Enabling Circular Construction: Evaluating ICDD for Effective Deconstruction Processes

The construction industry faces significant challenges related to information loss, from preproduction, assembly and operation through to eventual deconstruction. Furthermore, the urgent need to decarbonise the construction sector demands the reuse of building materials. The use of existing building materials as secondary resources can make a significant contribution to sustainability goals. However, many deconstruction and material reuse initiatives are hindered by insufficient information available from the planning, manufacturing, and operational phases. In response to these challenges and aiming to maximise material reusability, this paper evaluates the Information Container for Linked Document Delivery (ICDD) as a long-term data storage solution for supporting circular construction practices. The study investigates how ICDD can mitigate information loss during transitions from pre-production, on-site assembly, and operation to deconstruction by archiving relevant deconstruction information. It identifies key deconstruction data requirements and information preservation standards. The application of the ICDD framework is demonstrated through a case study on the deconstruction of an assembled steel girder.