The 57-year-old scientist and expert in construction processes has extensive experience in science and practice. He was previously head of the Institute for Construction Management and Construction Industry at Graz University of Technology and is a sworn and court-certified expert. He also taught regularly at TU Darmstadt and TU Dortmund University and gave guest lectures in Saudi Arabia and South Africa.

Professor Hofstadler sees great potential in his future work in increasing productivity and sustainability as well as digitalization in construction operations. One focus of his research is the generation of reliable basic data for Building Information Modeling (BIM), supported by the construction industry. Digitalization, a ubiquitous topic, will play a key role in future developments in construction operations and the construction industry, both in research and in practice. His research interests include agile digitalization and artificial intelligence (AI), the modelling and simulation of construction processes as well as the introduction of new management methods and sustainable circular economy processes. We asked Professor Hofstadler a few questions about his plans at TU Darmstadt.

Why should students be interested in your topics? / What is exciting about your topics?

Building is challenging, exciting, complicated and complex. Building means advancing civilization while respecting the earth, its resources and other living beings. Every construction project brings with it different challenges – be it in terms of complexity, the environment or construction operations. Dealing with these issues requires technical and legal knowledge, management skills, social skills, creativity and agility, among other things. Construction operations is therefore a versatile and lively specialist area, which represents an exciting field of research and activity, particularly due to the necessary combination of strategic considerations and practical feasibility. In particular, the topics I focus on, digitalization and sustainability in construction operations, represent a future-oriented approach that, together with the learning of systemic working methods and the lively interaction between theory and practice, provides students with a knowledge advantage for the start of a successful professional career.

Interdisciplinarity is very important at TU Darmstadt. Where are there interfaces with other specialist areas in your field of work?

My basic pillars in research and teaching are strongly oriented towards the aspects and social challenges of interdisciplinarity, modelling, simulation and digitalization as well as a holistic understanding of processes in relation to construction projects in order to focus more on the topic of sustainability in the future. Above all, a fundamental understanding of construction processes plays a decisive role in further interdisciplinary networking. In this respect, I see promising interfaces with a large number of specialist areas such as construction and building technology, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and computer engineering, as well as materials and environmental technology.

I also see a close link between the field of construction management and law as well as business, economics and social science disciplines. Only a holistic perspective on construction projects, which takes into account economic as well as legal, ecological and social factors, guarantees a sustainable orientation of construction operations.

The following life and work motto, which reflects this demand for interdisciplinarity, is my constant companion: “Without social and ecological appreciation, there is no lasting value creation!”

Which TU department would you like to spend a day in? Why?

As the answer to the previous question has already shown, I am very interested in a wide variety of departments in terms of interdisciplinarity. However, if I could only choose one of them for a taster day, my first choice would be the Department of Computer Science. The reason for this is, on the one hand, the close links with construction informatics and, on the other, my unbridled curiosity for areas located at this interface, such as automation, robotics and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) for construction processes. I see enormous potential for a future-proof, sustainable construction industry in these disciplines.

If I were a student today, I would …

… take up various topics with great curiosity and use mind maps to approach each topic in order to find out what interests me most. Focusing on selected specialist areas provides orientation and sets goals, which in turn increase personal motivation. This ultimately makes it possible to get into a state of flow during research work or when writing academic texts.

I would also look for mentors who could show me interesting perspectives and not only support me in my endeavors, but also challenge me at the same time. Studying at a university like TU Darmstadt offers numerous opportunities if you are motivated and want to try out new things.

The best balance to a stressful working day is … …

reading.

On the one hand, I find it relaxing because it allows me to immerse myself in new worlds, and on the other, it inspires me to come up with new ideas and put them into practice. Reading books about knowledge work, innovative problem-solving models and working methods provides a lot of impetus for my own ideas and research approaches. In addition to reading, I also find writing to be a very balancing activity in which I find peace and at the same time can continuously develop my research topics. I also see the exchange with curious and inquisitive people at the end of a stressful working day as a valuable balance that allows me to reflect on the day and take the best out of it. In addition to reading and writing, I particularly value sporting activities and, of course, time with my family as an important source of relaxation. Sport helps me to clear my head and recharge my batteries, while spending time with my family gives me the opportunity to switch off and enjoy the moment. This balance between physical activity, mental relaxation and social moments is the ideal way for me to cope with stressful working days in a motivated way