A Framework for Implementing Circular Economy Principles in the Building Sector: A Case Study of Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Despite its significant contribution to the global economy, the building sector is one of the leading sources of environmental impact, including high levels of resource consumption and waste production. In response to these challenges, the concept of the circular economy (CE) has gained considerable attention as a strategic approach to resource management and waste minimisation. CE principles offer a comprehensive framework for reducing environmental impacts while enhancing resource efficiency throughout the entire building life cycle. The conventional linear construction model, which follows a sequence of extraction, production, use, and disposal, has resulted in extensive resource depletion and ecological harm. In the context of Saudi Arabia’s rapidly expanding building sector, which continues to experience consistent annual growth in construction activities, the integration of CE principles presents a timely and strategic opportunity.

Despite the growing body of CE literature, there is a notable lack of comprehensive CE implementation frameworks for the building sector that address all phases of construction projects and the various dimensions of circularity. Particularly within the Saudi context, there is a clear absence of studies examining the principles and applications of CE in the building sector. This gap has led to limited understanding and implementation of CE in the country, underscoring the urgent need for comprehensive exploration. The lack of diverse perspectives and empirical studies in the existing literature further highlights the necessity of this research. This thesis aims to fill this knowledge gap by conducting an in-depth examination of CE practices in the Saudi Arabian building sector, contributing novel insights to an area that has been underexplored. This thesis aims to establish a framework for the effective implementation of CE principles in the Saudi Arabian building sector, providing a roadmap for industry stakeholders to achieve successful adoption. The absence of such a framework hampers the transition toward circular practices, impeding the sector from realizing its full potential in contributing to the Kingdom's broader sustainability goals. Furthermore, this framework represents a unique advancement beyond the global limited number of existing CE frameworks in the building sector. It encompasses the implementation of CE principles across all phases of building construction projects and building types, while also examining the feasibility, and importance of CE strategies, the influence of lifecycle stages on their adoption, and the contribution of key stakeholders in facilitating their implementation.

The research employed a mixed method approach, incorporating both qualitative and quantitative data collected through a variety of data collection methods. Quantitative data was collected through a questionnaire survey involving 139 stakeholders in the building sector aiming to investigate stakeholders' current levels of awareness, engagement, practice, and perceptions of CE principles. Additionally, it sought to rank the barriers and enablers influencing the implementation of CE practices. Qualitative data was gathered using a triangulation method, employing both focus groups and semi-structured interviews. Focus groups were conducted with 20 participants representing major stakeholder groups to identify critical success factors (CSFs) for the adoption of CE. These CSFs were subsequently ranked through a follow-up quantitative study involving 82 stakeholders, providing a broader validation of their relative significance. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 sustainability experts in the building sector, seeking their insights and perspectives to comprehensively address various dimensions of CE implementation. These interviews focused on understanding the feasibility and importance of CE strategies, assessing the application of CE principles across different building types, evaluating the impact of various lifecycle stages on the successful adoption of CE principles, and identifying the most influential stakeholders in driving CE implementation.