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Paper Number
ICIS2025-1578
Paper Type
Complete
Abstract
The ongoing digitalization in the building industry has increased awareness of its environmental impacts. Despite being the largest consumer of raw materials globally, only 1% of deconstructed materials are reused, highlighting sustainability challenges. This study examines the role of digital tools in promoting a circular economy and the barriers to reusing building materials. Using a qualitative approach, interviews with 13 experts from industry and academia revealed key obstacles, including a lack of standardization, circular economy-based business models, ownership issues, costs, and limited incentives. Organizational challenges such as limited awareness, competence, and cultural barriers further impede progress. The research proposes an extended framework with eight core concepts: Structure, People, Task, Technology, Data Management, Collaboration, Business Model, and Ownership. Findings emphasize the need for standardized practices and further exploration of Building Information Modeling (BIM) to advance sustainable practices in construction.
Recommended Citation
Monzeri, Pegah; Durcova, Katarina MSc; and Stendal, Karen, "Unravelling Barriers to Digitalization: Building Materials Data Flow and Circular Economy Utilizing BIM" (2025). ICIS 2025 Proceedings. 8.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/icis2025/sustain/sustain/8
Unravelling Barriers to Digitalization: Building Materials Data Flow and Circular Economy Utilizing BIM
The ongoing digitalization in the building industry has increased awareness of its environmental impacts. Despite being the largest consumer of raw materials globally, only 1% of deconstructed materials are reused, highlighting sustainability challenges. This study examines the role of digital tools in promoting a circular economy and the barriers to reusing building materials. Using a qualitative approach, interviews with 13 experts from industry and academia revealed key obstacles, including a lack of standardization, circular economy-based business models, ownership issues, costs, and limited incentives. Organizational challenges such as limited awareness, competence, and cultural barriers further impede progress. The research proposes an extended framework with eight core concepts: Structure, People, Task, Technology, Data Management, Collaboration, Business Model, and Ownership. Findings emphasize the need for standardized practices and further exploration of Building Information Modeling (BIM) to advance sustainable practices in construction.
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04-Sustainability