A Systematic Review of Digital Technologies for Emergency Preparedness in Buildings

Abstract

Natural and human-made hazards are increasing due to global warming and human activities. Occupant evacuation in complex buildings remains challenging due to unfamiliar building layouts, communication failures, and unpredictable occupant behavior. Therefore, this study aims to explore how integrating digital technologies enhances emergency preparedness, supports occupant decision-making during evacuation, and improves occupants’ situational awareness. We conducted a PRISMA-guided systematic literature review across Scopus, IEEE Xplore, and ProQuest Discover, analyzing 31 high-quality journal articles relevant to the research. The focus was on integrating digital technologies to support occupant situational awareness and evacuation outcomes. This review explores the integration of Internet of Things (IoT), Building Information Modeling (BIM), Virtual Reality (VR) /Augmented Reality (AR), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Digital Twins (DTs) for emergency preparedness, supporting real-world applications. This review highlights three research questions: (1) Evaluate how current digital technologies affect occupant emergency preparedness in buildings; (2) Identify the challenges that limit the effectiveness of digital technologies across key emergency preparedness stages; (3) Understand how digital technologies can support occupant emergency preparedness. The review compiles evidence and presents a conceptual framework to support the integration of digital technologies into occupant-focused emergency preparedness, providing practical guidance for the future direction of risk management research.