DIGITAL BUILDING PASSPORT IN AZERBAIJAN: A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW

Abstract

Azerbaijan’s housing stock is largely composed of Soviet-era prefabricated panel buildings (1950s–1990s), characterized by poor thermal performance and the absence of digital documentation. Although a national building energy certification system was introduced in 2022, a comprehensive Digital Building Passport (DBP) framework adapted to post-Soviet conditions has not yet been developed. This study presents a systematic literature review aimed at identifying advanced European DBP and Building Renovation Passport (BRP) models, analyzing their data structures and implementation barriers, and developing a context-adapted DBP model for Azerbaijan. The review follows the PRISMA 2020 guidelines and is based on a Scopus search, resulting in a final sample of 40 peer-reviewed studies published between 2018 and 2026. The results reveal a rapid increase in research activity, with 44% of publications appearing in 2025, reflecting the impact of recent European policy developments. Thematic analysis shows that 59% of studies focus on digital building logbook data structures, while 30% address building renovation passports. Across the reviewed literature, four key implementation barriers are consistently identified: data interoperability, data quality limitations, administrative fragmentation, and low stakeholder engagement. The main scientific contribution of this study is the development of a three-level conceptual DBP model tailored to the Azerbaijani context, integrating static building data, renovation history based on standardized typologies, and long-term renovation planning. From a practical perspective, the proposed model provides a scalable and modular solution suitable for data-constrained environments, supporting a phased transition from static certification systems to dynamic, lifecycle-oriented digital building management.