Maintenance through Digital Twin and Decision Support System Processes', Laing O'Rourke Centre Information Technology Showcase, University of Cambridge, 2024
• 'BIM Integration with Emerging Technologies', BIM TOPiCS Lab, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, 2022
Industry experience and professional education
• Project Manager, Top Health Tech, Barcelona, Spain, 2022-23
• Lecturer, Escuela Técnica Internacional Online (EADIC), Madrid - professional education in BIM, digital construction and project management, 2022-24
• BIM Specialist, MK Building Construction Company, Canberra, Australia, 2016-17
Awards
• AGAUR Doctoral Scholarship, Catalonia's Agency for Management of University and Research Grants - awarded with the highest score among applicants, 2019
• Municipal Award for Excellence in University Research, Terrassa City Hall, Barcelona - awarded in four consecutive years, 2018-21
• Top Graduate Recognition in Civil Engineering, 2014
Further details
• Personal website: https://hr-alavi.github.io/
• Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Pgm3uLIAAAAJ
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hamidreza-alavi-729b0416b/
• Email: h.alavi@brookes.ac.uk
Area Chair and Session Chair for five international conferences hosted at the University of Cambridge in July 2026: SASBE, BDTSC, FUTUREROADS, CONVR and ICIO. He has also served on the International Scientific Committee for the International Conference on Digital Frontiers in Buildings and Infrastructure (University of Barcelona, 2026; TU Delft, 2025) and chaired the Digital Twins in Action (BIM) session at the ASCE International Conference on Computing in Civil Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, 2024.
Selected invited talks
• 'Twin Talks: 7D BIM for Facility Management', Schulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary, 2026
• 'From Blueprint to Digital Twin: Rethinking Design Detailing through Data-Driven Modelling', The Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction, UCL, 2025
• 'Digital Twin for Building Operation and Maintenance: the AEGIR Project', Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, 2025
• 'Advancing Road Maintenance through Digital Twin and Decision Support System Processes', Laing O'Rourke Centre Information Technology Showcase, University of Cambridge, 2024
• 'BIM Integration with Emerging Technologies', BIM TOPiCS Lab, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, 2022
Industry experience and professional education
• Project Manager, Top Health Tech, Barcelona, Spain, 2022-23
• Lecturer, Escuela Técnica Internacional Online (EADIC), Madrid - professional education in BIM, digital construction and project management, 2022-24
• BIM Specialist, MK Building Construction Company, Canberra, Australia, 2016-17
Awards
• AGAUR Doctoral Scholarship, Catalonia's Agency for Management of University and Research Grants - awarded with the highest score among applicants, 2019
• Municipal Award for Excellence in University Research, Terrassa City Hall, Barcelona - awarded in four consecutive years, 2018-21
• Top Graduate Recognition in Civil Engineering, 2014
Further details
• Personal website: https://hr-alavi.github.io/
• Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Pgm3uLIAAAAJ
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hamidreza-alavi-729b0416b/
• Email: h.alavi@brookes.ac.uk
Further details
Personal website: https://hr-alavi.github.io/
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Pgm3uLIAAAAJ
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hamidreza-alavi-729b0416b/
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Pgm3uLIAAAAJ
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hamidreza-alavi-729b0416b/