Dear Colleagues,

Sufficient and high-quality workforce resources in the AEC industry are an important prerequisite for the sustainable development in the field of infrastructure construction. Increasing construction workforce diversity, both in craft and staff roles, is vital to addressing the ongoing workforce shortage. Diversity is realized in various forms and applies to various groups based on gender, race, or ethnicity but also age, sexual orientation, and ability. Across national contexts, data suggest that the construction industry exhibits low levels of diversity. The construction industry is currently undergoing a process of institutional change, with social value increasingly competing with cost and quality as a measure of overall project success. Recognizing the importance of various DEI groups and social procurement concepts can have practical implications for educational institutions, individual practitioners, and organizations. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct research to explore the factors affecting the DEI level in the AEC industry, the impact of DEI on the sustainable development of the AEC industry, and the relevant solutions to improve the DEI level of the AEC industry.

Junqi Liu