van Uden, M; Wamelink, H; van Bueren, E and Heurkens, E (2025) Aligning practices towards a circular economy in the architecture, engineering, and construction sector: Seven transitions in different stages of reconfiguration. Construction Management and Economics, 43(2), pp. 153-174. ISSN 0144-6193
Abstract
The architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) sector is in need of a transition towards a circular economy. This article offers an analysis of two cases with a wide variation regarding project dynamics in the Netherlands. Alignments and misalignments were analyzed between practices concerning seven design strategies for circular design based on social practice theory and concepts from the multi-level perspective. Results show that many misalignments still hinder the transition, mostly concerning the use of secondary resources, such as notions regarding quality, beauty, and safety among project team members or rapid decision-making processes of the municipality that misalign with the uptake of design with secondary resources. This article offers directions for reconfiguration, such as better tuning between project planning and urban planning and taking up a more flexible stance regarding the function of the building. This research is interesting for practitioners and researchers focusing on the transition towards a circular economy in the AEC sector.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | circular construction; practice alignment; social practice theory; transition |
| Index terms: | social practice theory, circular economy, decision-making process, dynamics, project team, design strategy, Netherlands, practitioner, reconfiguration, variation, misalignment, project planning, municipality, urban planning, construction sector |
| Subjects: | industry analysis, administrative law, systems engineering, decision analysis, contractual condition, project delivery, design methods, control systems, sustainable design, Geography, theoretical framing, urban planning, practitioner, engineering problems, organization |
| Topics: | Governance, Roles and Professions, Research Practice, Business Strategy, Contract Administration, Design Practice, Sustainability, Risk Management, Project Management, Geographical Context, Engineering Principles, Legal Issues |
| Descriptive scope: | 3 PCT |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here