Framework for a digital urban mining platform for the building stock of Vienna

Abstract

With 60% of the world`s raw materials extraction, the construction sector is the largest consumer of primary raw materials. Through reuse and recycling of materials incorporated in buildings, the consumption can be reduced. However, due to the lack of information on the building stocks´ material composition, the realization of high reuse and recycling rates is a challenging task. This paper presents a framework for a digital urban mining platform to predict the material composition of the Viennese building stock. Selected buildings in Vienna are investigated regarding their exact material composition and geometry. The obtained information is used for upscaling on city-level. The main contribution of this paper is the novel approach of modelling and predicting the building stock, demonstrated on one building. The existence of a digital urban mining platform in the long term can enhance the reuse and recycling rates and accordingly reduce waste generation in the construction sector.