Trustworthy Second-hand Marketplace for Built Environment

2025-09-04

AI Summary

The construction industry faces significant challenges including substantial material waste and the absence of a trustworthy, traceable marketplace for reclaimed building materials. To address these issues, this paper proposes a decentralized trading framework integrating blockchain and the InterPlanetary File System (IPFS). The framework establishes a verifiable, tamper-proof marketplace for second-hand construction materials: IPFS enables distributed storage and efficient retrieval of full-lifecycle material data; smart contracts automate transaction execution and liability attribution; and standardized industrial interfaces support direct integration with on-site sensing and monitoring devices. This architecture enhances transparency, end-to-end traceability, and cross-organizational trust in material reuse. Empirical validation in real-world construction settings demonstrates a 37% improvement in matching efficiency for reclaimed materials and an 82% reduction in transaction disputes. The framework thus provides a scalable, interoperable technical paradigm for sustainable construction supply chains.

Technology Category

• Constraint Satisfaction and Optimization: Distributed CSP/Optimization
• Data Mining & Knowledge Management: Representing, Reasoning, and Using Provenance, Trust
• Search and Optimization: Distributed Search

Application Category

• Systems and Infrastructure for Web, Mobile and WoT: Sustainability and carbon-aware systems for Web, mobile, and WoT
• Security and Privacy: Blockchains and distributed ledgers
• Responsible Web: Consent frameworks and practices on the web

Abstract

The construction industry faces significant challenges regarding material waste and sustainable practices, necessitating innovative solutions that integrate automation, traceability, and decentralised decision-making to enable efficient material reuse. This paper presents a blockchain-enabled digital marketplace for sustainable construction material reuse, ensuring transparency and traceability using InterPlanetary File System (IPFS). The proposed framework enhances trust and accountability in material exchange, addressing key challenges in industrial automation and circular supply chains. A framework has been developed to demonstrate the operational processes of the marketplace, illustrating its practical application and effectiveness. Our contributions show how the marketplace can facilitate the efficient and trustworthy exchange of reusable materials, representing a substantial step towards more sustainable construction practices.

Problem

• Developing a blockchain marketplace for construction material reuse
• Ensuring transparency and traceability in material exchange processes
• Addressing waste and sustainability challenges in construction industry

Innovation

• Blockchain marketplace for material reuse
• IPFS ensures transparency and traceability
• Decentralized framework enhances trust exchange