Editorial: Breaking the mold, circular construction for a greener and more efficient built environment

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

The concept of a circular economy (CE) encompasses a comprehensive approach. This model can be summarised as three fundamental principles: (1) Ensuring the protection and enhancement of natural resources requires careful management of finite reserves and a mindful approach to utilise renewable resources in a balanced manner; (2) maximise resource efficiency by constantly cycling products, components and materials at their highest utility in both technical and biological systems and (3) improve the effectiveness of the foster system by identifying and eliminating any negative impacts (Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2013; van Stijn and Gruis, 2020). Globally, a high environmental footprint is associated with the construction industry, which consumes much energy and resources and contributes significantly to carbon emissions. Many construction materials are designed and assembled without the ability to recycle them back into the circle. Consequently, around one-third of global solid waste is generated by this massive industry (Sivashanmugam et al., 2023). From a statistical perspective, the construction industry is responsible for over 30% of the extraction of natural resources, 25% of the solid waste generated and 40% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Around one-third of a building’s emissions can be attributed to embodied carbon in construction, demolition and the supply chain (EurActiv, 2021). This significantly contributes to the overall carbon footprint and cannot be ignored.