Remanufacturing Towards Circularity in the Construction Sector: The Role of Digital Technologies

Abstract

Among the different circular strategies, remanufacturing proves to be particularly interesting since it aims to maintain the value of building components overtime extending their lifespan by guaranteeing multiple consequent cycles of use, overcoming in this way the most common down-cycling logics. However, unlike other industrial fields which already benefit from remanufacturing, the construction sector delays to adopt this practice due to barriers of different nature, namely organizational, information, technical, regulatory and economic. Among these barriers, the first two can now be addressed more effectively thanks to the support of Information and Communication Technologies. The latter offer the possibility of real-time monitoring, remote communication and scenario modeling, opening up to innovative solutions for remanufacturing. Hence, the paper aims to investigate how the application of ICTs can support the cognitive and organizational processes related to remanufacturing of building components. In particular, the paper explores the application of sensing technologies, digital twins and information platforms and assess their potential to support the implementation of circular service-based remanufacturing models in the construction sector.