Estimating the Circularity of Building Elements using Building Information Modelling

The circular economy (CE) aims at a transformation towards a sustainable economic system whose growth is decoupled from the availability of finite resources. Due to the resource intensity of the construction sector, it is one of the main sectors where the CE concept is being applied. Central to the concept of circular buildings (CB) is to close the technical use-cycle of building components, which is influenced by their detachability. Building detachability is the extent to which building components can be deconstructed without damage. The scope of this research addresses the integration of its assessment using Building Information Modelling (BIM). This study includes an analysis of existing building circularity assessments (BCA) and their integration potential using BIM. Next, we propose a framework to automate the evaluation of building detachability using BIM. This framework entails the utilization of business process models and notations (BPMN) for delineating the detachability assessment procedure and deriving the model information requirements for the assessment by developing attribute matrices. The research process evidences that an accurate interpretation of established detachability assessment requisites facilitates enhanced integration and automation within the BIM method. Nevertheless, the need for better standardization of the conventional assessment requirements emerges as a pertinent concern. However, by leveraging project-specific 'employer's information requirements (EIR) and BIM execution plan (BEP), the outlined workflow can be integrated into BIM-based projects.