Engineering and Technology
| Open Access | Bridging Material Innovation And Procurement For Circular Construction: A Lifecycle-Oriented Approach practice
Dr. Arman Patel , Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Toronto, CanadaAbstract
Background: The construction sector is a principal consumer of natural resources and a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, waste generation, and environmental degradation. Transitioning from linear to circular paradigms in construction requires integration of material innovation, procurement reform, stakeholder collaboration, and lifecycle thinking. The literature contains numerous domain-specific investigations—ranging from the viability of using wastewater in concrete production to the mechanical performance of wood-plastic composites—yet there is fragmentation across technical, managerial, and policy dimensions. This study synthesizes diverse evidence to present a comprehensive, theoretically grounded framework for circular construction that connects recycled-material technologies with procurement strategies and lifecycle environmental accounting.
Objectives: This article aims to (1) consolidate empirical findings on recycled and alternative construction materials; (2) analyze procurement and delivery models that enable circular outcomes; (3) propose an integrated methodological approach for assessing circularity across technical performance, environmental impact, and stakeholder dynamics; and (4) identify research gaps and propose a nuanced agenda for policy, practice, and scholarship.
Methods: Using the provided reference corpus as the evidentiary base, this work implements an analytical synthesis method grounded in cross-disciplinary theory building. Technical studies on recycled aggregates, wood-based alternatives, and plastic composites are synthesized with procurement and project-delivery literature to derive a systemic conceptual model. Evidence is interrogated via comparative thematic analysis and hypothetical scenario projections, emphasizing consistency with the original empirical findings while extrapolating theoretical implications.
Results: The synthesis reveals convergent findings: high-quality recycled aggregates and sands are reaching industrial readiness (Skocek et al., 2024; Ulewicz, 2021), wood-based materials present substantial carbon benefits when managed across long cycles (Nielsen-Roine & Meyboom, 2024; Gustavsson & Sathre, 2006), and plastic-derived composites can replace selected non-structural components with favorable environmental trade-offs (Ribeiro et al., 2023; Lamba et al., 2022). Procurement mechanisms and collaborative delivery models emerge as critical enabling conditions; misaligned procurement disincentivizes circular practices (Mitchell, 2015; Osipova & Eriksson, 2011; Ofori, 2007). Lifecycle analyses underscore the importance of demolition-phase emissions and embodied carbon from material choices (Egonzalez et al., 2022; Gustavsson & Sathre, 2011).
Conclusions: A multi-layered framework is proposed that links material selection criteria, quality-assurance pathways for recycled inputs, procurement reform, and lifecycle accounting. Policy levers, industry standards, and novel contractual forms are necessary to scale circular construction. Future research must prioritize long-term field trials, standardization of recycled material specifications, and integrative socio-technical studies that examine how stakeholder incentives shape circular outcomes.
Keywords
Circular economy, recycled materials, construction procurement
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