DrBiyanka Ekanayake

Dr. Biyanka Ekanayake is a lecturer in Construction Automation and Property Technology at UTS, specialising in computer vision and generative AI, key branches of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Her research and teaching are dedicated to advancing automation in the construction and property industries through AI. Her research responds to significant challenges in housing delivery, building defects and professional capability as construction and property sectors adapt to rapid technological change and sustainability challenges. Recognised for her excellence in research integrated and practice-oriented teaching in AI, construction and property, Biyanka received the 2025 UTS Vice-Chancellor’s Learning and Teaching: Early Career Teaching Award. Biyanka is the winner of 2025 Faculty Award for Integrating Generative AI in Teaching and Learning and 2023 Faculty Award for Innovative Curriculum Design. She serves as the AI Lead for the School, focusing on the ethical and innovative integration of GenAI into School’s teaching and research practices. She is a regular speaker at industry events and academic forums on AI in construction and property industries and she also delivers consultancy projects in these areas. 

Biyanka is a Guest Editor for the Special Issue in "AI in the Built Environment: Opportunities, Risks, and Future Directions" (Building Research & Information Q1 Journal). She is the lead author of the upcoming book on PropTech Education and Professional Skills in the Age of AI: Preparing Construction and Property Professionals for AI-Enabled Practice (Routledge). 

Research portfolio

Biyanka’s core expertise in AI spans computer vision, GenAI, large language models, machine learning, deep learning, and vision-language models. Construction and property sectors face interconnected challenges arising from inefficient construction progress monitoring that constrains housing delivery, building defects that impose financial and safety consequences, and increasing use of AI creating uneven capability across the sector. Biyanka's research program addresses these challenges through AI-enabled innovation that supports more sustainable housing delivery, improved building quality and professional capability-building. It also has strong public and social value at a time of significant housing pressure in Australia, increasing defects in apartment buildings, and a growing need for construction and property professionals to use AI responsibly. Her research demonstrates how creative technological approaches can address complex industry and societal challenges. As of 2026, She is a highly cited emerging scholar in following areas with her research widely published in leading construction and property journals and presented at international conferences. Her research links directly with the UN SDGs - SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure) and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities). 

AI-based solutions for addressing building defects
Amid Australia’s housing crisis, building stakeholders need guidance to understand prevalent defects such as waterproofing failures and structural cracks, which compromise building performance, increase costs and reduce confidence in housing quality. Biyanka's research responds to this need by applying vision-language AI. 

AI-based housing construction progress monitoring
This theme builds on Biyanka's PhD research on computer vision for construction progress monitoring, which used AI (computer vision with deep learning algorithms) to analyse site images and automatically track housing construction progress. It responds to reliance on manual monitoring practices in housing delivery, which contribute to delays and cost overruns. These issues are significant in the context of Australia’s housing supply and affordability pressures.

Ethical and innovative AI for property practice and capacity-building
Biyanka's research responds to the rapid adoption of GenAI in professional practice, where risks around accuracy, bias, privacy and professional judgement are increasingly evident. She develops responsible AI approaches for capability-building, with a focus on translating research into practical tools, professional guidance and educational change.

Recognising her expertise, she has been invited to serves as an Editorial Review Board Member of Smart and Sustainable Built Environments journal (Q1) and Construction innovation journal (Q1) and Scientific Committee Member, World Construction Symposium (Scopus Indexed). Biyanka received the Professor Gamunu Fernando Memorial Award for Best Undergraduate Dissertation in 2017 from the University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka for her early research on sustainabilty and technology in the built environment. 

Teaching portfolio

Biyanka equips construction and property students to lead industry technological innovation through student-centred teaching, curriculum and assessment integrating technology, practice, research and industry engagement. She leads the PropTech sub-major at UTS, Australia's first program dedicated to this emerging field. UTS has integrated a distinct PropTech sub-major into their Bachelor of Construction Project Management and Bachelor of Property Economics degrees. This sub-major focuses on the integration of AI, digital tools and data analytics within the property and construction sectors, providing students with the skills and knowledge to leverage emerging technologies in collaboration with major PropTech companies in Australia. She also teaches construction management subjects  with a focus on AI in Bachelor of Construction Project Management, Australia’s most sought-after degree program in the field. Recognised for her effective and inclusive teaching practice, Biyanka is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA). 

She frequently showcases her GenAI-related teaching at UTS and is often invited to lead and facilitate workshops at other universities, industry forums, and national and international conferences. Before joining UTS, she was a research scholar and visiting lecturer in buildings at University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka.

Services and engagement
Biyanka is the AI Lead for the School of Architecture & Built Environment and also serves as the Early Career Research (ECR) Representative on the Faculty Research Committee. She is also a Committee Member of the 2026 Faculty Teaching & Learning Community of Practice established to inform the faculty’s new strategy. As an early career academic working at the nexus of AI, data analytics, and the built environment, she is committed to helping shape the strategic direction of the Faculty. 

Biyanka actively contributes to several key roles that enhance the quality and relevance of construction and property education at UTS and beyond. As a “Chartered Building Professional", she was elected to the NSW Chapter Committee (2024-2025) of the Australian Institute of Building (AIB). She is also a member of the Property Technology Association of Australia (PropTech Association), the peak body championing the growth of technology in the property industry and education. 

As the Academic Mentor of the UTS Built Environment Student Association (2023-2026) and the School of Built Environment Representative for the Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research, Biyanka is dedicated to fostering inclusive and supportive learning environments for the construction and property students. Her commitment to equity is further demonstrated through her involvement in the 2024 UTS Philanthropic Awards Program Working Group, which aimed to expand scholarships, prizes, internships, and mentorship opportunities to enrich the student experience. She was also part of the “Emerging Leaders” cohort in the 2024 UTS LEAD Program representing the faculty. Biyanka’s dedication to creating positive career pathways for students from diverse backgrounds reflects her broader mission to shape a more inclusive and innovative future in the construction and property sectors.