Semantic modelling to support design for decommissioning and reuse through OpenBIM and the buildingSMART data dictionary

The construction sector generates substantial waste that could be reduced or reused through standardised digital workflows supporting circular Design for X (DfX) strategies, such as design for deconstruction or design for reuse. As emerging technologies such as Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Digital Twins evolve, they offer new possibilities for integrating circular principles across all lifecycle phases of a built asset. Yet current BIM tools provide limited support for modelling and exchanging circularity information in an interoperable and standardised manner. This study introduces an OpenBIM framework that transforms the validated Decommissioning and Reuse (DOR) ontology into a buildingSMART Data Dictionary (bSDD). This bSDD further enables Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) compatible modelling and exchange of DfX and circularity attributes such as reuse potential, recyclability and material classification. The approach was developed following official bSDD guidelines, then evaluated through a real-world case study of a demountable steel-concrete composite floor system designed for deconstruction, remanufacturing and reuse. Methodologically, this work represents one of the first ontology to bSDD transformations within construction informatics. The findings demonstrate that the DOR bSDD strengthens semantic and technical interoperability for integrating DfX concepts into BIM workflows. At the same time, it reveals software and schema limitations such as constrained handling of dynamic properties, inconsistencies in material property mapping and a need for additional circularity parameters in IFC. The findings offer both scientific and practical novelties and show how emerging digital technologies can support sustainable innovation in construction, contributing to the broader goal of resilient and regenerative futures.