An exploration of BIM and lean interaction in optimizing demolition projects

Abstract

Construction and demolition wastes have an adverse environmental impact. The demolition wastes are resulted from the linear economic behaviour that the Construction industry is currently adopting. IT-enabled processes like BIM have been used to eliminate wastes in Construction Projects. The alignment of these processes with Lean Construction principles was seen to reap high benefits. This research investigates the possibility of extending BIM functionalities to support deconstruction processes in alignment with Lean Principles. Based on the existing interaction matrix between BIM functionalities and Lean Principles and its subsequent extensions, the synergies between BIM and Lean are explored from a deconstruction perspective. The evidence of using BIM capabilities in deconstruction projects is mainly interpreted from research in addition to the current initiatives in the demolition and renovation projects in The Netherlands. The main aim is to integrate discrete efforts in industry and academia towards leveraging the recovery rate of salvaged elements. The evidence is then validated against Lean principles and the results reveal a major conformity between BIM and Lean. This exploratory research may contribute to the adoption of a structured framework in deconstruction projects that exploits BIM and Lean capabilities towards achieving a circular economy.