Digital platform for the circular use and reuse of building components

Digital DeConstruction (TRL7 2025) is a platform supporting the decision making during a building deconstruction process, using 3D scanning and BIM. The refactoring of the software is ongoing to support sustainability assessment (LCA, MCI) and the delivery of building circularity passports.

The major steps of the data collection process for the deconstruction analysis (old buildings) are the following:

1. 3D scan—A combined point-cloud and photogrammetry technique is used to collect data about the existing building to be deconstructed. It supports the first step of the digitalization process, which is identifying key components and materials and serving as a reference for BIM modeling.

2. BIM-based analysis—A simple as-built BIM model is created. The modeled building and its major components are analyzed to identify their reuse potential. An Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) model is exported based on this, which is then imported into the platform.

3)Materials inventory generation and LCA analysis—The as-built BIM model in IFC is parsed, and a deconstruction inventory is created based on the DDC data model. Most notably, this allows a flexible view of the building as a bank of “elements” and/or “materials”, along with additional properties, indexes, and a BIM viewer as a reference to geometry and physical localization. The data model allows for the annotation of each element with classification code, reuse properties, and physical quantities, which can be used to calculate additional properties, such as the environmental impacts.

Further a participative Urban Mining tool is being developed under the REGEN (Built4People IA project https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101123325),,) for the identification of material and component stock at neighbourhood/city level. Based on building archetypes, the method leverages on Geospatial systems to evaluate and characterise the stock of reusable components and their reuse potential.