Journal of Engineering in Industrial Research

h-index: 18     i10-index: 25

Circular Economy Principles in Architectural Design, ‎Construction, and Cities

Document Type : Original Research Article

Authors

Alireza Farokhi 1
Seyed Amir Miri 2

1 Department of Engineering, University of Greenwich, London, UK‎

2 Department of Architecture, Islamic Azad University, South Tehran Branch, Tehran, Iran

https://doi.org/10.48309/jeires.2025.503720.1157
Abstract
Circular economy, as a new approach to economic development, seeks to reduce pollution and manage resources more efficiently. The purpose of this article is estimate of Circular Economy Principles in Architectural Design, Construction and Real Estate. Circular economy is an economic system in which products, materials and resources are continuously recycled, resulting in no or minimal waste. It is based on three fundamental principles: design to eliminate waste and pollution; keep materials and products in the cycle of use; and restore natural systems. The world population is expected to reach 9 billion by 2050, with 55% of them living in cities. This population growth will put more pressure on natural resources and demand new infrastructure, services and housing. Currently, cities account for approximately two-thirds of global energy demand and are responsible for 80% of greenhouse gas emissions as well as 50% of global waste, with estimates indicating that urban waste levels will double by 2050. The construction industry’s approach to the life cycle of materials and buildings is evolving. For a long time, this cycle has followed the simple formula of “plan, design, build and finally demolish”, but over time, new concepts such as recycling, dismantling, reuse and circular demolition have emerged in the industry and form part of the gradual transformation towards a circular economy in construction. This approach not only extends the lifecycle of building components, but also fosters a symbiotic relationship between the built environment and the natural world. Circular design emphasizes several key principles: designing for longevity, adaptability, and disassembling components; using sustainable materials; and ensuring that products can be easily repaired, reused, or recycled at the end of their life cycle. The transformation in the construction industry’s approach is bringing the stages of use of buildings and their life cycle closer to reality.

Keywords

Architecture
Circular economy
‎Construction industry
Life cycle ‎demolition
Architectural design ‎principles
Sustainable city

Subjects

©2025 The author(s). This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons license, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons license and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this license, visit: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

[1]. S. Giorgi, M. Lavagna, A. Campioli, Circular economy and regeneration of building stock in the Italian context: Policies, partnership and tools, IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, IOP Publishing, 2019, 012065. [Google Scholar], [Publisher]
[2]. R. Asante, D. Faibil, M. Agyemang, et al., Life cycle stage practices and strategies for circular economy: assessment in construction and demolition industry of an emerging economy, Environmental Science and Pollution Research, Springer Nature, 2022, 82110–82121. [Google Scholar], [Publisher]
[3]. T. Fortibuoni, The sustainability series: the plastics problem - pathways towards sustainable solutions against plastic pollution, Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale, 2023, 4. [Google Scholar], [Publisher]
[4]. G. Dokter, L. Thuvander, U. Rahe, How circular is current design practice? Investigating perspectives across industrial design and architecture in the transition towards a circular economy, Sustainable Production and Consumption, 2021, 26, 692-708. [Crossref], [Google Scholar], [Publisher]
[5]. R. Charef, J.C. Morel, K. Rakhshan, Barriers to implementing the circular economy in the construction industry: A critical review, Sustainability, 2021, 13, 12989. [Crossref], [Google Scholar], [Publisher]
[6]. L.C.M. Eberhardt, M. Birkved, H. Birgisdottir, Building design and construction strategies for a circular economy, Architectural Engineering and Design Management, 2022, 18, 93-113. [Crossref], [Google Scholar], [Publisher]
[7]. J.L. Gálvez-Martos, D. Styles, H. Schoenberger, B. Zeschmar-Lahl, Construction and demolition waste best management practice in Europe, Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 2018, 136, 166-178. [Crossref], [Google Scholar], [Publisher]
[8]. B. Huang, X. Wang, H. Kua, Y. Geng, R. Bleischwitz, J. Ren, Construction and demolition waste management in China through the 3R principle, Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 2018, 129, 36-44. [Crossref], [Google Scholar], [Publisher]
[9]. P. Ghisellini, M. Ripa, S. Ulgiati, Exploring environmental and economic costs and benefits of a circular economy approach to the construction and demolition sector; A literature review, Journal of Cleaner Production, 2018, 178, 618-643. [Crossref], [Google Scholar], [Publisher]
[10]. Ö. Çimen, Construction and built environment in circular economy: A comprehensive literature review, Journal of Cleaner Production, 2021, 305, 127180. [Crossref], [Google Scholar], [Publisher]
[11]. R.K. Singh, H.R. Murty, S.K. Gupta, A.K. Dikshit, An overview of sustainability assessment methodologies, Ecological indicators, 2012, 15, 281-299. [Crossref], [Google Scholar], [Publisher]
[12]. S. Cayzer, P. Griffiths, V. Beghetto, Design of indicators for measuring product performance in the circular economy, International Journal of Sustainable Engineering, 2017, 10, 289-298. [Crossref], [Google Scholar], [Publisher]
[13]. M. Saidani, B. Yannou, Y. Leroy, F. Cluzel, A. Kendall, A taxonomy of circular economy indicators, Journal of Cleaner Production, 2019, 207, 542-559. [Crossref], [Google Scholar], [Publisher]
[14]. A.e. dell'ambiente, Circular Economy in Europe: Developing the knowledge base, Publications Office of the European Union, 2016. [Google Scholar], [Publisher]
[15]. European Commission. Communication from the commission to the european parliament, the council, the european economic and social committee and the committee of the regions on a monitoring framework for the circular economy Publications Office of the European Union, Strasbourg, France, 2018. [Google Scholar], [Publisher]
[16]. Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), 2020. [Google Scholar], [Publisher]
[17]. European Parliament and Council of the European Union, 2008, 312, 3–30. [Google Scholar], [Publisher]
[18]. European Parliament and Council of the European Union. 2018, 150, 109–140. [Google Scholar], [Publisher]
[19]. European Parliament and Council of the European Union. 2020, 198, 13–43. [Google Scholar], [Publisher]
[20]. Environmental Management—Life Cycle Assessment–Principles and Framework. ISO: Geneva, Switzerland, 2006. [Google Scholar], [Publisher]
[21]. E. Soulti, D.Leonard, The value of breeam. a review of latest thinking in the commercial building sector; BRE Global: London, UK, 2016. [Google Scholar] [Publisher]
[22]. Wang, N.; Adeli, H. Sustainable Building Design. J. Civ. Eng. Manag. 2014, 20, 1–10. [Google Scholar], [Crossref]
[23]. R. Jin, J. Hong, J. Zuo, Environmental performance of off-site constructed facilities: A critical review, Energy and Buildings, 2020, 207, 109567. [Crossref], [Google Scholar], [Publisher]
[24]. M.B. Hamida, T. Jylhä, H. Remøy, V. Gruis, Circular building adaptability and its determinants–A literature review, International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation, 2022, 41, 47-69. [Crossref], [Google Scholar], [Publisher]
[25]. S. Jain, S. Singhal, N.K. Jain, K. Bhaskar, Construction and demolition waste recycling: Investigating the role of theory of planned behavior, institutional pressures and environmental consciousness, Journal of Cleaner Production, 2020, 263, 121405. [Crossref], [Google Scholar], [Publisher]
[26]. B.C. Guerra, F. Leite, Circular economy in the construction industry: An overview of United States stakeholders’ awareness, major challenges, and enablers, Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 2021, 170, 105617. [Crossref], [Google Scholar], [Publisher]
[27]. O.O. Akinade, L.O. Oyedele, S.O. Ajayi, M. Bilal, H.A. Alaka, H.A. Owolabi, O.O. Arawomo, Designing out construction waste using BIM technology: Stakeholders' expectations for industry deployment, Journal of Cleaner Production, 2018, 180, 375-385. [Crossref], [Google Scholar], [Publisher]
[28]. N. Rane, Integrating leading-edge artificial intelligence (AI), internet of things (IOT), and big data technologies for smart and sustainable architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry: Challenges and future directions, Engineering and Construction (AEC) Industry: Challenges and Future Directions (September 24, 2023), 2023. [Crossref], [Google Scholar], [Publisher]
[29]. S. Giorgi, M. Lavagna, Italian Regulations and Local Initiatives for Circular Economy in the Construction Sector, International Conference" Coordinating Engineering for Sustainability and Resilience, 2024, 615-624. [Google Scholar], [Publisher]
[30]. F.J. Fowler, Survey Research Methods, Sage Publications Ltd.: Thousand Oaks, CA, USA, 2013, 95–115. [Google Scholar], [Publisher]
[31]. H. Taherdoost, Validity and reliability of the research instrument; How to test the validation of a questionnaire/survey in a research, International Journal of Academic Research in Management (IJARM), 2016, 5. [Crossref], [Google Scholar], [Publisher]
[32]. J.F. Hair, W.C. Black, Babin, B.J. Anderson, R.E. Multivariate Data Analysis: A Global Perspective; Pearson Education: Delhi, India, 2010. [Google Scholar], [Publisher]
[33]. D.W. Chan, M.M. Kumaraswamy, An evaluation of construction time performance in the building industry, Building and Environment, 1996, 31, 569-578. [Crossref], [Google Scholar], [Publisher]
[34]. J. Jayawardana, A.K. Kulatunga, J. Jayasinghe, M. Sandanayake, G. Zhang, Environmental sustainability of off-site construction in developed and developing regions: a systematic review, Journal of Architectural Engineering, 2023, 29, 04023008. [Crossref], [Google Scholar], [Publisher]
[35]. Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport: Rome, Italy, 2017. [Crossref], [Google Scholar], [Publisher]
[36]. P. Schober, C. Boer, L.A. Schwarte, Correlation coefficients: appropriate use and interpretation, Anesthesia & Analgesia, 2018, 126, 1763-1768. [Crossref], [Google Scholar], [Publisher]
[37]. A. Ahmadi, S. Bazargan-Hejazi, 2017 Kermanshah earthquake; lessons learned, Journal of Injury and Violence Research, 2018, 10, 1. [Crossref], [Google Scholar], [Publisher]
[38]. J.L. Beven, L.A. Avila, E.S. Blake, D.P. Brown, J.L. Franklin, R.D. Knabb, R.J. Pasch, J.R. Rhome, S.R. Stewart, Atlantic hurricane season of 2005, Monthly Weather Review, 2008, 136, 1109-1173. [Google Scholar], [Publisher]
[39]. R. Jørgensen, E. Scarso, Information as a Circular Resource: Facilitating Information Exchange to Extend Product-life, Measuring Business Excellence, Emerald Publishing Limited, 2023, 651–662. [Google Scholar], [Publisher]
[40]. R.W. Kates, C.E. Colten, S. Laska, S.P. Leatherman, reconstruction of new orleans after hurricane katrina: A research perspective, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2006, 103, 14653-14660. [Crossref], [Google Scholar], [Publisher]  
 
Journal of Engineering in Industrial Research
Volume 6, Issue 1
Winter 2025
Pages 53-69

  • Receive Date 31 January 2025
  • Revise Date 17 February 2025
  • Accept Date 12 March 2025

Home

A-Z Journals

Indexing and Abstracting

Editorial Board

Guide for Authors

Submit Manuscript

Contact Us