Sustainability and Circular Economy in the Construction Industry: An Overview

The construction industry is one of the largest consumers of natural resources and a major contributor to environmental degradation; thus, there has been a growing demand for enhancing sustainability in this sector. The traditional linear “take-make-dispose” approach prevalent in the industry has led to excessive material waste, high energy consumption, and significant carbon emissions. In response, the concept of the circular economy offers an impactful approach to minimising the industry’s environmental impacts and promoting greater resource efficiency. This chapter aims to provide an overview of how sustainability can be promoted in the construction industry through circular economy. To this end, several key innovative technologies that support circular construction are explored. Further, this chapter surveys global approaches to circular construction, discussing countries with pioneering initiatives in this regard and the policy lessons they offer. The findings indicate that integrating circularity into construction practices enables the industry to transition towards more sustainable, resilient, and low-carbon built environments.