Ineffectiveness of construction waste management strategies: Knowledge gap analysis

Apart from various fiscal and legislative measures, several research efforts have been made towards ensuring adequate diversion of construction waste from landfill. However, despite these joint efforts, waste landfilling continues being a popular waste management approach, suggesting ineffectiveness of the existing waste management strategies. As such, this study seeks to identify knowledge gap and suggest holistic solution for effective construction waste management. The overall methodological approach of the paper was a critical review and analysis of extant literatures, coupled with series of focus group interview with construction professionals. Strong indications emerged from the study that the reason for ineffectiveness of the existing waste management strategies is due to their BIM incompatibility, provision of solution after waste has occurred and evaluation of waste and construction activities from static perspective. Owing to these, this paper propose a holistic dynamic BIM system which considers all stages of building delivery processes, employ dynamic system approach, and interoperable with design, procurement and construction management tools and platforms. As such, the study argues that for waste management approaches to effectively minimize construction waste, it must consider dynamism of construction activities, be BIM compliant, and should consider interrelationship between design, procurement and construction stages. The study is expected to furnish the construction industry practitioners, policy makers and researchers with the tactics lacking in existing waste management strategies, thereby enhancing adequate waste diversion from landfill.