Blueprints of the Future: Charting the Digital Transformation of Romania’s Construction Sector

The construction sector is a cornerstone of the European Union’s economy, significantly contributing to GDP and employment. Despite its economic importance, the sector faces numerous challenges such as low productivity, resource inefficiency, and labor shortages. Digital technologies, especially Building Information Modelling (BIM), are seen as solutions to these issues. EU initiatives like the §§§§Strategy for the sustainable competitiveness of the construction sector,§§§§ the §§§§Renovation Wave,§§§§ and the Circular Economy Action Plan, along with programs like §§§§Digital Europe Programme§§§§ and §§§§Horizon Europe,§§§§ support the sector’s digitalisation. Countries across Europe have mandated BIM in public projects, showcasing its potential to enhance collaboration, reduce costs, and optimize resource use. Romania, categorized as an “Emerging Innovator” by the 2021 European Innovation Scoreboard, has been slow in adopting digital methods in construction. However, recent governmental efforts are accelerating this transformation. BIM is increasingly mandated in public tenders, reflecting a growing acknowledgment of its benefits. Romania’s construction sector is thus on a path towards comprehensive digitalisation, aligning with broader EU goals for smarter, greener, and more efficient construction practices.