Demolition as product extraction for the next cycle: a circular business model enabled by a BIM-driven, multichannel e-commerce framework

Current demolition practices require enhancement to align with circular economy principles. In this paper, demolition is framed as product extraction: the selective recovery of building components and materials for reintroduction into the market as products, as opposed to conventional demolition, which treats them as waste. Thus, a new demolition business model is proposed, positioning the demolition contractor as a key supplier of secondary materials and stimulator of downstream circular businesses. The analytical framework is derived from the Business Model Canvas and OECD circular business model typologies, with a Business Process Modeling workflow translating strategy into operational tasks. To operationalise this model, an open-source IT toolkit extracts material inventories from BIM models, manages data, and synchronizes the resulting catalogue with multiple e-commerce marketplaces. This open, decentralized framework shortens time-to-market for secondary products, standardises and promotes information sharing. The paper also discusses a unified template for a distributed marketplace for secondary materials and strategies for scaling the business model. The framework was validated through pilot projects, demonstrating its viability and readiness for real-world deployment and enhancement. The findings suggest the proposed framework is a viable, immediately deployable first step towards repositioning demolition as a proactive material-sourcing activity within the circular economy.