The Digital Passport for the traceability of the circularity of building products

Abstract: one of the challenges facing the Italian construction sector in its transition to industry 4.0 is undoubtedly the standardization of transparent procedures for measuring environmental impacts. The sector is far from meeting current standards, due of its being advanced craftsmanship rather than industrialization, the fragmentation of the supply chain, the design principles and approaches, maintenance and decommissioning of buildings, the construction techniques used, the building materials, regulatory and economic issues and, in general, a widespread lack of environmental awareness. In view of the need for profound renewal and the achievement of circularity, digitalization and decarbonization objectives, action must be taken through the close integration of operators, phases and procedures in a shared, coordinated manner. This approach could deliver objective economic, social and environmental benefits in line with EU directives and help to meet the EU’s 2030-2050 commitments. This contribution aims to share the ongoing results of research funded by Sapienza University of Rome, as part of Large Research Projects (2024-2025) for the development and operation of the Digital Building Product Passport, an innovative tool to support project proposals. The case study of PV modules illustrates ongoing experimentation aimed at establishing a labelling system for physical and digital traceability, and for sharing and updating lifecycle information managed by various operators. Digitized information throughout the products’ entire life cycle will be shared and updated via a platform and stored until the products are discarded and subsequently reused.