IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v15y2023i10p8278-d1150733.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A Traceability Framework to Enable Circularity in the Built Environment

Author

Listed:
  • Saman Davari

    (Department of Construction Engineering, École de Technologie Supérieure, Montreal, QC H3C 1K3, Canada)

  • Meisam Jaberi

    (Department of Construction Engineering, École de Technologie Supérieure, Montreal, QC H3C 1K3, Canada)

  • Adam Yousfi

    (Department of Construction Engineering, École de Technologie Supérieure, Montreal, QC H3C 1K3, Canada)

  • Erik Poirier

    (Department of Construction Engineering, École de Technologie Supérieure, Montreal, QC H3C 1K3, Canada)

Abstract

The transition towards a Circular Economy (CE) has been receiving an increasing amount of attention in the built asset industry. One of the key aspects of CE is traceability, which can enable the identification and tracking of materials, products, and their associated value throughout their entire lifecycle. However, achieving traceability has been challenging in the built asset industry due to the complex nature of construction projects and a lack of awareness about the benefits of traceability in achieving the circularity of building products and materials. Despite recent studies and efforts, a limited number of frameworks or guidelines exist to support traceability in the built asset industry. In many cases, several of the existing traceability standards, strategies, and guidelines must be identified and framed to support development and implementation of theories and models applicable within the built asset domain. This paper proposes a traceability framework consisting of five key components covering: the main purposes of traceability enabling CE principles, the role of traceability across asset lifecycle stages, the type of data needed to support traceability, the value of collaboration and coordination among industry stakeholders, and key enablers and drivers of traceability from technological and organizational perspectives. The proposed framework developed in this paper contributes to the effort aimed at framing the knowledge domain of CE through the traceability of products and materials in the built environment.

Suggested Citation

  • Saman Davari & Meisam Jaberi & Adam Yousfi & Erik Poirier, 2023. "A Traceability Framework to Enable Circularity in the Built Environment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-23, May.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:10:p:8278-:d:1150733
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/10/8278/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/10/8278/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Silvina Santana & Agostinho Ribeiro, 2022. "Traceability Models and Traceability Systems to Accelerate the Transition to a Circular Economy: A Systematic Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-50, May.
    2. Jun Wang & Hung-Lin Chi & Wenchi Shou & Heap-Yih Chong & Xiangyu Wang, 2018. "A Coordinated Approach for Supply-Chain Tracking in the Liquefied Natural Gas Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-25, December.
    3. Charef, Rabia & Ganjian, Eshmaiel & Emmitt, Stephen, 2021. "Socio-economic and environmental barriers for a holistic asset lifecycle approach to achieve circular economy: A pattern-matching method," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 170(C).
    4. Andrea Cantú & Eduardo Aguiñaga & Carlos Scheel, 2021. "Learning from Failure and Success: The Challenges for Circular Economy Implementation in SMEs in an Emerging Economy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-35, February.
    5. Kirchherr, Julian & Reike, Denise & Hekkert, Marko, 2017. "Conceptualizing the circular economy: An analysis of 114 definitions," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 221-232.
    6. Erik Poirier & Daniel Forgues & Sheryl Staub-French, 2016. "Collaboration through innovation: implications for expertise in the AEC sector," Construction Management and Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 34(11), pages 769-789, November.
    7. Kai Xue & Md. Uzzal Hossain & Meng Liu & Mingjun Ma & Yizhi Zhang & Mengqiang Hu & XiaoYi Chen & Guangyu Cao, 2021. "BIM Integrated LCA for Promoting Circular Economy towards Sustainable Construction: An Analytical Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-21, January.
    8. Aiello, Giuseppe & Enea, Mario & Muriana, Cinzia, 2015. "The expected value of the traceability information," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 244(1), pages 176-186.
    9. Mejías, Ana M. & Bellas, Roberto & Pardo, Juan E. & Paz, Enrique, 2019. "Traceability management systems and capacity building as new approaches for improving sustainability in the fashion multi-tier supply chain," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 217(C), pages 143-158.
    10. Antti Saaksvuori & Anselmi Immonen, 2008. "Product Lifecycle Management," Springer Books, Springer, number 978-3-540-78172-1, December.
    11. Liu, Hengyu, 2022. "Combating unethical producer behavior: The value of traceability in produce supply chains," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 244(C).
    12. Sohal, Amrik & De Vass, Tharaka, 2022. "Australian SME's experience in transitioning to circular economy," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 142(C), pages 594-604.
    13. Samantha Islam & Louise Manning & Jonathan M. Cullen, 2021. "A Hybrid Traceability Technology Selection Approach for Sustainable Food Supply Chains," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-35, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Mladen Krstić & Giulio Paolo Agnusdei & Snežana Tadić & Pier Paolo Miglietta, 2023. "Prioritization of e-traceability drivers in the agri-food supply chains," Agricultural and Food Economics, Springer;Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA), vol. 11(1), pages 1-26, December.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Lukas Alexander Benz, 2022. "Critical Success Factors for Circular Business Model Innovation from the Perspective of the Sustainable Development Goals," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-18, May.
    2. Yuling Sun & Xiaomei Song & Yihao Jiang & Jian Guo, 2023. "Strategy Analysis of Fresh Agricultural Enterprises in a Competitive Circumstance: The Impact of Blockchain and Consumer Traceability Preferences," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-18, February.
    3. Ahmad, Farhan & Bask, Anu & Laari, Sini & Robinson, Craig V., 2023. "Business management perspectives on the circular economy: Present state and future directions," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 187(C).
    4. Kutaula, Smirti & Gillani, Alvina & Leonidou, Leonidas C. & Christodoulides, Paul, 2022. "Integrating fair trade with circular economy: Personality traits, consumer engagement, and ethically-minded behavior," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 1087-1102.
    5. Bas Wouterszoon Jansen & Anne van Stijn & Vincent Gruis & Gerard van Bortel, 2022. "Cooking Up a Circular Kitchen: A Longitudinal Study of Stakeholder Choices in the Development of a Circular Building Component," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-20, November.
    6. Philipp Dräger & Peter Letmathe, 2023. "Who Drives Circularity?—The Role of Construction Company Employees in Achieving High Circular Economy Efficiency," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-18, April.
    7. Rajeev Rathi & Dattatraya Balasaheb Sabale & Jiju Antony & Mahender Singh Kaswan & Raja Jayaraman, 2022. "An Analysis of Circular Economy Deployment in Developing Nations’ Manufacturing Sector: A Systematic State-of-the-Art Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-23, September.
    8. Altaf Hossain Molla & Hilal Shams & Zambri Harun & Mohd Nizam Ab Rahman & Hawa Hishamuddin, 2022. "An Assessment of Drivers and Barriers to Implementation of Circular Economy in the End-of-Life Vehicle Recycling Sector in India," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-25, October.
    9. Katherine Mansilla-Obando & Fabiola Jeldes-Delgado & Nataly Guiñez-Cabrera, 2022. "Circular Economy Strategies with Social Implications: Findings from a Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-16, October.
    10. Nathalia Suchek & João J. Ferreira & Paula O. Fernandes, 2022. "A review of entrepreneurship and circular economy research: State of the art and future directions," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(5), pages 2256-2283, July.
    11. Govindan, Kannan, 2023. "How digitalization transforms the traditional circular economy to a smart circular economy for achieving SDGs and net zero," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 177(C).
    12. Kerem Toker & Ali Görener, 2023. "Evaluation of circular economy business models for SMEs using spherical fuzzy TOPSIS: an application from a developing countries’ perspective," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(2), pages 1700-1741, February.
    13. Saskia Manshoven & Wim Van Opstal, 2022. "The Carrot or the Stick? Stakeholder Support for Mandatory Regulations towards a Circular Fashion System," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-31, November.
    14. Zhu, Bing & Nguyen, Mai & Sarm Siri, Nang & Malik, Ashish, 2022. "Towards a transformative model of circular economy for SMEs," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 545-555.
    15. Pina Puntillo, 2023. "Circular economy business models: Towards achieving sustainable development goals in the waste management sector—Empirical evidence and theoretical implications," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(2), pages 941-954, March.
    16. Vincenzo Varriale & Antonello Cammarano & Francesca Michelino & Mauro Caputo, 2021. "Sustainable Supply Chains with Blockchain, IoT and RFID: A Simulation on Order Management," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-23, June.
    17. Tina Wiegand & Martin Wynn, 2023. "Sustainability, the Circular Economy and Digitalisation in the German Textile and Clothing Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-30, June.
    18. Abdulmajeed Almadhi & Abdelhakim Abdelhadi & Rakan Alyamani, 2023. "Moving from Linear to Circular Economy in Saudi Arabia: Life-Cycle Assessment on Plastic Waste Management," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-22, July.
    19. Sergio Cappucci & Serena Nappi & Andrea Cappelli, 2022. "Green Public Areas and Urban Open Spaces Management: New GreenCAL Tool Algorithms and Circular Economy Implications," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-25, June.
    20. Abbate, Stefano & Centobelli, Piera & Cerchione, Roberto, 2023. "From Fast to Slow: An Exploratory Analysis of Circular Business Models in the Italian Apparel Industry," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 260(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:10:p:8278-:d:1150733. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.