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This paper examines the potential for, and attendant impediments of, connecting the virtual and physical worlds, thus enabling the reuse of building components, thereby reducing waste, energy, emissions and cost. It outlines how this may be achieved by the exchange of data between building information models (BIM) and radio-frequency identification...
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... Technical cycles refer to finite materials that should be designed to remain in the production system through maintenance and repair, reuse, remanufacturing, and recycling (EMF 2015;Kalmykova et al. 2018;Morseletto 2020). Key enablers for keeping materials circulating in technical cycles are design for disassembly (Cruz Rios and Grau 2020;Durmisevic 2019;Rios et al. 2015;Stahel 2019), circular business models (Bocken et al. 2016;Cruz Rios and Grau 2020;Michelini et al. 2017;Stahel 2019), and material tracking technologies (Copeland and Bilec 2020;Luscuere and Mulhall 2018;Swift et al. 2015). These enablers can be implemented into the built environment in order to reduce the demand for the key materials used in buildings, including steel, plastics, aluminum, and cement (EMF 2019), and, correspondingly, to decrease embodied carbon as well as global carbon emissions. ...
... Although all these classification systems have been developed with a purpose to classify building artifacts, there are significant differences between them (Jørgensen, 2011), (Caldas and Soibelman, 2003), (Lou and Goulding, 2008), (Afsari and Eastman, 2016), (Dikbas and Ercoskun, 2020). Each system has its own different way of classifying building elements , (Ekholm and Häggström, 2011), (Lou and Goulding, 2011), (Caldas et al., 2002), (Swift et al., 2015) (Gelder, 2015) and others. Crawfords (2015) believes that while international compliance will improve cooperation between countries, a well-defined national framework is needed for local needs. ...
The research performs a comprehensive analysis of the existing most widely used international and local construction classification system application practices, to identify the main benefits or problematic aspects of their application in the context of BIM. The research estimates the time and cost resources required to classify the standard BIM model in the three selected classification systems - Uniclass 2015, CCI and LBN 501-17, thus identifying the time and costs to be considered when classifying or reclassifying BIM models in different classifica-tion systems. The novelty and added value of the study are the empirical evi-dence obtained for scientists and policymakers on the comparative characteris-tics of classification systems and the time and cost resources required to apply them to national building digitization policies.
... Although the Madaster database can be accessed by 'service providers', it lacks a mechanism for these providers to remotely monitor and manage their components. Whilst automated identification of building elements is common on construction sites, it is rarely used beyond tracking movement to/from site and installation [10]. While Building Information Modeling (BIM) has the capability to capture and maintain the essential knowledge among relevant stakeholders, enabling them to examine the feasibility of reusing building components for projects by importing component models into new designs, there is limited research that explores the potential of BIM for improving circularity [11]. ...
... It relies on a predetermined library and the project data from user input to estimate recyclable/reusable volume, rather than from tracked data. In addition, the levels of sophistication in the use of Radio-frequency Identification (RFID), BIM and the Cloud have been uneven [10]. Cloud-enabled BIM and Bluetooth-based location detection sensors are integrated for mobile tracking and safety monitoring on construction sites [13], but not applied to the construction supply chain. ...
... The data logic defines the life-cycle information to be tracked, and its linkage with measuring the reusability of a building component, both functionally and physically. The evaluation can be supported by drawing upon the component's type, location, original manufacturer, history of ownership and use, installation, maintenance and other accumulated data from various handlings over the life-cycle [10]. Such information, including maintenance record, installation and disassembly methods, manufacture and material properties, as well as location of use, also serves as a critical parameter for assessing environmental and economic implications associated with potential reuse. ...
While the Circular Economy in the built environment is often viewed in terms of recycling, more value can be obtained from buildings and physical components by their reuse, aided by stewardship and remanufacture, to ensure optimum performance capability. The use of cyber-physical information for online identification, examination and exchange of reusable components may improve their life-cycle management and circularity. To this end, a bi-directional data exchange system is established between physical building components and their virtual Building Information Modeling (BIM) counterparts, so that their life-cycle information-including history of ownership, maintenance record, technical specifications and physical condition-can be tracked, monitored and managed. The resultant prototype Cloud-based BIM platform is then adapted to support an ongoing product-service relationship between suppliers/providers and users/clients. A case study from a major new hospital, focusing upon an example of internal framed glazed systems, is presented for "proof of concept" and to demonstrate the application of the proposed method. The result of the case study shows that, informed by the life-cycle data from the Cloud-BIM platform, a "lease with reuse" service option is able to deliver a lower total cost and less carbon intensity for each unit of frame-glazed module. This leads to a higher level of eco-efficiency, coupled with decreased consumption of material resources and reduced generation of waste. The research is expected to serve as a step forward in the era of Industry 4.0 and illuminate a more sophisticated way to manage building assets.
... The levels of sophistication in the use of RFID, BIM and the Cloud have been uneven ( Swift et al. 2015). While some tracking of items by bar or QR codes is practiced as inventory management, this ceases when the items are in-situ and does not extend to their life cycle management. ...
The paper expands upon 'cradle to cradle carpets and cities' presented by Ness and Field (2003) at SASBE 03, where the notion of providing modular carpets as a service was introduced, and a paper at SASBE 06 where the theme of providing C2C products as a service was further developed by Ness and Pullen (2006). It reports on the outcomes of an ARUP Global Research Challenge Project 2017, undertaken by University of South Australia, ARUP, Prismatic Architectural Research and other partners, under the theme of adapting the circular economy to the built environment. The project addresses the challenge of reusing building components, so they deliver more value over their extended life-cycle, with consequent reductions in resource consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, pollution and waste, coupled with creation of new enterprises and jobs. A universally accessible 'Cloud-based building information management platform' is being developed, which enables components to be identified, reclaimed reused and exchanged multiple times over their lifecycle, within the same or different facilities. A cyber-physical information exchange system was established between physical building components and their virtual counterparts, known as Building Information Models, so that their life cycle information including history of ownership, condition, maintenance history, technical specifications and physical performance could be tracked, monitored and managed. In addition, designers could identify reused components via the cloud platform, and assess their suitability for incorporation in building projects when compared with new products. This research was complemented by an innovative business model, whereby components and products can be provided as a service, with producers retaining responsibility for their repair, remanufacturing and/or reuse over their life cycle. The methodology involved establishing a Cyber-Physical System by connecting a series of existing technologies, including Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and Building Information Modelling (BIM). Using a case study of a section of a major new hospital for 'proof of concept', information on the history, location, properties and performance of physical components could be exchanged in real-time from RFID tags to a local BIM system and thence to the cloud platform. Complemented by interviews within Australia and Europe with key stakeholders including designers, project managers, manufacturers, owners, investors and facility managers, the research led to the development of a 'products as service' business model and associated business case for the new paradigm. In short, a self-populating relational database that can execute predefined multiple/ conditional ownership exchange via a graphical user interface and/or web site front end. The findings are expected to drive increased reuse, adaptation and life-cycle stewardship within the building industry, whereby more value can be derived from built resources, new business opportunities created in the service sector, and adverse environmental impacts reduced. This is consistent with the pursuit of a 'circular economy', where the construction and management of the built environment can exert a major influence.
... Another way of supporting sustainability is to do recycling. By doing a health check of the materials, the reusability can be supported by BIM and RFID chips [33]. Since most infrastructure constructions are not built on the green field but on already existing routes and elements, the reusability test is an interesting use case. ...
In the construction sector, projects for building complex structures often exceed estimated costs and time. Therefore, enterprises in this sector rethink and improve their processes. For addressing this challenge, the discipline of Building Information Modeling (BIM) developed new process models to optimize the lifecycle of structures by leveraging technology and data sharing. Recently, enterprises explored the use of IoT technology for generating valid and up-to-date data. In this paper, we present an IoT capabilities map for BIM. This map employs BIM phases and capabilities to provide a structured overview of use cases from the literature and an empirical study we conducted in the rail construction sector. The map helps to guide further research in this area and provides blueprints for companies in the construction industry that seek to make use of IoT for improving their processes.
... A contributing factor to these deficiencies was that automated identification of building elements is common on construction sites, but rarely used beyond tracking movement to/from site and installation. Previous research papers Swift et al. 2015) outlined how reconfiguring existing technologies (RFID, BIM and internet) could facilitate disassembly, take back and reuse of components, as well as improving their life cycle management. This work was animated by a scenario whereby disused existing components/assemblies could be traced and imported into virtual models of new buildings at the design stage. ...
This paper outlines one approach to developing the potential for replaceable parts of buildings to be adapted to changes in user needs within the context of longer life infrastructure, and outlines the approach taken in the first live test. This idea may be realized by allowing ownership of moveable components to be reassigned via innovative business models. This would enable components, such as walls and doors, and elements such as façades, to be taken back by their providers for reuse or remanufacture, a circular process assisted by prefabrication, modularization and 'design for adaptability'. This evolving ownership paradigm requires a robust documentation regime to archive the new form of data it would generate. The use of automated Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), including the facility to update and interrogate 'on element' data storage, can enable data on building elements to be accessed and updated over their life-cycle. Furthermore, this seamless bi-directional transfer of whole-of-life design documentation allows existing building elements to be traceable and reused in new designs, thereby promoting 'cradle to cradle' thinking, in turn promoting open and changeable built environments. This new regime creates an ongoing dynamic data repository enabling a significant change in the paradigm of life-cycle information, capturing changes in condition, performance, ownership and location.
... Philip Crowther (1999Crowther ( , 2000Crowther ( , 2005Crowther ( , 2015 has advocated for a 'Design for Disassembly' approach to construction, in which buildings and prefabricated units can be easily taken apart and constituent components can subsequently be reused in new buildings. This approach could become a feasible niche, especially if combined with labelling of building components so that they 'express' their properties and reuse potential at end-of-life (see Swift et al., 2015). However, reuse has not been a primary consideration for off-site construction. ...
Steel is a critical material for modern-day societies, and more than half of the world’s steel is used in buildings. As the extraction of iron ore and the production and transport of manufactured steel have significant environmental costs, the fate of steel is important for socio-technical transitions towards more sustainable materials use. Using steel in buildings as a case study socio-technical transition, this paper develops a novel application of the multi-level perspective (MLP) that adopts an explicitly material lens. We focus on the circulation of steel between three key life stages for buildings which are treated as socio-technical regimes as described in the MLP. Drawing on concepts from assemblage theory, we consider the role played by the material and expressive qualities of steel within each of these regimes. Our material focus also requires attention to the spatial dimensions of these three regimes and their implications for socio-technical transitions. We describe the nexus of material affordances and inter-scalar relations that influences the use of steel in buildings and consider the potential for change. The main contribution of this paper is to extend the MLP to incorporate a focus on materiality and, in a related way, spatiality. Based on the analysis presented we consider how steel use in Australian buildings may be rendered more sustainable.
This paper expands upon ‘cradle to cradle carpets and cities’ presented by Ness and Field (Cradle to cradle carpets and cities. In Proceedings of SASBE 03, Brisbane, 2003) at SASBE 03, where the notion of providing modular carpets as a service was introduced, and a paper at SASBE 06, where the theme of providing C2C products as a service was further developed by Ness and Pullen (Decoupling resource consumption from growth: new business model towards a sustainable built environment in China. In: Proceedings of SASBE 06, Shanghai, 2006). It reports on the outcomes of an ARUP Global Research Challenge Project 2017, undertaken by University of South Australia, ARUP, Prismatic Architectural Research and other partners, under the theme of adapting the circular economy to the built environment. The project addresses the challenge of reusing building components, so they deliver more value over their extended life-cycle, with consequent reductions in resource consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, pollution and waste, coupled with creation of new enterprises and jobs. A universally accessible ‘Cloud-based building information management platform’ is being developed, which enables components to be identified, reclaimed reused and exchanged multiple times over their lifecycle, within the same or different facilities. A cyber-physical information exchange system was established between physical building components and their virtual counterparts, known as Building Information Models, so that their life cycle information including history of ownership, condition, maintenance history, technical specifications and physical performance could be tracked, monitored and managed. In addition, designers could identify reused components via the cloud platform, and assess their suitability for incorporation in building projects when compared with new products. This research was complemented by an innovative business model, whereby components and products can be provided as a service, with producers retaining responsibility for their repair, remanufacturing and/or reuse over their life cycle. The methodology involved establishing a Cyber-Physical System by connecting a series of existing technologies, including Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and Building Information Modelling (BIM). Using a case study of a section of a major new hospital for ‘proof of concept’, information on the history, location, properties and performance of physical components could be exchanged in real-time from RFID tags to a local BIM system and thence to the cloud platform. Complemented by interviews within Australia and Europe with key stakeholders including designers, project managers, manufacturers, owners, investors and facility managers, the research led to the development of a ‘products as service’ business model and associated business case for the new paradigm. In short, a self-populating relational database that can execute predefined multiple/ conditional ownership exchange via a graphical user interface and/or web site front end. The findings are expected to drive increased reuse, adaptation and life-cycle stewardship within the building industry, whereby more value can be derived from built resources, new business opportunities created in the service sector, and adverse environmental impacts reduced. This is consistent with the pursuit of a ‘circular economy’, where the construction and management of the built environment can exert a major influence.
The paper outlines the development of a prototype cyber-physical data exchange system that connects RFID, BIM and the Cloud-based data platform by which reusable building components may be identified, tracked and managed. The digital platform is then adapted to support an ongoing Product-Service System (PSS) relationship between suppliers/providers and users/clients. This enables advanced services for reuse of building components at the highest value and with mutual benefits. Via an integration of the ICT-based data management and PSS, the types of life cycle, performance, cost and other data required for service relationships can be identified so that suppliers may manage building components over their extended life, retain their optimum value and find new profit centres. Clients can be assured that the quality and performance of reused components meet required service expectations, coupled with savings in cost and carbon. An example of internal glazed system is presented to demonstrate the application of the proposed method.
Keywords: Product-Service System, Reuse, ICT, Data-driven Application, Cyber-physical System, BIM
