Principal: Bezirksregierung Düsseldorf

Project term: 01/2023 – 12/2024

In view of the change in traffic patterns in cities, the increasing complexity of construction projects (construction methods, construction materials, construction processes) and the growing demands for the recovery of recyclable materials in the context of the circular economy, new challenges are arising for the optimization of construction logistics. Particularly in inner cities, construction site supply must be just-in-time due to the limited availability of space and the resulting lack of storage areas. Transport usually takes place by truck and vans. The recycling and disposal of waste generated on the construction site is part of the disposal logistics. In particular, the increasing demands for the recovery of materials pose a challenge. The construction site equipment area also plays a central role. It serves logistically as a handling and storage area, temporarily occupies public traffic areas in densely built-up inner cities and thus indirectly determines the traffic and emission-related effects of a construction project in the execution phase. Furthermore, the size of the construction site installation area and the location of access roads is the central control instrument of the city administration, which can be used to influence the construction processes and traffic effects in the building permit procedure. To date, there have been no detailed studies regarding the potential for optimization in construction logistics with regard to the reduction of heavy goods traffic and pollutant emissions. Therefore, it is unclear which courses of action on the part of the building owner, the approval authorities and the construction logistics service providers offer optimization potential for construction logistics.

The objective of the research project is to identify potential for reducing truck traffic for the supply and disposal of inner-city building construction sites. The focus here is on evaluating new types of logistics data from digital construction and construction process documentation that have not been freely available to date. As a result, practical recommendations for action will be derived, which will serve as a basis for those involved in construction logistics, such as construction management, external construction logistics service providers, approval authorities and building owners, to organize construction logistics at inner city building construction sites in a traffic and environmentally friendly manner and to leverage optimization potentials.

The research project is a collaboration between the Institute for Digital Processes in the Construction and Real Estate Industry / BIM Institute, SiteLog GmbH and Zeppelin Rental GmbH.