Can we stop construction waste before it even happens? Most waste management strategies focus on what to do with a building once it’s demolished, but this research argues that we need to start tracking waste from the begining, esentially from the planing stage.
By developing a specialized BIM Add-in, the authors have created a way for design software and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) tools to work together in real-time.
This “integrated environment” allows architects and engineers to see the environmental impact of their material choices at every stage of the building’s life.
Instead of viewing waste as an inevitable byproduct of the “end-of-life” stage, this methodology treats it as a data point that can be optimized and reduced during the design and construction phases.
Learn more about this paper here: https://doi.org/10.1080/15623599.2019.1583850
Reference
Jalaei, F., Zoghi, M., & Khoshand, A. (2021). Life cycle environmental impact assessment to manage and optimize construction waste using Building Information Modeling (BIM). International Journal of Construction Management, 21(8), 784–801