BIM-enabled life cycle assessment of concrete formwork waste reduction through prefabrication

Although prefabrication is considered a sustainable construction technology that can reduce various construction waste, research on its potential for concrete formwork waste reduction is currently limited. This study proposes an approach integrating life cycle assessment (LCA) and building and information modelling (BIM) to quantify the possible life-cycle formwork waste reduction through prefabrication from a construction project, in which LCA serves as a systematic assessment framework and BIM provides the basic inventory for LCA. A typical reinforced concrete frame structural building located in Nanjing, China is chosen for a case study to demonstrate and validate the proposed approach. Results show that prefabrication can reduce formwork waste by 59.68%-71.83%, which mainly comes from straight walls and slabs. This figure can continuously increase to as high as 90% if the prefabrication is further applied and promoted. Findings from this study contribute to the understanding of the environmental benefits of prefabrication. This is of great significance for designers, engineers, and governments who are constantly seeking ways toward sustainable construction.