Performance indicators for biomimicry-based construction materials and their operationalisation through augmented reality: a systematic literature review

Abstract

Biomimicry-based construction materials are nature-inspired materials designed to replicate biological structures, processes, and ecosystem functions to enhance sustainability and building performance. Construction plays a major role in global carbon emissions, and construction materials account for a significant proportion of embodied environmental impacts. Therefore, it is understood that biomimicry-based construction materials have been gaining popularity as replacement materials. Thus, the study highlights the need for addressing the gaps in enhanced effectiveness in early stages of decision-making for the biomimicry-based construction materials. Existing studies predominantly evaluate biomimicry-based materials in isolation, while integrated frameworks capable of operationalising environmental, functional, and aesthetic performance indicators through accessible digital decision-support mechanisms remain limited. Accordingly, this study aims to synthesise multidimensional material performance indicators and examine how minimal Augmented Reality (AR)-based visualisation can support early-stage material selection. Furthermore, the relevant literature retrieved is subjected to qualitative content analysis. Therefore, the study highlights aspects of environmental, functional, and aesthetic-perceptual performance indicators, which have been explored as separate domains. Furthermore, the study highlights the unsatisfactory utilisation of augmented reality for visualising sustainability. Therefore, the study proposes a conceptual approach to deliver enhanced effectiveness for visualising augmented reality-based biomimicry-based construction materials.