Advancing Construction Waste Reduction through Building Information Modelling

The construction industry is one of the most significant industries for sustainable development due to its contribution towards economic and social development. However, the construction industry produces excessive amount of Construction and Demolition (C & D) waste. The excessive amount of construction waste results in land degradation and contamination of the environment. This prompts construction professionals to practice effective waste management which will lead towards ensuring that there is zero waste in future. Construction waste management assists in minimizing the amount of waste that goes to landfills during construction through diverting waste. Recyclable waste can be redirected to manufacturing processes and reusable materials back to suitable construction sites. A good waste management plan indicates how the recycling rate can be achieved. Construction waste management can reduce contamination from and extend the life existing landfills. Building information Modeling (BIM) brings the potential to reduce waste in construction and leads to sustainable construction. This research presents an approach to reducing construction material waste through a BIM-based design project. The theoretical study in making using BIM approach towards zero waste of BIM is lacking. The purpose of this study is to determine how BIM can be used to achieve zero waste. A systematic literature review is used. The results are summarized to provide information on how to minimize waste for sustainable construction practice. BIM technology and construction waste minimization practices are examined, and the findings obtained are evaluated. BIM applications are being proposed to be developed to minimize waste in the built environment.