Clean construction and demolition waste material cycles through optimised pre-demolition waste audit documentation: A review on building material assessment tools

Exploring the correlation between rising temperature and household electricity consumption: An empirical analysis in China

This study investigates the nexus between rising temperatures and household energy consumption using data from respondents' electricity bills in the "China Residential Energy Consumption Survey." Our analysis reveals a significant correlation, with an 8.9 % increase in yearly energy consumption observed when the average temperature exceeds 32 °C. Additionally, we explore potential shifts in power usage due to global warming by integrating baseline estimates with daily temperature forecasts from eight contemporary climate models. Our findings project alarming trends: without interventions to curb greenhouse gas emissions, home electricity consumption could surge by 9.59-30.09 % in the medium term and by 9.77-47.70 % in the long run. By shedding light on these critical connections, our research underscores the urgent need for policy actions to mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change on energy consumption patterns.

Asbestos detection in construction and demolition waste by different classification methods applied to short-wave infrared hyperspectral images

In this study, different multivariate classification methods were applied to hyperspectral images acquired, in the short-wave infrared range (SWIR: 1000-2500 nm), to define and evaluate quality control actions applied to construction and demolition waste (C&DW) flow streams, with particular reference to the detection of hazardous material as asbestos. Three asbestos fibers classes (i.e., amosite, chrysotile and crocidolite) inside asbestos-containing materials (ACM) were investigated. Samples were divided into two groups: calibration and validation datasets. The acquired hyperspectral images were first explored by Principal Component Analysis (PCA). The following multivariate classification methods were selected in order to verify and compare their efficiency and robustness: Hierarchical Partial Least Squares-Discriminant Analysis (Hi-PLSDA), Principal Component Analysis k-Nearest Neighbors (PCA-kNN) and Error Correcting Output Coding with Support Vector Machines (ECOC-SVM). The classification results obtained for the three models were evaluated by prediction maps and the values of performance parameters (Sensitivity and Specificity). Micro-X-ray fluorescence (micro-XRF) maps confirmed the correctness of classification results. The results demonstrate how SWIR-HSI technology, coupled with multivariate analysis modelling, is a promising approach to develop both "off-line" and "online" fast, reliable and robust quality control strategies, finalized to perform a quick assessment of ACM presence.

From prospecting to mining: A review of enabling technologies, LCAs, and LCCAs for improved construction and demolition waste management

Knowledge gained from anthropogenic resource prospecting can shed light on the theoretical potential of secondary resources stored in anthropogenic systems. Among others, secondary resources accumulated in the built environment account for a big fraction of anthropogenic resources, indicating great potential for urban mining. However, realizing these opportunities and developing urban mining strategies will require a comprehensive understanding of the technical viability of urban mining technologies, and how their implementation will affect the technical, economic, and environmental performance of a construction and demolition waste (C&DW) management system. To address these important issues, this review summarizes (1) current and emerging technologies that can enable the transition from anthropogenic resource prospecting to anthropogenic resource mining, (2) Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) results to date on various C&DW management systems, (3) key parameters that govern the technical, economic, and environmental performance of a C&DW management system, and (4) opportunities for improving the methodology of LCAs and LCCAs for future C&DW management. We find that enhancing the utility of extant LCAs and LCCAs in guiding technology deployment and policy decisions can be achieved by considering key parameters governing the techno-economic and environmental performance of C&DW management. In addition, it is critical to adopt and upscale emerging technologies to increase the added value of materials or products recovered from C&DW.

Efficient supervision strategy for illegal dumping of construction and demolition waste: A networked game theory decision-making model

While the construction industry has brought substantial economic benefits to society, it has also generated substantial construction and demolition waste (CDW). Illegal dumping, which refers to dumping CDW in an unauthorized non-filling location, has become widespread in many countries and regions. Illegally dumping CDW destroys the environment, causing groundwater pollution and forest fires and causing significant economic impacts. However, there is a lack of research on the decision-making behaviours and logical rules of the main participants, construction contractors and the government in the illegal CDW dumping process. This paper constructs an evolutionary game model on a small-world network considering government supervision to portray the decision-making behaviours of illegal dumping participants and conducts a numerical simulation based on empirical equations to propose an effective supervision strategy for the government to manage illegal CDW dumping efficiently. It is found that the illegal dumping behaviours of contractors are mainly affected by the intensity of government supervision, the cost of fines and the income of illegal dumping; while for government, a supervision strategy is found to be necessary, and a supervision intensity of approximately 0.7 is the optimal supervision probability given supervision efficiency. Notably, under a low-level supervision probability, increasing the penalty alone does not curb illegal dumping, and a certain degree of supervision must be maintained. The results show that in addition to setting fines for illegal dumping, the government must enforce a certain level of supervision and purify the market environment to steadily reduce illegal dumping.

Drawing a Path towards Circular Construction: An Approach to Engage Stakeholders

The activities conducted in the building and construction sector should be guided by circular economy principles, which will result in the implementation of greener practices fostering both the development of economy and protection of the environment. This work proposes and discusses an innovative approach based on a concerted strategy between stakeholders to accelerate the transition to a circular construction paradigm, which involves, as sustainable development, the definition of three dimensions to guide the process: (a) the assignment of key roles to the government and construction professionals; (b) the improvement of the industry to perform a proper management of construction and demolition waste; and (c) the development of sustainable practices at the construction site. In addition to the discussion about the different stakeholder partnerships that must exist, key ideas that should be adopted by industry to deliver recycled materials and products to the building and construction sector are proposed in this work. Moreover, measures to assist in the management of both the traditional and innovative materials and products incorporating recycled waste at the construction site are suggested targeting the implementation of more sustainable practices within this context. A broad use of the ideas proposed in this work in the building and construction sector may lead to encouraging outcomes in the next decade.

Building demolition waste management through smart BIM: A case study in Hong Kong

Hong Kong's construction industry, known for its massive building infrastructure, produces an enormous amount of waste every year, the vast majority of which is disposed for landfills. Therefore, some effective operational measures and waste management policies have been implemented. However, enormous waste remains a concern for stakeholders and exert pressure on the limited capacity of Hong Kong's landfills. Though previous research discusses Building Information Modelling (BIM) application for construction waste management enhancement, the BIM model has not been widely implemented for building demolition with waste management. Hence, as a response to the aforementioned shortcomings, this paper develops a conceptual framework that allows collecting, maintaining, and analyzing comprehensive information through Smart BIM that uses advanced technologies such as Internet of Things (IoT) and capable of reacting to user activities such as waste quantitative assessment, demolition process planning, optimal disposal route selection, and waste management strategy are executed. The advantages of the proposed framework are shown in a case study benefit-cost analysis based on three planned reuse and recycling-rate scenarios that explain on- and off-site recycling methods. The results show that the proposed framework will pave the way for generating sustainable waste disposal practices by providing technical and decision-making support functionalities to engineers and planners in the construction industry.

Building Information Modeling (BIM) for Construction and Demolition Waste Management in Australia: A Research Agenda

Construction and demolition waste (C&DW) contribute to approximately 30% of the total waste generation worldwide, by which heterogeneous ecological impacts, such as resource depletion, global warming, and land degradation, are engendered. Despite ongoing research efforts to minimize construction waste via the Building Information Modeling (BIM)-aided design, there is a paucity of research on integrating BIM in demolition waste management (DWM). This study investigates prominent barriers and future research directions toward the wider adoption of BIM in C&DWM by conducting a systematic literature review. First, this study identifies the barriers that hinder the implementation of C&DWM in Australia; then, it explores the benefits and challenges of leveraging BIM applications for C&DWM. The findings suggest that, for existing buildings without up-to-date design drawings, it is imperative to improve the accuracy of data capturing and object recognition techniques to overcome the bottlenecks of BIM-DWM integration. Moreover, the development of regional-oriented material banks and their harmonization with life cycle assessment databases can extend the potential of BIM-based sustainability analysis, making it applicable to the DWM domain. This study proposes a research agenda on tackling these challenges to realize BIM’s full potential in facilitating DWM.