Wanaguru, K; Mallawaarachchi, H and Vijerathne, D (2025) Prisma-based review and development of a circularity assessment framework for building construction material selection. Built Environment Project and Asset Management, 15(3), pp. 557-573. ISSN 2044-124X
Abstract
Purpose: Although several models have been developed for handling construction materials, no standard mechanism has been formed to assess the circularity in construction material selection in terms of Circular Economy (CE). Thus, the purpose of this research is to explore the importance of CE for construction material selection and to develop a framework to assess the circularity of construction materials of building construction projects in terms of CE principles. Design/methodology/approach: This research was conducted under quantitative phenomenon. A Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) based systematic literature review (SLR) was initially conducted to identify the CE principles applied in the construction industry. Then, a questionnaire survey was conducted to evaluate the level of importance of each CE principle on construction material selection to develop a circularity assessment framework. Expert interviews were conducted to validate the proposed framework. Findings: A total of 41 articles, systematically screened and selected through the SLR process, were used to explore the application of CE principles in the construction industry. A total of 10 CE principles were identified through SLR and the level of importance of each principle was first derived through Mean Weighted Average (MWA). Reuse was identified as the most important CE principle while reduce and recycle obtained second and third ranks. Then the MWA of each CE principle was converted to a percentage to develop the circularity assessment framework. Research limitations/implications: The research was limited to an objective evaluation of the importance of each CE principle for construction material selection of building construction projects. Originality/value: The developed circularity assessment framework provides a new impetus for circular material selection in building construction projects for reducing the embodied impact of building materials on overall lifecycle impact of buildings.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | circular economy; circularity; construction; construction materials; sustainable development; systematic review |
| Index terms: | sustainable development, interview, questionnaire, building material, building construction, systematic literature review, construction industry, circularity, circular economy, meta-analysis, survey, recycle, lifecycle, methodology, construction material |
| Subjects: | waste management, research evaluation and metrics, industry analysis, health safety and environment, data collection methods, sustainable design, building materials, sustainable materials, research methods, building construction, project delivery |
| Topics: | Engineering Principles, Project Management, Research Practice, Health and Safety, Design Practice, Construction Technology, Sustainability |
| 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