IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/wly/sustdv/v33y2025i6p8072-8097.html

Circular Economy as a Catalyst for Sustainability: Modeling Connections in Mega‐Construction Initiatives

Author

Listed:
  • Abdelazim Ibrahim
  • Tarek Zayed

Abstract

The circular economy (CE) is a transformative approach to achieving sustainability in mega‐construction initiatives, yet its adoption remains limited. This study develops a framework to identify critical success factors (CSFs) driving CE adoption and their impact on sustainability in large‐scale construction projects, focusing on developing countries. Using a systematic, multi‐stage methodology, the research includes a literature review to establish theoretical foundations, expert interviews to refine key factors, a survey to collect empirical data, and analysis via Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) to categorize the factors. The framework is quantitatively validated using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS‐SEM) to test relationships between constructs and sustainability outcomes. EFA reveals 27 CSFs grouped into three primary constructs: Digital Lifecycle Systems (DLS), Policy‐Driven Capacity (PDC), and Economic‐Market Enablers (EME) as key drivers of CE integration. PLS‐SEM analysis revealed that these 27 CSFs across the three constructs explain 57.3% variance (R2 = 0.573) in the sustainable pillars of megaprojects. The proposed model, tested through PLS‐SEM, highlights the significance of DLS in optimizing resource management and material reuse. PDC highlights the critical role of regulations and institutional frameworks, while EME underscores financial incentives and market demand as key enablers. This study provides actionable insights for policymakers and industry practitioners, emphasizing the need to integrate digital tools, enforce supportive policies, and foster economic enablers to drive CE adoption. By addressing these critical factors, the research offers a replicable framework to embed CE principles in construction megaprojects, accelerating progress toward sustainability goals and resource efficiency.

Suggested Citation

  • Abdelazim Ibrahim & Tarek Zayed, 2025. "Circular Economy as a Catalyst for Sustainability: Modeling Connections in Mega‐Construction Initiatives," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(6), pages 8072-8097, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:sustdv:v:33:y:2025:i:6:p:8072-8097
    DOI: 10.1002/sd.70089
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.70089
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1002/sd.70089?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Lee Cronbach, 1951. "Coefficient alpha and the internal structure of tests," Psychometrika, Springer;The Psychometric Society, vol. 16(3), pages 297-334, September.
    2. Norris, Michael & Oppenheim, Charles, 2007. "Comparing alternatives to the Web of Science for coverage of the social sciences’ literature," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 1(2), pages 161-169.
    3. Emilia Vann Yaroson & Soumyadeb Chowdhury & Sachin Kumar Mangla & Prasanta Dey & Felix T. S. Chan & Melanie Roux, 2024. "A systematic literature review exploring and linking circular economy and sustainable development goals in the past three decades (1991–2022)," International Journal of Production Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 62(4), pages 1399-1433, February.
    4. Amina El Mekaoui & Rasikh Tariq & Othón Baños Ramírez & P.E. Méndez-Monroy, 2020. "Sustainability, Sociocultural Challenges, and New Power of Capitalism for Renewable Energy Megaprojects in an Indigenous Mayan Community of Mexico," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-23, September.
    5. Patrick Schroeder & Kartika Anggraeni & Uwe Weber, 2019. "The Relevance of Circular Economy Practices to the Sustainable Development Goals," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 23(1), pages 77-95, February.
    6. 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.
    7. Arezoo Ghazanfari, 2023. "An Analysis of Circular Economy Literature at the Macro Level, with a Particular Focus on Energy Markets," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(4), pages 1-24, February.
    8. Nicholas Lynch, 2022. "Unbuilding the city: Deconstruction and the circular economy in Vancouver," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 54(8), pages 1586-1603, November.
    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. Shahbaz Khan & Abid Haleem & Zafar Husain & Daniel Samson, 2026. "From barriers to solutions: an ensemble ranking-based framework for circular economy adoption," Operations Management Research, Springer, vol. 19(1), pages 1-27, March.

    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. Shahjahan Ali & Shahnaj Akter & Csaba Fogarassy, 2021. "Analysis of Circular Thinking in Consumer Purchase Intention to Buy Sustainable Waste-To-Value (WTV) Foods," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-14, May.
    2. Raja Nurul Sakinah Raja Syamsuddin & Noramirah Nabilah Sulaiman & Fitriyah Razali & Hariati Abdullah Hashim, 2025. "Circular Economy in Property Management: A Prisma Systematic Review," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 9(1), pages 4703-4750, January.
    3. 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.
    4. Yoon, Junghyun & Lee, Hee Yong & Dinwoodie, John, 2015. "Competitiveness of container terminal operating companies in South Korea and the industry–university–government network," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 1-14.
    5. Md. Mominur Rahman & Bilkis Akhter, 2021. "The impact of investment in human capital on bank performance: evidence from Bangladesh," Future Business Journal, Springer, vol. 7(1), pages 1-13, December.
    6. Amolo Elvis Juma Amolo & Charles Mallans Rambo & Charles Misiko Wafula, 2024. "Hedging Derivatives and Performance of Renewable Energy Projects in Kenya," International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation, International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI), vol. 11(8), pages 619-630, August.
    7. Deepak, 2016. "Antecedent Value of Professional Commitment and Job Involvement in Determining Job Satisfaction," Management and Labour Studies, XLRI Jamshedpur, School of Business Management & Human Resources, vol. 41(2), pages 154-164, May.
    8. Marianela Denegri & María Baeza & Natalia Salinas-Oñate & Verónica Peñaloza & Horacio Miranda & Ligia Orellana, 2014. "Materialism in Pedagogy Students in Chile," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 117(2), pages 505-521, June.
    9. Tomislav Letnik & Katja Hanžič & Giuseppe Luppino & Matej Mencinger, 2022. "Impact of Logistics Trends on Freight Transport Development in Urban Areas," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-18, December.
    10. Julia Eichholz & Thorsten Knauer & Sandra Winkelmann, 2023. "Digital Maturity of Forecasting and its Impact in Times of Crisis," Schmalenbach Journal of Business Research, Springer, vol. 75(4), pages 443-481, December.
    11. Zhihui Wang & Liangzhen Nie & Eila Jeronen & Lihua Xu & Meiai Chen, 2023. "Understanding the Environmentally Sustainable Behavior of Chinese University Students as Tourists: An Integrative Framework," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-17, February.
    12. Gaviria-Marin, Magaly & Merigó, José M. & Baier-Fuentes, Hugo, 2019. "Knowledge management: A global examination based on bibliometric analysis," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 140(C), pages 194-220.
    13. repec:bjc:journl:v:8:y:2022:i:12:p:28-35 is not listed on IDEAS
    14. Robert P. Garrett Jr. & Jeffrey G. Covin, 2015. "Internal Corporate Venture Operations Independence and Performance: A Knowledge–Based Perspective," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 39(4), pages 763-790, July.
    15. repec:plo:pone00:0155225 is not listed on IDEAS
    16. Kang, Min Jung & Park, Heejun, 2011. "Impact of experience on government policy toward acceptance of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in Korea," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(6), pages 3465-3475, June.
    17. repec:plo:pone00:0121767 is not listed on IDEAS
    18. Tuba Bircan & Almila Alkim Akdag Salah, 2022. "A Bibliometric Analysis of the Use of Artificial Intelligence Technologies for Social Sciences," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 10(23), pages 1-17, November.
    19. Sujeeth Ungratwar & Dipasha Sharma & Satish Kumar, 2025. "Mapping the digital banking landscape: a multi-dimensional exploration of fintech, digital payments, and e-wallets, with insights into current scenarios and future research," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 12(1), pages 1-22, December.
    20. Wei, Aiping & Zakari, Abdulrasheed & Tawiah, Vincent & Aleesa, Noha, 2024. "Cultivating resilient economies through responsible mineral resource trade: Does eco-resourcing rebate matter?," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    21. chatterjee, susmita, 2017. "Empowerment translated to transition," MPRA Paper 80067, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    22. Parry, Glenn & Bustinza, Oscar F. & Vendrell-Herrero, Ferran, 2012. "Servitisation and value co-production in the UK music industry: An empirical study of Consumer Attitudes," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 135(1), pages 320-332.
    23. Ale Ebrahim, Nader & Ahmed Shamsuddin & Abdul Rashid, Salwa Hanim & Taha, Zahari, 2012. "Effective Virtual Teams for New Product Development," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 7(21), pages 1971-1985.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:wly:sustdv:v:33:y:2025:i:6:p:8072-8097. 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: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1099-1719 .

    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.