From Waste to Resource: How Digital Pathways Are Scaling Circular Construction

Introduction: Ioannis Anastasopoulos, Head of Department D-BAUG, ETH Zurich ABSTRACT: The current construction industry runs on a resource-intensive linear model of take, make, use and waste, treating buildings as disposable products. However, reusing existing materials is essential for reducing waste, conserving resources and lowering greenhouse gas emissions, yet current practices remain fragmented and difficult to scale. What happens to the old glass of the Centre Pompidou when it is replaced? Drawing on her work on the reuse of this iconic façade, Catherine De Wolf will trace how real-world lessons shaped the “Digital Circular Construction Model” that follows materials from deconstruction to reconstruction. Combining computer vision, scan-to-BIM, robotics, digital product passports, k