By Vahid Babaveisi, Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Salford
Digital Construction Week (DCW) was a fantastic opportunity to exchange knowledge and connect with others passionate about how technology is transforming the built environment. Our session focused on one of the most pressing yet often overlooked challenges in the industry—managing construction and demolition waste (CDW) efficiently.
This article shares reflections on our journey at DCW, insights from our ongoing project, and what we learned from engaging with other areas of sustainable construction.
At the University of Salford, we are contributing to the RECONMATIC project, co-funded by the European Union and UK Research and Innovation. Our goal is to develop practical digital tools to streamline waste management in the construction and demolition supply chain. We’re working on an intelligent decision-support system built on open standards, cross-platform interoperability, and a stakeholder-centric approach to improve the overall efficiency of waste management.
The challenge: Fragmentation and data gaps in the waste supply chain
Construction and demolition waste accounts for over one-third of all waste generated in Europe. Yet efficient waste management remains undervalued, often relying on manual coordination, outdated information, and siloed systems.
These inefficiencies lead to poor communication among stakeholders, suboptimal resource management, and a lack of appropriate data structure and traceability. These are not just technical challenges—they’re systemic.
Solving them requires more than simply digitising existing processes. We need an integrated approach that bridges the physical and digital dimensions of the supply chain.
Our approach: A digital information management system
At DCW, we presented our digital information management system (DIMS), designed specifically for construction and demolition waste workflows. This tool focuses on improving data collection, integration, and analysis across the design, procurement, and pre-construction phases.
By using open data standards like IFC (Industry Foundation Classes), we can extract rich project data from BIM models—covering everything from product and material specifications to manufacturer details and spatial data.
This granular information allows for greater access control, performance tracking, and asset reporting. Just as importantly, it creates a shared digital environment where contractors, policymakers, and other stakeholders can collaborate, make proactive decisions, and avoid last-minute surprises on site.
Prominent takeaways from Digital Construction Week
Throughout DCW, we engaged with people from businesses of all sizes and across many disciplines. We discussed challenges, procedures, tools, and future innovations. We also explored opportunities for deeper knowledge sharing and industry collaboration.
Some key highlights:
- Exploring new technologies across business management and engineering
- Gaining exposure to advances in AI and predictive analytics
- Learning from real-world progress in sustainability
- Discovering new intelligent tools shaping the future of construction
DCW reminded us how far the industry has come—and how much further we need to go. While the digital transformation of construction is gaining traction, applying these advances to waste management is still in its early stages.
Through RECONMATIC, we’re working to close that gap by building a smart, adaptable, and comprehensive digital system that supports better data-driven decisions across the waste lifecycle.
Looking ahead
Our next steps involve expanding the system’s capabilities to include circular economy indicators, real-time tracking, and predictive modelling powered by smart technologies.
We aim to contribute to a construction sector that is not just more efficient—but more sustainable, transparent, and collaborative.
About the author
Vahid Babaveisi is a Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Salford in the School of Science, Engineering & Environment. His work focuses on developing digital information management systems (DIMS) for sustainable construction and demolition waste management as part of the RECONMATIC project—co-funded by the European Union and UK Research and Innovation.
His research interests include supply chain optimisation and smart system integration, and he has published multiple peer-reviewed papers and industry studies in this field.