This volume presents the first collective outcomes of the “ISTeA Giovani” initiative, launched to foster collaboration among early-career researchers in the CEAR-08/B scientific sector. Developed through an interdisciplinary bottom-up process, the initiative engaged over thirty participants across Italian universities in thematic research groups. The work is structured in three macrosections which are representative of the main research trajectories taken by the scientific community: 
(1) digitalization and structuring of technical and economic information in AEC processes, which focuses on BIM, cost ontologies, and regulatory alignment;
(2) the digital transition of the built environment, which explores data integration, Digital Twins, and AI-supported management; and
(3) sustainability, energy efficiency, and resilience in construction, which focuses on recent advances on BIPV, life cycle assessment, and digital tools for environmental impact mitigation.
The work aims to exemplify a replicable model for scientific networking and innovation, promoting integrated solutions to contemporary challenges in the built environment.

Stefano Cascone is PhD from the University of Catania and he served as a Assistant Professor at the Mediterranea University of Reggio Calabria. He is qualified to hold the position of Associate Professor (academic recruitment field 08/C1). In 2024, he was included in the top 2% of the most cited researchers worldwide according to Stanford University.

Francesco Pittau is Assistant Professor (tenure-track) in Production and Management of Built Environment at Politecnico di Milano, Department of Architecture Built environment and Construction engineering (DABC). With a past experience as researcher at ETH Zurich, he is author of over 90 publications, mostly from international collaborations, in the field of sustainable construction.

Marianna Rotilio is Associate Professor in Production and Management of Built Environment at University of L’Aquila, Department of Civil, ConstructionArchitectural and Environmental Engineering (DICEAA). She is the scientific responsible of many national and international research projects and she published over 150 papers during her career.