Cloud-Based BIM for Data Sharing and Collaboration to Foster Circular Economy in Construction

Abstract

This study aims to mitigate the environmental impact of the construction industry by integrating Building Information Modelling (BIM) with Circular Economy (CE) principles. The construction industry faces a significant challenge due to a lack of digital tools and collaborative platforms for managing materials throughout a building's life, hindering efficient material utilization and sustainability efforts. In this research, Python and Microsoft Visual Studio were employed to link Autodesk Revit with Google Cloud and introduced a bidirectional data sharing process. Additionally, it integrated Material Passports (MPs) within BIM models, promoting data sharing and collaborative CE practices. A case-study was conducted to check the efficacy of the developed prototype in a real-world project of NEOM city. The prototype demonstrated a framework for using wood material related MP within a BIM model to project stakeholders. Following case study, twelve industry experts validated the developed prototype named BIM-Circular Economy System (BIM-CES) through a demonstration followed by a semi-structured interview and further analyzed using Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA). IPA revealed that BIM-CES effectively addresses key issues of lack of collaboration, technological solutions, technical skills, and circular design, ranking high in both importance and performance. BIM-CES represents a novel approach in bridging the gap between BIM and CE, introducing a new method for digitizing material passports for data sharing and enhancing collaboration among BIM designers.