While the circular economy offers a clear path to sustainability, the construction industry faces a significant “implementation gap” when it comes to Design for Deconstruction (DfD).
This study identifies 26 specific barriers—ranging from weak legislation to a lack of effective digital tools—that keep the industry stuck in a “demolish-and-discard” cycle.
The findings suggest that achieving a sustainable building agenda requires more than just good intentions; it requires a structural shift in how we manage information and create business value. For the built environment to become truly circular, the industry must develop better software for lifecycle tracking and advocate for policies that make deconstruction more profitable than destruction.
By bridging these gaps, we can turn the “end-of-life” for one building into the “birth” of another, fulfilling the promise of a waste-free urban future.
Learn more about this study here: https://doi.org/10.1080/09537287.2019.1695006
Reference
Akinade, O., Oyedele, L., Oyedele, A., Davila Delgado, J. M., Bilal, M., Akanbi, L., … Owolabi, H. (2020). Design for deconstruction using a circular economy approach: barriers and strategies for improvement. Production Planning & Control, 31(10), 829–840