Chapter 11 - Circular economy during project life cycle

Abstract

Although the concept of circular economy (CE) and its adoption is well documented within various industries, this is not the case within the built environment. The majority of studies classify CE principles into three levels: micro, meso, and macro. Based on some studies suggesting different implementation principles of CE regarding materials and buildings, the principles of adopting CE are summarized and a clear picture presented. The aim of this chapter is to outline CE principles over a project's life cycle. The results suggest that the adoption of CE at material and building level involves reducing the demand for buildings and/or materials, the increase of circular design, and the implementation of circular business models. Therefore, the interaction between CE principles and project life cycle stages are clearly discussed with a framework that shows the implementation of CE principles over the five stages of a project's life cycle.