  Citation: Li, K.; Duan, T.; Li, Z.; Xiahou, X.; Zeng, N.; Li, Q. Development Path of Construction Industry Internet Platform: An AHP–TOPSIS Integrated Approach. Buildings 2022, 12, 441. https:// doi.org/10.3390/buildings12040441 Academic Editors: Tao Wang, Jian Zuo, Hanliang Fu and Zezhou Wu Received: 7 March 2022 Accepted: 2 April 2022 Published: 5 April 2022 Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affil- iations. Copyright: © 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ 4.0/). buildings Article Development Path of Construction Industry Internet Platform: An AHP–TOPSIS Integrated Approach Kang Li, Tianle Duan, Zirui Li, Xiaer Xiahou, Ningshuang Zeng and Qiming Li * Department of Construction Management and Real Estate, School of Civil Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China; seulikang@163.com (K.L.); 213191163@seu.edu.cn (T.D.); 213182131@seu.edu.cn (Z.L.); xhcmre@seu.edu.cn (X.X.); ningshuang.zeng@rub.de (N.Z.) * Correspondence: seulqming@163.com Abstract: The Internet-based platform in the construction industry is a carrier for integrated construc- tion information, which positively contributes to the development of smart construction sites (SCS). However, the lack of relevant research results in the ambiguous definition of the construction industry Internet platform. Meanwhile, the current development path of these platforms is also confusing. For this reason, this research first concludes on the main features of Internet-based platforms in the construction industry and puts forward a clear definition. Secondly, a large quantity of literature is overviewed to identify branches of Internet-based platforms as comprehensively as possible. Then, 26 platforms are sorted and classified according to different construction phases. Based on the analytic hierarchy process, an AHP–TOPSIS model, a decision-making method frequently used in the engineering industry, is established with dimensions of technology, demand, policy, and standards. Eventually, the priority of the development of the Internet platform of each segment is sorted, thereby forming the three-stage development path of the construction industry Internet platform, namely Foundation Construction Stage (Platform 1.0), Function Developing Stage (Platform 2.0), Platform Integration Stage (Platform 3.0), and analyzing the characteristics of each development stage. This research opened a clear path for developing Internet-based platforms and providing a basis for formulating development policies for these platforms in the construction industry. With the limitation of an incomprehensive summary of evaluation criteria and platform branches, a better-designed evaluation with more experts in various positions should be conducted in future further research. Keywords: construction industry Internet platform; Internet-based platforms; smart construction; AHP; TOPSIS 1. Introduction Platforms have been regarded as a paradigm for managing new product development and innovation [1]. In this era, platforms, especially those based on the Internet, tend to spring out in industries whose development is accelerating, requiring media to inte- grate data information, judge current situations, and help make decisions. In other words, Internet-based platforms are a modern management tool for developing industries [2]. In the construction industry, the demand for the comprehensive performance of construction products is constantly increasing. Due to the obvious advantages of information technol- ogy, it is an inevitable trend to improve traditional management approaches to enhance the competitiveness of the construction industry [3]. To realize the conception of lean construction, intelligent technologies including BIM, 5G, blockchain, artificial intelligence, 3D printing, Internet of Things (IoT), big data, cloud computing, etc., have been utilized in smart construction sites (SCS) [4]. Hence, Internet-based platforms are a new-era product that integrate these intelligent technologies and evolve into a powerful management tool. It is of significance to conduct more in-depth studies on Internet-based platforms. To promote the development of smart construction, many countries have introduced the conception of intelligent development in the construction industry accordingly, which Buildings 2022, 12, 441. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings12040441 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/buildings