Technical Criteria in Construction Materials Education in Spain: A Curriculum Analysis of Sustainability, Regulation, and Material Use

Construction materials are a central component of current sustainability and decarbonization strategies in the building sector. However, the technical criteria that govern their definition, characterization, and validation remain anchored in traditional physicochemical and regulatory frameworks. In this context, this study analyzed which technical criteria are prioritized in university course syllabi for the characterization, validation, and use of construction materials in Spain. A qualitative content analysis following a conventional inductive approach was conducted using ATLAS.ti version 25. The study examined 56 course syllabi from construction materials courses offered at 20 Spanish universities. The findings reveal the predominance of standardized physicochemical characterization, a strong emphasis on regulatory validation through testing and quality control, and a conception of technical use centered on procedural compliance. Concrete emerged as the hegemonic material, being explicitly addressed in 37 of the 56 syllabi analyzed with 612 references. Sustainability-related content appeared across the syllabi but was generally incorporated as an additional criterion rather than a structuring principle. These results indicate that current curricular frameworks reinforce technical regimes oriented toward control and standardization, which may limit the integration of lifecycle performance, material diversity, and sustainability as central criteria in materials education.