New needs in construction for circular transitions: Task report

Sustainability is increasingly having an impact on the operating environment of the construction industry. However, there are many different sustainability perspectives available, leading to ambiguity in their application in the industry’s processes. This report looks in more detail to the application of sustainability in design processes. To avoid the same ambiguity in findings as results, after an initial exploration of different sustainability perspectives, this report focuses solely on the application of the circular economy in the construction industry. First, a theoretical framework is set up to aid in circular design. After that, interviews, case studies, and a workshop provide additional findings on how to approach circular design processes in the construction industry. The findings reveal that there is not one single way of approaching circular design processes, but that there is a need for increased collaboration and data sharing when compared to traditional design processes. Based on stakeholders’ information needs throughout the process, different types of technology that could aid stakeholders in the implementation of circular design are also identified.