Civil engineering faces the dual challenge of addressing climate change and managing construction and demolition waste (CDW). While existing analyses often focus solely on the mechanical characteristics of recycled materials, there is a significant gap in research on integrating these technical advancements with climate-resilient infrastructure and public policies that encourage circularity. This article offers a detailed review of the technical possibilities for materials derived from CDW, shifting the focus from “low-value recycling” to higher value-added uses. We analyze progress in this area over the past decade (2015–2025), specifically exploring the role of Building Information Modeling (BIM), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and advanced pretreatment processes (such as carbonation and alkaline activation) in improving material properties. A unique contribution of this work is the creation of a conceptual framework connecting materials science to global sustainability indicators and urban resilience strategies. Our findings show that, while technical feasibility is well established, the transition to a circular economy is hampered by the absence of standardized environmental metrics and effective public policies. This review summarizes these interdisciplinary trajectories and presents a plan for engineers and policymakers to transform construction and demolition waste (CDW) from a problem into a strategic resource for climate-adaptable urban development.
Silva et al. (Thu,) studied this question.