Improving Circularity in Construction Through a BIM-Based Waste Management Framework

• Published in: IOP conference series. Earth and environmental science Vol. 1363; no. 1; pp. 12042 - 12053
• Main Authors: Fereydooni Eftekhari, Alireza, Khodabakhshian, Ania, Re Cecconi, Fulvio, Daniotti, Bruno
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bristol IOP Publishing 01.06.2024
• Subjects: Building Information Modelling (BIM); Circular economy; Circular Economy (CE); Circularity; Construction; Construction industry; Construction Waste Management; Data acquisition; Environmental impact; Environmental management; Industry 4.0; Industry Foundation Classes (IFC); Information management; Information processing; Project engineering; Project management; Raw materials; Recyclability; Resource consumption; Waste management
• ISSN: 1755-1307; 1755-1315
• DOI: 10.1088/1755-1315/1363/1/012042

Abstract The Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry, known for its significant resource consumption and waste production, requires a shift to a Circular Economy (CE) to address environmental challenges, focusing on reducing, recycling, and reusing materials to narrow, slow, and close material loops. The impact of CE in the AEC industry is directly associated with the existing buildings’ potential to be a source of raw materials for future construction projects. The waste management process necessitates detailed information on material composition, connections, availability, future uses, and quality. Urban Mining, facilitated by digital technologies and Industry 4.0 solutions, aims to provide answers to the abovementioned questions. This study, focusing on the Italian building sector, utilizes BIM and IFC platforms to establish a standardized procedure aligned with Italian regulations. The procedure encompasses data acquisition, transmission, integration, and application, resulting in practical and trackable measures stored in IFC files. Notably, this procedure is scalable globally. The results of this study are important from a managerial point of view to have a comprehensive and standardized procedure, improving waste management and decreasing the environmental impacts of the construction sector. Moreover, it contributes to enhancing the cost-benefit efficiency of the industry through enhancing circularity.