Integrated Planning and Recording Circularity of Construction Materials through Digital Modelling

Today, the AEC industry is being transformed by technology, innovation, and data-driven business models aiming to solve problems obstructive to a sustainable future. The construction sector is one of the leading sources of environmental impact since its business operations lead to raw material depletion, environmental contamination, and greenhouse gas emissions. This dissertation focuses on the demolition process, as currently generated waste and recycling rates indicate that more effective operation is needed to enable circularity of construction materials since most of them have potential to be reused or recycled. The main purpose of the study is to represent the BIM-driven approach for asset survey, construction demolition waste management, and its digital representation as a composition of materials and products in a web-based application for open public use. The work discloses existing methodologies, applications, breakthroughs, and contains a review of standards and legislation base in relation to the application of information technologies and information management methodologies in circular economy context. Using business process reengineering approach, the current process model of demolition practice and its gap analysis were defined, and the new upgraded model was proposed with digital-driven methodologies. These methodologies refer to: (i) a cost-effective approach to data capture and modelling of an asset to be demolished; (ii) product data templates for BIM objects for information circularity; (iii) level of information need framework for demolition use case to establish information requirements in BIM driven project delivery. The roles of open data formats, open-source approaches, web-based applications in promoting circular economy in the construction sector and providing affordable technologies for widespread public use were discussed. Based on identified potentials and advantages, the prototype of a web-based platform for IFC BIM model processing was implemented, providing an automated input for marketplaces for demolition waste and products. To justify the proposed new workflow, a case study was demonstrated with the application of methodologies of reengineered process and the proposal of a BIM execution plan. The presentation of the case study included the survey and pre-demolition audit, BIM model elaboration, and the use of the developed web-based platform, showing its successful operation. The implementation of the proposed workflow showed its efficiency, applicability, and viability. The stated objectives were assessed as achieved.