Keywords

1 Introduction

Most of the world's population live in cities [1], whose most prominent component is buildings. In the UK alone, up to 50% of carbon emissions are attributable to the built environment [2], which globally produce around 40% of city carbon emissions [1]. Therefore, the need to scale down these levels of environmental impact is inevitable. There are multiple strategies to attempt this goal, like using sustainable materials with a low carbon footprint, identifying more resilient yet energy-efficient materials that could reduce the volume of constructions, and refurbishing or maintaining old building stock. Researchers have come to realise that all those strategies converge to the broader concept known as circular economy.

Circular Economy (CE) is “An industrial system that is restorative or regenerative by intention and design. It replaces the ‘end-of-life’ concept with ‘restoration’, shifts towards the use of renewable energy, eliminates the use of toxic chemicals, which impair reuse, and aims for the elimination of waste through the superior design of materials, products, systems, and, within this, business models” [3]. Similarly, circular construction in buildings is a strategy that prioritises energy consumption and recycling opportunities when selecting materials and production methods.

There are multiple strategies for implementing circular construction in buildings at the planning, design, and construction level. One of these is the Design for Adaptability and Disassembly (DfAD), which combines the benefits of DfD and DfA to allow building components be dismantled and replaced or repaired for any required layout change [4]. Notwithstanding, CE strategies are often hampered as buildings are traditionally built to be demolished at the end of their useful life rather than deconstructed or adapted. Further barriers to implementing CE in buildings derive from a lack of understanding of the new CE concepts among urban planners and designers [5, 6], which add to the lack of incentives offered by the governing bodies [5, 7,8,9]. Technical challenges are abundant like the mismatch between supply and demand of reused materials and the uncollaborative nature of the building industry stakeholders [9, 10]. According to researchers, these challenges could be overcome through the digitisation of building materials and components.

On the other hand, tools have been developed to aid with implementing CE in buildings. Most of these tools judge the level of achieved circularity by scrutinising material and components during the design stage [11, 12] or by enforcing collaboration between different parts of the construction supply chain [13]. For example, Akanbi et al. [14] developed a BIM-based Whole-life Performance Estimator (BWPE), to assess the performance of structural components during design and interact with Material Passports to manage building performance and restoration when needed.

This paper addresses the need to define circular building construction and identify barriers to its adoption. It also explores the role of BIM in removing such barriers while helping to reduce LCC in constructing buildings applying a circular economy concept.

2 Methodology

This study analyses existing literature regarding the enhancement of LCC through BIM in the circular construction of buildings. An in-depth search was conducted in academic databases from 2013 to 2023, concentrating on publications published within the past decade, utilising academic databases such as Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. Specifically, the search strategy employed keywords such as “Building Information Modelling”, “BIM”, “Life Cycle Cost”, “LCC”, “Circular Economy”, “CE”, and combinations of phrases such as “BIM enhances LCC in the circular economy of buildings”, specifically in the context of civil engineering.

Developing appropriate keywords was informed by preliminary research, which identified relevant synonyms and keyword combinations. Using keyword search, many results were generated, which were filtered according to the relevance of the research topic. Further criteria were used to refine the selection, including the exclusion of duplicate articles, non-English publications, and articles that did not directly address the research question. A full-text review of the remaining articles was conducted to assess their relevance and quality. An analysis of the abstracts of 50 articles was conducted in order to ensure alignment with the research topic. Following the identification of the key articles, the study extracted vital information from each paper, which was compiled during the metadata extraction phase. This process involved evaluating the articles in relation to the keywords, as these keywords assist in guiding citations and article recommendations. Figure 33.1 shows the data mining implemented for processing for this review. We expect the results to provide valuable information for architects, engineers, and building owners, to improve the sustainability and efficiency of circular buildings.

Fig. 33.1
An illustration of the 3 stages in paper publishing includes selection of academic publications with search engines, keyword-based search strategy, and critical analysis of 50 articles using B I M to enhance circular buildings' L C C.

Phases in processing published papers

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3 Circular Economy in Building Construction

In a CE approach, building components are kept in a cycle involving use, reuse, repair, and recycling, allowing resources to retain their highest intrinsic value for as long as possible. Furthermore, the lifetime of a circular building should be a closed-loop system in which components and materials are used and retained appropriately. Durability and resilience must be considered when selecting materials to prevent the loss of quality. Materials selection, contextual building design, and layout should be examined to decrease energy usage over the lifespan of the building [6].

In addition to design strategies, material and component selection are critical for ensuring optimal CE implementation [15]. Rahla et al. [16] identified nine material selection criteria that are being used to promote the adoption of CE principles in the construction sector. These criteria relate to the type of material used, how it is used, and what happens to it at the end of its life. The nine criteria are: (Recycled and recovered content, Recyclability, Reusability, Ease of deconstruction, Maintainability, Durability, Energy recoverability, Upcycling potential, and Biodegradability).

Several types of circular systems are being developed, including methodologies to evaluate their circularity [17]. The building skin is predominantly façade. Façades are commonly built with steel and aluminium [18] or wood [19], which have a relatively high potential for reuse compared to traditional masonry and concrete. It could be better verified through a Morphological Design and Evaluation Model (MDEM), a tool that was specifically created to guide the designer in creating and assessing circular facades [20]. A study by Buyle et al. [21] estimated the environmental impact of introducing circular design options for internal wall assemblies. Moreover, demountable and reusable wall assemblies with metal substructures were demonstrated to reduce or match conventional wall life cycle effects. It was shown that removable interior linings and dismountable connections are crucial for advancing construction [22].

3.1 Barriers in Implementing Circularity in Buildings

Despite the current design strategies and innovations made in buildings’ materials and components, there are still barriers to implementing CE. Building developers are progressively becoming aware of CE and regenerative design concepts, although, they have not a unified definition or understanding of such concepts. Munaro et al. [7] highlighted the scarcity of academic literature covering ways for implementing CE throughout the supply chain, which somehow explains the existing knowledge gaps, but it fails to clarify the extent to which these concepts permeate professional practice [5, 23]. CE plans are therefore at their early stages, concentrating on optimising the reuse and recycling of construction and demolition waste in the construction industry while excluding some of the industry's players, goods, services, and systems [24]. The implementation of CE design strategies in buildings remains challenging due to a lack of practical guidelines and design-support tools that facilitate their implementation. These would ideally enable performance assessment and simulation of added value throughout full life-cycle, particularly when their service life comes to an end [25].

It has been suggested to divide the challenges of transitioning from a linear economy to a CE in the construction and demolition waste sector into five main categories: legal, technical, social, behavioural, and economic [26]. Within each category, there are specific challenges, such as policy and regulations, permits and specifications, technological limitations, quality and performance, knowledge and information, and the costs associated with implementing the CE model. The scale of the challenges can also vary depending on the size of the project and the country. Several tools and innovations could speed up the implementation of CE in the building sector. BIM is one of the most prominent and flexible tools to allow that change (see Fig. 33.2).

Fig. 33.2
An illustration of C E barriers includes awareness, technical and economic challenges, implementation issues, support, and social factors. B I M aids C E by facilitating assessment and data management.

BIM as an enabler to CE barriers

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3.2 BIM as an Enabler for Promoting Circular Economy

BIM is a digital representation of a building's physical and functional characteristics. It can be used for analysis and optimisation, reducing costs and improving efficiency. Recent studies have demonstrated that BIM enhances design and construction practices by effectively integrating information into various phases [27, 28].

Charef and Emmitt [29] conducted interviews with experts in sustainable buildings and BIM to explore ways in which BIM could be adopted to assist practitioners in embracing a CE approach. The findings showed seven new ways to use BIM to overcome CE barriers. The seven new BIM uses were: a digital model for Sustainable End of Life (SEOL), a material passport development that stores information about building materials, a project database that stores information about the entire building process, a data checking process which makes sure that the data meet the desired requirements, a circularity assessment which evaluates the sustainability and life cycle of building materials, materials recovery processes which help facilities the reclaiming and recycling of materials, and materials bank which stores information about material types.

BIM virtual environment provides spatial information, building properties, cost estimations, geometric and geographical information, inventory management, and schedules [30,31,32]. Furthermore, Juan and Hsing [33] added that BIM has applications in renovations and building maintenance. A BIM system with a high level of integration and add-ins can support interoperability [34]. The BIM process incorporates risk management techniques as well as opening communication channels for all stakeholders. Essentially, it involves more than just 3D modelling, but also covers 4D (time), 5D (cost), 6D (operation), 7D (sustainability), and 8D (safety) [35]. Ghaffarianhoseini et al. [36] described BIM as a seven-dimensional, global information system (see Fig. 33.3).

Fig. 33.3
An illustration of global data sharing includes engineering drawings, three-dimensional modeling, time scheduling, cost estimation, sustainability considerations, facility management, future use and adaptability, and C A D-aided design for engineering drawings.

An environment for sharing data in dimensions of BIM [28]

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4 Role of BIM in Enhancing LCC

Building projects use LCC to estimate long-term costs. This process analyses all costs associated with a construction project, operation, maintenance, demolition, and decommissioning. According to Lee et al. [37], building lifecycle cost is the sum of all fundamental processes that take place over the lifecycle of a building. LCC includes planning, obtaining paperwork, implementing environmental management measures before construction starts, dismantling maintenance, and disposal [37]. LCC can switch to CE by integrating BIM into LCC for economic and environmental sustainability. Studies by Ghaffarianhoseini et al. [36], Marzouk et al. [38], Ullah et al. [39], Alasmari et al. [40], have shown that BIM saves time, estimates costs, minimises changes, analyses sustainability, eliminates omissions, manages quality and logistics, establishes life cycles, manages LCC, ensures energy efficiency, facility management, daylight analysis, thermal design, transparency costs, quantity surveys, quantity takeoff, among other benefits. By using BIM, decision-makers can gain critical information to use in their decision-making process.

In addition, using BIM to LCC in circular construction can reduce costs and improve sustainability by optimising the design. In BIM, for example, the LCC of different materials and construction methods can be analysed. Furthermore, BIM can be used to analyse a project energy and resource efficiency over its life cycle and identify ways to reduce its environmental impact (see Fig. 33.4). Furthermore, BIM can be applied to project review, standardisation, certification, project design, engineering analyses, site design, coordination, and planning, in addition to documentation and quantity take-off [35, 41, 42]. It has been demonstrated that when using the BIM platform, the results of lifecycle analysis are more accurate and consistent [43]. For example, Saudi Arabia's King Abdulaziz Cultural Center (Ithra) received LEED gold certification for utlising reused materials. Seele [44] reports that in the Ithra project, stainless steel tubes are carefully woven around the building's exterior cladding, which stretches 350 kms.

Fig. 33.4
An illustration of processes in B I M includes programming, design, analysis, implementation, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and demolition.

The life cycle of construction processing and BIM

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Santos et al. [45] have published substantial publications on using BIM to simulate a variety of domains. These limitations can be addressed by integrating life cycle assessment (LCA), LCC, and BIM. By improving our understanding of BIM-LCA/LCC, this study examined how BIM technology can improve LCA and LCC results. Love et al. [46] argued that BIM can contribute to quality decisions regarding public infrastructure, resulting in a better return on investment. Furthermore, Santos et al. [45], Dawood [47], Di Biccari et al. [48] suggested that BIM promotes accountability and transparency in construction projects by improving communication and collaboration. Based on the findings of the studies, it has consistently been shown that the use of BIM can improve the efficiency of LCC processes. BIM has been found to resolve non-standardisation issues, assist with document preparation, correct and obscure data, and provide intelligent decision-making pathways that contribute to building sustainability [49, 50]. The advantage of using BIM on LCC is that the materials used in construction can be easily identified and analysed. BIM can also reduce repair and replacement costs by utilising more durable and sustainable materials (see Fig. 33.5).

Fig. 33.5
An illustration of C E tenets includes post-building life, employing B I M for design, and conducting L C C analysis. Assess the benefits of circular economy materials, optimize building performance, and reuse and recycle materials for sustainability.

On the incorporation of the principles of circular economy into the LCC building by BIM

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5 Concluding Remarks

Various tools and innovations help in applying CE in the building industry at different building tiers. However, widespread implementation is hampered by several factors, including a lack of government support in the form of regulations and incentives, as well as a lack of understanding among construction experts about the circularity components of a building. A detailed understanding of the significance of the various barriers, as well as a plan to overcome them, are required. There are several theoretical guidelines and tools available that show the essential concepts of circular construction. Most of the tools, however, serve the same goal. There is a need for practical evidence concerning their usability and influence on the design process to highlight best practices and evaluate numerous options. Several research studies have examined the use of BIM on the LCC. Nevertheless, BIM on LCC is a relatively new construction trend. Therefore, building and construction management offer potential areas for exploration. Overall, the integration of BIM into LCC can significantly impact a project economic and environmental sustainability and can support the transition to a circular economy by improving economic and environmental sustainability.

This study reviewed the current state of circular building design and LCC analyses using BIM. A literature review analysis showed that BIM could be a valuable tool for enhancing LCC in circular buildings by providing a holistic view of the building's life cycle and enabling efficient decision-making. Circular buildings can be designed, constructed, operated, and decommissioned more sustainably by using BIM in LCC analysis. As a result, architects, engineers, and building owners can gain valuable information about improving the efficiency of circular buildings.

However, the study has several limitations, including a lack of practical case studies on the implementation of BIM in circular construction projects and the need to gain a thorough understanding of the integration of BIM with LCC. Future studies should address the feasibility of some significant tools like BIM applications in real-life, and case studies of circular building construction. Additionally, a comprehensive priority ranking of the barriers and BIM as an enabler should be outlined with built environment professionals to streamline further efforts to implement circular building.