Promoting Circularity Through Industrial Waste for a Sustainable Built Environment in South Africa

To promote material circularity and a sustainable built environment, this study investigates the application of industrial waste within South Africa’s built environment, with a focus on civil engineering projects. A post-positivist philosophical stance was adopted, with a quantitative method and a structured questionnaire used for data collection. Responses were solicited from built environment professionals involved in the delivery of civil engineering projects, and the data gathered were analysed using appropriate descriptive and inferential statistics, including exploratory factor analysis and partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). Findings revealed that, despite increased awareness of recycled construction and demolition waste, fly ash, and foundry sand, among others, their use remains limited due to three significant constraints. These are (1) knowledge, skills, and awareness, (2) operational and regulatory, and (3) governance and industry collaboration. PLS-SEM further showed that prioritizing sustainable practices and fostering multidisciplinary collaboration are the most significant strategies for enhancing industrial waste usage in the country. Practically, the study indicates that overcoming regulatory, knowledge, and operational issues through targeted policies, infrastructure investments, and collaborative efforts can significantly promote material circularity and sustainability in the South African built environment. Theoretically, the findings offer valuable insights for future studies on the application of industrial waste in the delivery of built environment projects in developing countries, where such studies have not been explored.