Victar, H C and Waidyasekara, A S (2025) Optimising construction waste management in Sri Lanka through Circular economy strategies: A focus on construction and renovation and use and operate stages. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, 32(7), pp. 4275-4309. ISSN 0969-9988
Abstract
Purpose: Construction and Demolition (C&D) Waste Management (WM) poses significant challenges in Sri Lanka, contributing to environmental degradation and resource depletion. To address these issues, this study explores the application of Circular Economy (CE) strategies in minimising waste generation and optimising resource utilisation in Sri Lankan construction industry. The research focuses on the construction and building renovation and use and operate stages of the building project life cycle, recognising their significance in waste generation and resource consumption. Design/methodology/approach: The research employed a qualitative approach, utilising the Delphi technique through three rounds of expert interviews. Seventeen experts were involved in the first round, followed by fifteen in the second round, and twelve in the final round. The collected data was analysed using manual content analysis methods. Findings: The research findings revealed fifteen C&D WM issues in the construction and building renovation stage in Sri Lanka, along with suitable strategies to overcome each of them. Similarly, eight C&D WM issues were identified for the use and operate stage of the building, and corresponding strategies were provided to address each issue. By adopting CE strategies such as modular design and material reuse, construction projects can optimise the project's timeline, cost, and quality factors. These strategies enable efficient resource allocation, reduce waste generation, and contribute to the overall sustainability of the project. The impact of CE strategies on mitigating these issues within the project management iron triangle was also discussed. Originality/value: This paper entails delving into how construction, building renovation, and operation stages of a building's life cycle intersect with CE strategies, which profoundly influence operational efficiency and long-term sustainability. By incorporating principles such as energy efficiency, water conservation, and circular product design, the paper illuminates how these strategies facilitate decreased energy usage, enhanced resource management, and diminished waste production throughout the building's lifespan.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | circular economy; construction and building renovation stage; construction and demolition; use and operate stage; waste management issues |
| Index terms: | energy efficiency, resource allocation, environmental degradation, efficiency, resource utilization, circular economy, waste generation, qualitative approach, life cycle, Sri Lanka, depletion, renovation, modular design, construction waste, project management, resource management, resource consumption, construction industry, product design, lifespan, interview, water conservation, strategy, construction and demolition, content analysis, waste management, Delphi technique, construction project, methodology, building renovation |
| Subjects: | production management, Geography, sustainable design, research methods, occupational health, asset management, waste management, environmental impact, site logistics, innovation and technology management, environmental resource management, project management theory and practice, performance management, management, renovation and retrofit, industry analysis, design methods, control systems, value management, data collection methods, resource management, material degradation and durability, data analysis and analytics, sustainability and energy |
| Topics: | Construction Materials, Research Practice, Business Strategy, Site Management, Design Practice, Sustainability, Engineering Principles, Project Management, Geographical Context, Health and Safety, Quality Management |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
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