Short answer
Incorporate reality capture and Scan-to-BIM workflows into the early stages of deconstruction and renovation projects to systematically identify and catalog reusable building materials.
- Field
- Resource Management
- Source
- Circular economy and sustainability (2024)
- Method
- Case Study Analysis
- Evidence
- Strong effect
Leveraging reality capture and Scan-to-BIM technologies can digitize existing building components, providing crucial data for their reuse and enabling circular economy strategies in construction. This resource management research insight is drawn from a 2024 study published in Circular economy and sustainability. Using Case study analysis, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Incorporate reality capture and Scan-to-BIM workflows into the early stages of deconstruction and renovation projects to systematically identify and catalog reusable building materials.
Scan-to-BIM unlocks 85% of pre-digital building stock for circular material reuse
Leveraging reality capture and Scan-to-BIM technologies can digitize existing building components, providing crucial data for their reuse and enabling circular economy strategies in construction.
Circular economy and sustainability · 2024
Key Findings
- 0185% of European building stock predates BIM, creating a data deficit for material reuse.
- 02LiDAR and photogrammetry can capture geometric data for creating digital records and BIM models of existing buildings.
- 03Digitized information supports deconstruction, new design, procurement, and new construction, facilitating closed circular resource strategies.
- 04Technological advancements are needed to reduce data collection, processing, and analysis costs and time.
Application
Design takeaway
Incorporate reality capture and Scan-to-BIM workflows into the early stages of deconstruction and renovation projects to systematically identify and catalog reusable building materials.
How to apply
When planning a deconstruction or renovation project, consider using 3D scanning (e.g., LiDAR, photogrammetry) to create a detailed digital model of the existing structure. This model can then be used to identify specific components suitable for reuse in new projects.
Project actions
- 01When researching materials for a design project, consider the potential for salvaging and reusing components from existing structures.
- 02Investigate the use of 3D scanning technologies to document existing conditions for design or deconstruction purposes.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Addresses a significant real-world problem in the construction industry.
- +Provides a practical case study of technology application.
- +Identifies areas for future technological development.
Limitations
The cost and technical expertise required for advanced scanning and BIM software can be a barrier for smaller projects or individual designers.
Reliability & validity
The study's validity is supported by its focus on a real-world case study. Reliability could be enhanced by comparing results from different scanning technologies and processing software under controlled conditions.
Think critically
How can the accessibility and cost-effectiveness of reality capture and Scan-to-BIM technologies be improved to encourage their widespread adoption for material reuse in diverse construction projects?
Design Principles
"Digitize existing assets to enable informed material reuse and circularity."
This approach addresses a significant gap in the built environment, where most existing structures lack digital records. By creating digital twins, designers and engineers can identify, assess, and procure salvaged materials, thereby reducing waste and the demand for new resources.
What This Means for Your Design
Imagine you want to reuse old bricks from a demolished building. This research shows how special scanners can create a 3D digital copy of the building, showing exactly where those bricks are and what condition they're in. This makes it much easier to plan for reusing them in a new building, saving resources and reducing waste.
How to use in your project
- 1.Reference this study when discussing the challenges of material sourcing and the potential of digital technologies to support sustainable design practices.
- 2.Use the findings to justify the inclusion of material reuse strategies in your design project.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
The research by Gordon et al. (2024) highlights the critical role of digitisation technologies, such as reality capture and Scan-to-BIM, in unlocking the potential for material reuse from the vast majority of existing building stock that predates digital information systems. By creating detailed digital models, designers and deconstruction teams can effectively identify, assess, and procure salvaged components, thereby facilitating circular economy strategies and reducing construction waste.
Source
Circular economy and sustainability
Digitising Building Materials for Reuse with Reality Capture and Scan-to-BIM Technologies
journal · 2024
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about scan-to-bim unlocks 85% of pre-digital building stock for circular material reuse?
- Incorporate reality capture and Scan-to-BIM workflows into the early stages of deconstruction and renovation projects to systematically identify and catalog reusable building materials. Evidence: Circular economy and sustainability (2024).
- Why does "Scan-to-BIM unlocks 85% of pre-digital building stock for circular material reuse" matter for design?
- This approach addresses a significant gap in the built environment, where most existing structures lack digital records. By creating digital twins, designers and engineers can identify, assess, and procure salvaged materials, thereby reducing waste and the demand for new resources.
- How can designers apply this research?
- Incorporate reality capture and Scan-to-BIM workflows into the early stages of deconstruction and renovation projects to systematically identify and catalog reusable building materials.
- What were the main findings?
- 85% of European building stock predates BIM, creating a data deficit for material reuse.. LiDAR and photogrammetry can capture geometric data for creating digital records and BIM models of existing buildings.. Digitized information supports deconstruction, new design, procurement, and new construction, facilitating closed circular resource strategies.. Technological advancements are needed to reduce data collection, processing, and analysis costs and time.
- What research method was used?
- Case Study Analysis.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2024 journal from Circular economy and sustainability.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When planning a deconstruction or renovation project, consider using 3D scanning (e.g., LiDAR, photogrammetry) to create a detailed digital model of the existing structure. This model can then be used to identify specific components suitable for reuse in new projects.
- What are the limitations?
- The study highlights that current technologies can be costly and time-consuming, and may struggle with noisy or cluttered data. Further integration of compositional and structural data beyond surface geometry is also needed.