The Potential of Digital Technologies as a Catalyst for the Transition to Circularity

Digital technologies (DTs) are increasingly recognized as pivotal enablers of the transition to a circular economy (CE) across various sectors. This study focuses on addressing this research gap by examining how digital technologies can facilitate the transition to a circular economy in the built environment. The study investigates the following key questions: Which DTs hold the greatest potential for advancing circularity in the construction industry? And how can these technologies be strategically applied to enable circular principles? Through an extensive literature review and comparative analysis, the study identifies technologies such as Additive Manufacturing (AM), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Building Information Modeling (BIM), the Internet of Things (IoT), and Big Data Analytics (BDA) as critical tools for driving circular strategies. These technologies enhance material and energy efficiency, minimize waste, and resource recovery. Research findings provide feasible insights for researchers, and industry practitioners, enlighting the way for a more circular built environment.