Gerding, D; Wamelink, H and Leclercq, E (2020) Implementation of circularity in the building process: A case study research into organizing the actor network and decision-making process. In: Scott, L and Neilson, C J (eds.) Proceedings of 36th Annual ARCOM Conference, 7-8 September 2020, Online Event, UK.
Abstract
The building sector is responsible for a large share of the total waste production and CO2 emissions globally. The current pressing scarcity of resources and polluting influence of waste, requires a more circular building approach to support the need for sustainable building. Circular strategies aim to reduce waste by closing and narrowing resource loops and by extending the life time of materials and products. As a consequence of this fundamentally different approach to construction practices, implementing circularity entails a different organization of the building process. Literature indicates that this requires different actors to be involved and different decisions to be made. Currently, however, it is not common practice to organize the building process and perceive the design of buildings in favour of circularity. The goal of this research is to make recommendations for improving the actor network and the decision-making process to facilitate implementation of circularity in construction practices. Literature discusses the different ends (reduce, reuse, recycle) that circularity can serve. In agreement with these ends, certain strategies can be chosen to support decision-making preferably in the beginning and end of a building’s life time. The case study research provides insights into which actors should be involved at certain building process stages, and what decisions should be made that favour circularity. It is concluded that circular-related actors and traditional actors with circular-related resources are to be involved early on in the building process and should have a high degree of decision-making power, particularly concerning long-lived layers of a building. Through these gained insights this research contributes to the current state of sustainable building practices and provides pivotal insights to further mature circular construction in practice.
| Item Type: | Conference Paper (Paper) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | actor network analysis; circular construction; decision-making; life cycle; sustainable building practices |
| Index terms: | recycle, network analysis, CO2 emissions, case study, life cycle, decision-making process, strategy, circularity, sustainable building, decision-making, sustainable building practice, implementation, design of building, building process |
| Subjects: | management, building design, sustainable construction, building construction, decision analysis, air quality, data collection methods, value management, waste management, sustainable materials, sustainability and energy, contractual arrangements, data analysis and analytics |
| Topics: | Site Management, Design Practice, Procurement, Sustainability, Risk Management, Research Practice, Project Management, Business Strategy |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCEA |
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