Abstract

Deconstruction is a critical enabler of circular economy implementation in the construction sector. Yet its large-scale adoption remains limited due to fragmented data environments, lack of market integration, and the unavailability of digital planning tools. To address these challenges, this research advances digitally enabled deconstruction by integrating building geometric and semantic information with secondary market perspectives. The primary research objectives are to: (1) formalize a deconstruction data model; (2) develop a deconstruction planning framework; and (3) operationalize the proposed framework.
To achieve these objectives, a critical review of the literature was first conducted to synthesize the existing body of knowledge on deconstruction. Second, stakeholder needs, process factors, enabling technologies, and guidelines were analyzed to develop a conceptual model for the deconstruction of the built environment. Third, deconstruction processes were mapped to the Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) schema to leverage the broad adoption of openBIM in real-world practice. Fourth, a BIM-based deconstruction planning system was developed; the system performs 4D simulation of deconstruction sequencing and aligns building elements with potential second-hand customers through knowledge graphs. Fifth, the system was validated through a real-world case study and semi-structured interviews with industry professionals, demonstrating its practical relevance and strong interoperability.
The proposed framework represents a novel integration of geometric, semantic, and market-driven data within a unified digital environment, a combination that remains largely unaddressed in the deconstruction literature. It has the potential to be applied not only in the end-of-life (EoL) phase by enabling demand-driven deconstruction based on market data, but also in the design phase as a quantifiable and operational metric for evaluating design proposals. Collectively, these capabilities contribute to improving the economic viability of deconstruction projects, increasing material recovery rates, and enhancing supply chain transparency for reclaimed materials.