The influence of organisational dependencies and planning frameworks on construction and demolition (C&D) waste circularity in Sweden

The purpose of this thesis is to examine how organizational dependencies, legal frameworks and planning processes influence construction and demolition (C&D) waste circularity in the construction and demolition ecosystem. As global population growth continues to drive increasing demand for construction, society is constantly faced with more transport needs, more emissions and more resource use. In this context, the circular economy principles promise a potential way to mitigate this by promoting the reuse of construction and demolition materials. Existing studies have noted that the construction industry can implement the principles of the circular economy, but the progress in practice remains limited; as such, there is an overarching need to increase circularity in the construction sector. Previous studies have made important contributions by identifying a wide range of barriers influencing construction industry circularity—spanning regulation, organization, material quality, and information sharing. These barriers are not isolated phenomena; instead, they are deeply embedded within networks of actor dependences shaped by organizational structures and planning frameworks (legislation and planning processes). Advancing construction circularity, therefore, requires a comprehensive understanding of how actors relate to one another, coordinate across the organization, and collaborate. In addition, addressing legislative barriers requires not only examining the legislation itself but also understanding how this legislation interacts with the practical realities of industry actors. Therefore, this study follows the research questions: RQ 1: How do actors’ dependencies within the construction/demolition ecosystem influence the advancement of circularity RQ 2: How do planning processes and legal frameworks affect the advancement of construction material circularity? To answer these research questions, the study has followed a qualitative approach. The study is based on semi-structured interviews, surveys, documents, and observations. The thesis argues that dependencies are not static but dynamic over a project timeline, and that a limited understanding of shifting dependencies across organizational levels and actors (which is fluid) creates bottlenecks to advancing construction circularity. Internal fragmentation and knowledge gaps regarding material quality hinder strategic decision-making. To address these challenges, investment in material digital passports and better internal collaborations will enable increased circularity. For increased reuse, pre-construction and post-construction should be considered with utmost importance. Furthermore, existing legislation is too abstract to drive circularity in the construction industry; advancing construction circularity will depend on specific, strong, and aligned EU-level rules. The presence of multiple policy documents, and municipalities navigating this, creates complexity that challenges actors in the reuse of (C&D) waste. Overall, this study extends ecosystem theory to the complex, project-based context of C&D waste management and offers managers and policymakers a diagnostic tool to identify critical dependencies before projects begin, thereby increasing circularity. In addition, the thesis identified a governance gap in circularity implementation, evidenced by the absence of a dedicated role for C&D waste management at the municipal level.