Assessment methods and digital tools to support circular building strategies

Abstract The aim of the paper is to highlight how digital technology can be a vector for maintaining information of buildings products, promoting supply chain transparency and traceability of materials and environmental data, contributing to activate a sustainable circular economy. Indeed, the current lack of knowledge of product characteristics often hinders the activation of reverse logistic and the assessment of the environmental benefits of circular material flows. This means, on one hand, the need to trace and collect product characteristics and product environmental information throughout the entire life cycle, and, on the other hand, the to identify ways of communicating and sharing information. This paper outlines current digital tools to support transparency and traceability of materials. Next, the paper verticalises the method and indicators used to declare the circular and sustainable profile of products, emphasising the importance of applying Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). Finally, the prefiguration of a possible integration between traceability tools and the LCA methodology is discussed, identifying possible drivers (e.g. legislative, trainings) and possible key-operators for the widespread of the “LCA-integrated traceability tools”.