The WASTEie Journey

PART 5: THE FUTURE OF CONSTRUCTION WASTE MANAGEMENT

As part of the RECONMATIC project, our goal has always been clear: to standardise construction and demolition (C&D) waste management data. Throughout this series, we have explored how digital transformation and openBIM standards can streamline material reuse and recycling across the construction sector.

From the initial exploration of waste streams, to the creation of a robust process map, and finally to the development of an information management framework, we have laid a solid foundation for the future of sustainable construction waste management. Now, it is time to focus on what lies ahead for WASTEie.

Building on openBIM workflows

The cornerstone of WASTEie has been its adoption of openBIM principles, particularly the IFC schema and the buildingSMART data dictionary (bSDD). By developing a standardised dataset to describe C&D waste and integrating it into industry workflows, we have tackled one of the sector's most pressing challenges: interoperability.

Our decision to use IFC 4.3 was pivotal, but as discussed in previous parts, this version still has limitations, especially when defining material properties and circularity. The bSDD, however, provided the necessary flexibility to fill these gaps.

By enriching IFC with additional property sets dedicated to waste management, we ensured that material properties such as recyclability, contamination, and connection types were accurately represented.

Building on existing research

This project is not about reinventing the wheel, thus the team tried to link as many definitions to existing properties found on bSDD as possible. Notably, the award-winning Decommissioning and Reuse data dictionary, developed by Arghavan Akbarieh from Eindhoven University of Technology, was referenced multiple times in the WASTEie data dictionary.

Additionally, the team linked ongoing initiatives from other European projects, such as RecycleBIM. Finally, many definitions referenced existing IFC parameters, where applicable.

Summary: Concluding the series, Part 5 reflects on the progress made in standardising C&D waste management data through WASTEie. It outlines future steps, including case studies and testing of the data dictionary, emphasizing the importance of interoperability, collaborative innovation, and openBIM standards in driving sustainable waste management and circularity in construction.

Component and material use cases

Use cases

The RECONMATIC team explored the whole-life cycle of a built asset. By defining the process maps, a clear scope of use cases emerged:

Components – when we discuss component-level information, which comprises single or multiple materials, we primarily want to reuse or repurpose it to minimise waste.
Materials – when we consider materials that may be derived from a component, we primarily want to recycle (reuse in some instances) or discard them.

These use cases will be further explored and refined in the upcoming case studies.

Data dictionaries

The RECONMATIC team proposed two specialised data dictionaries to enhance waste classification. To support the WASTEie data dictionary, the team relied on the European Waste Classification (EWC) Codes for Construction and Demolition, which was created as a separate data dictionary.

The reason for separating EWC codes, specifically category 17, is that classifications in the IFC schema are treated through the 'ClassificationReference' parameter rather than a parameter called WasteCode.

This approach has the advantage of specifying the required classification while allowing other classifications to be used simultaneously to describe the object or material. The EWC classification data dictionary can be accessed through bSDD, which references the standard EWC codes available.

The proposed data dictionary for waste management included 10 materials and 10 products, since capturing all product or material properties globally requires more people to collaborate. Nevertheless, the team will be using the WASTEie data dictionary, which can be accessed through bSDD Search, for their case studies.

Please note that both dictionaries are in preview mode since they are being tested and refined in the ongoing case studies for automated solutions in waste management.

Future steps

As mentioned in the previous sections, the dictionary will now be tested on selected case studies. The definitions are meant to be used for automated solutions in waste management in pre-demolition audits, as well as in the material recycling process based on the sample lab tests. It is envisioned that IDS will be used to create information requirements based on milestones and actors involved in the process.

Links to all WASTEie articles on BIM+
BIMBox/ Reconmatic Landing Page

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Data dictionaries
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Case studies

Vitalij Tetervov – Research & Development Manager

Vitalij worked closely with partners to develop shared data standards for managing construction and demolition waste. He led the creation of the WASTEie data set, which helps different software tools, like BIM authoring platforms, exchange information seamlessly. Vitalij also explored generative design techniques, enabling quick and efficient waste management solutions by producing multiple design options in just minutes.

TEAM BIOGRAPHIES

Meet the BIMBox RECONMATIC team…

Louis Cowan – Associate

Louis supported in creating the WASTEie data set by connecting it to data dictionaries such as the BSDD. He built workflows that allowed native and open-source software to produce files (like IFC-SPF) with detailed material and component information. His efforts helped create reliable digital workflows for managing construction and demolition waste.

Chris Crookes – Managing Director

Chris provided strategic leadership for the project, making sure everything stayed on track and met high-quality standards. He also reviewed and contributed to articles for BIM+, helping shape the project to align with BIMBox and Reconmatic's vision of sustainable construction and waste management.

TEAM BIOGRAPHIES

Meet the BIMBox RECONMATIC team…

Robert Hempel – Director

Robert quality-assured the report Automated Solutions for Sustainable and Circular Construction and Demolition Waste Management and oversaw project direction, as well as project and financial management on behalf of BIMBox.

TEAM BIOGRAPHIES

Meet the BIMBox RECONMATIC team…

Gokul Joshi – BIM Consultant

Gokul focused on improving workflows using the IFC 4x3 standard. He developed custom tools for editing data, mapping material properties, and aligning configurations with BSDD requirements. Thanks to his efforts, exports from modelling software captured all the necessary data with precision.

Marc Guilfoyle – BIM Consultant

Marc worked with the team to improve IFC 4x3 workflows by developing tools and techniques like custom editing, creating IDS files, and linking data to BSDD. He documented his work in a detailed case study, contributing valuable insights and best practices to the industry.