Identification of Barriers and their Effects in Implementation of Circular Economy in Construction Industry

Abstract

The construction sector faces a substantial waste challenge, particularly from construction and demolition activities, raising environmental concerns. The adoption of circular economy principles to manage this waste offers promise for sustainability but encounters barriers impeding its effectiveness. This synopsis investigates the identification and assessment of obstacles obstructing the integration of circular economy practices for construction & demolition waste within the construction industry. A comprehensive analysis of literature, industry reports, and case studies yields insights into these impediments. This research delves into the barriers hindering the effective implementation of circular economy principles in Ahmedabad’s construction industry, situated in Gujarat, India. Employing Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) as a quantitative analytical framework, the research examines data collected from diverse stakeholders to uncover barrier and effect attributes contributing to these impediments. Through this approach, the objective of the study is to develop a two distinct three-level hierarchical (THFs) framework that can overcome the region-specific challenges associated with circular economy adoption in Construction Demolition waste (CDW) management. The results obtained from a questionnaire survey of 86 industry experts grouped 27 barrier attributes into five components: regulatory and policy; infrastructure and investment; stakeholder engagement and awareness; technological and market; supply chain operation. Similarly, 10 effect attributes were grouped into three components: resource depletion and environment harm; operational inefficiency and economic; product lifecycle. Thus, the findings can provide valuable guidance to policy-makers and industry professionals in the development of targeted strategies to overcome barriers and promote sustainable practices in CDW management within this specific regional context.