METHODOLOGICAL APPROACH TO RENOVATE BUILDINGS THROUGH CIRCULAR DESIGN STRATEGIES. A BIM workflow for DfA, DfF and DfD

Awareness of the benefits of a Circular Economy (CE) in the building sector is increasing. Circular design strategies, including Design for Adaptability (DfA), Design for Flexibility (DfF), and Design for Disassembly (DfD), can enable CE practices in buildings, providing environmental, economic, and social benefits. Currently, research mostly focuses on new buildings, while the application of these strategies to existing buildings is still understudied. This paper addresses this gap by proposing a workflow to support designers in refurbishing and repurposing projects with DfA, DfF, and DfD principles. The workflow leverages Building Information Modelling (BIM) to set up the Adaptability, Flexibility and Disassembly (AFD) Template. It was used to manage building data and assess adaptability through 20 parameters and 4 indexes: Convertibility, Expandability, Versatility, and Disassemblability. Indexes are defined based on ISO 20887, but they are calculated by an alternative approach. To prove its actionability, the workflow was tested on an existing building located in Pisa. One of the main outcomes is the creation of an open-source Archicad template including the AFD.