Aligning Digital Technologies in Off-site Construction with Industry 5.0 Design Principles for a Sustainable Future

Off-site construction (OSC) is globally supported due to its numerous economic benefits. The adoption of automated and digitised systems in a controlled factory environment has helped the construction industry shift from traditional project-based approaches towards production philosophies. Despite the ongoing embrace and development of digital technologies, the industry faces challenges such as meeting the net zero pledges and addressing broader social implications. Industry 5.0, a new phase for industries, aims to go beyond efficiency and productivity by emphasising human centricity, environmental sustainability, and supply chain resilience. This study sought to map key OSC technologies and discuss their contributions to Industry 5.0 strategic direction. Bibliometric analysis was firstly employed to identify key digital technologies in OSC, followed by content analysis to offer more detailed discussion on these technologies. The results show that resilience principle is the most supported by OSC technologies promoting key characteristics, such as quality control, process visibility, anticipation, cyber security, and decentralised decision making. In comparison, only limited OSC technologies applied to promote human centricity and environmental sustainability through promoting assistive technologies and environmental assessment simulations. Future research needs to employ technology to promote health and safety, construction circularity, and social sustainability.