A Life-Cycle Analysis-Based Framework to Analyze Various Circular Economy Strategies in Buildings
Publication: Construction Research Congress 2024
ABSTRACT
A shift to the circular economy is inevitable in the construction sector for sustainable development, as it promises solutions to two main problems of the industry—dealing with the waste generated and overcoming the shortage of raw materials. This study tries to identify circular practices in the construction industry, constraints to their wide acceptance, and recommendations to promote them. At the end-of-life of a building when it is demolished, a large amount of waste is generated, and its handling is a major problem. In this study, life-cycle analysis methodology is adopted to analyze various scenarios after useful life of a model building. The environmental impacts are calculated in terms of carbon emissions, taking into account two life cycles of building, considering options of deconstruction and demolition. Total carbon emissions are calculated for different scenarios, and the results show a significant reduction in the impacts for circular strategies.
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Construction Research Congress 2024
Pages: 427 - 436
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Published online: Mar 18, 2024
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