Developing a best practice model for attaining systemic circularity in product system design in the construction industry

Abstract

Recently, there has been the need to circumvent the effects of the current production system of the construction industry (CI) through proper design techniques and resource-efficient construction for sustainable development or circular economy (CE) purposes. This has led the CI to an eco-efficient range of doing more with less. This eco-efficient approach does not lead the CI to attain total/systemic circularity. Therefore, an alternative approach has been proposed whereby the CI can focus on working on the right things right instead of making the wrong things less bad (eco-effective). This approach proffers 100% close-loop and value retention of materials irrespective of their environmental impact potentials.

Nonetheless, adopting eco-effective approach in the CI is limiting due to the entropy of materials, thermodynamics, and existence of negative impacts even beyond the assessed materials' technosphere. Therefore, designing a product system in the CI to attain systemic circularity would require the consideration of both the optimistic defining characteristics of eco-effective principles and the realistic quantifiable features of eco-efficient principles. Consequently, this means combining both principles’ generative front-end tools (principles and guidelines for designing products) and evaluative back-end tools (methods/indicators for impact potential assessment) to achieve systemic circularity of product system design in the CI.

To achieve this, a detailed systematic literature review was conducted to identify the existing design techniques, drivers, indicators, and methods of both principles and the challenges and potential solutions of integrating them for systemic circularity purposes. Guidelines for designing for systemic circularity and an integrative methodological framework for evaluation (model) were proposed. The verification of the model for assessing the impacts and recovery potential of a modular-designed residential building was confirmed. The model was also used to evaluate the influence of different CE dimensions on the impact potential results of varying modular steel slab case scenarios. The model was also employed to select the optimal partition system for a modular building based on different CE dimensions from the design stage. The developed model was validated through experts’ surveys and its comprehensiveness, applicability, and practicality as a best practice model for product system design were determined. It was identified that generally, designing for systemic circularity could lead to obtaining products that are highly recoverable with less impact in other CE dimensions across its lifecycle as compared to the business-as-usual alternatives.

The study made original contributions to theory, methods, practice, pedagogy, management, and policy of product system design and performance evaluation literature. Theoretically, this research proposed an integrative methodological framework and design guidelines for product system design in the CI. Methodologically, the study proposed a novel iterative method for impact potential assessments by combining different assessment methods to propel inclusive, sustainable decision-making between assessed case examples. The developed model also provides system designers with the tools to achieve systemic circularity in product system design. For pedagogy, policy, and management, this study provides an established approach for product system design and making decisions between different materials in a systemic circularity lens which should inform policy instruments, education, design, and management, for sustainable construction.