Towards Circular Social Housing: An Exploration of Practices, Barriers, and Enablers

Sultan Çetin,Vincent Gruis,Ad Straub

doi:10.3390/su13042100

Sultan Çetin, Vincent Gruis + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/su13042100

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Journal: Sustainability	Publication Date: Feb 16, 2021
Citations: 18	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Delft University of Technology

Abstract

The concept of Circular Economy (CE) and its application in the built environment is an emerging research field. Scholars approach CE from various perspectives covering a wide range of topics from material innovation to city-scale application. However, there is little research on CE implementation in housing stock, particularly that which is managed or owned by the social housing organisations (SHOs) and which offers opportunities to generate circular flows of materials at the portfolio level. This research focuses on Dutch SHOs and uses the Delphi method to examine CE practices in their asset management, as well as the main barriers to and potential enablers of its uptake. The analysis of two iterative rounds of expert questioning indicates that Dutch SHOs are in the early experimental phase in CE implementation. From the results, it is evident that organisational, cultural, and financial barriers are the most pressing ones that hinder the wider adoption of CE in their asset management. Building on the panel input, this study suggests potential enablers to overcome these barriers, such as CE legislation, best practice case studies, commitment and support from the top management, and the creation of a clear business case.

Highlights

Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment, Delft University of Technology, 2628 BL Delft, Abstract: The concept of Circular Economy (CE) and its application in the built environment is an emerging research field
The analysis of the Delphi rounds reveals that CE is a new topic for the Dutch social housing sector, and its implementation is in an experimental phase
These include the collection of old building components, for instance, bathroom fixtures, reusing them upon cleaning, and repairing in another location; using biobased insulation materials in energy renovation projects; reusing the old roof tiles in roof renovation

Summary

Introduction

Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment, Delft University of Technology, 2628 BL Delft, Abstract: The concept of Circular Economy (CE) and its application in the built environment is an emerging research field. There is little research on CE implementation in housing stock, that which is managed or owned by the social housing organisations (SHOs) and which offers opportunities to generate circular flows of materials at the portfolio level. This research focuses on Dutch SHOs and uses the Delphi method to examine CE practices in their asset management, as well as the main barriers to and potential enablers of its uptake. 9% of the European gross domestic product [1] and are the major consumer of natural resources [2]. Research suggests that this industry is responsible for 39% of global energyrelated emissions [3] and 46% of the total waste generation in the European Union (EU) [4]. Many European countries [9], including the Netherlands [10], have developed several strategies and action plans, in which the construction sector takes a pivotal role as one of the main priorities in the transition towards a CE

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