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This study focuses on identifying key principles for implementing strategic changes in design and construction companies interested in successfully using offsite construction (OSC) in multifamily housing projects, considering the need for more affordable and sustainable multifamily housing in the United States of America (USA).

Using mixed methods, the study involved three phases of data collection and data analysis: (1) delphi survey, (2) online survey, (3) proposition of principles and validation interviews.

The key principles identified by the present research are (1) develop product-oriented business model, (2) promote leadership and mindset engagement with OSC principles, (3) engage in partnerships and more innovative contractual models, (4) shift toward digital transformation, (5) develop training and knowledge management strategies, (6) adopt lean construction (LC) practices, (7) develop training and knowledge management strategies and (8) integrate logistics and supply chain management with AEC (architecture, engineering and construction) processes.

The implementation of the principles and strategic changes identified in this study aims to prepare design and construction companies, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), to embrace the increasing use of OSC in multifamily projects in the USA, which will make them more efficient and resilient and, ultimately, will contribute to the construction of more affordable and sustainable multifamily housing projects in the USA.

This is the first research to address holistic strategies to support design and construction companies in adopting OSC.

The purpose is two-fold: (1) to explore the interactions of robotic systems and lean construction in the context of offsite construction (OC) that were addressed in the literature published between 2008 and 2019 and (2) to identify the gaps in such interactions while discussing how addressing those gaps can benefit not only OC but the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry as a whole.

First, a systematic literature review (SLR) identified journal papers addressing the interactions of automation and lean in OC. Then, the researchers focused the analysis on the under-researched subtopic of robotic systems. The focused analysis includes discussing the interactions identified in the SLR through a matrix of interactions and utilizing literature beyond the previously identified articles for future research directions on robotic systems and lean construction in OC.

The study found 35 journal papers that addressed automation and lean in the context of OC. Most of the identified literature focused on interactions of BIM and lean construction, while only nine focused on the interactions of robotic systems and lean construction. Identified literature related to robotic systems mainly addressed robots and automated equipment. Additional interactions were identified in the realm of wearable devices, unmanned aerial vehicles/automated guided vehicles and digital fabrication/computer numerical control (CNC) machines.

This is one of the first studies dedicated to exploring the interactions of robotic systems and lean construction in OC. Also, it proposes a categorization for construction automation and a matrix of interactions between construction automation and lean construction.