PurposeBecause the construction industry is one of the largest waste producers, understanding the primary reasons for waste production is essential. The goal of this study is to identify the major causes of waste production over the project life cycle in Iran's construction industry and to propose effective solutions based on modern technologies like BIM.Design/methodology/approachAfter identifying the primary causes of construction and demolition waste production through interviews and literature analysis, solutions based on building information modeling (BIM) were provided. Then, using questionnaires and exploratory factor analysis (EFA), the areas impacting waste reduction were found.FindingsThe findings suggest that “prefabrication” is the best approach for improving time and quality, while “detection and prediction of errors in the design and construction phases” is the most cost-effective technique for addressing cost and environmental issues.Originality/valueCost, time, quality and environmental concerns may all be influenced by effective waste management throughout the project life cycle. Furthermore, utilizing state-of-the-art technologies has far-reaching implications for reducing material waste, resulting in more environmental-friendly construction.