Circular Economy in Built Environment – Literature Review and Theory Development

Abstract Circular economy (CE) has evolved gradually since its inception in the late 90s and has been implemented differently in various sectors across different countries. The implementation of CE in built-environment has vast benefits owing to the potential to reduce the ecological & carbon footprint of the construction industry. Numerous research articles have been published on the potential of CE in the built environment. This article aims to present a review of the evolution of literature and the development of theory in the given field. Bibliometric review on the topic is done using R software. For content analysis, the authors have analyzed the literature in the following subcategories – interpretation of CE in built-environment, CE business models, CE enablers, end-of-life management, circular building materials, material stocks, and environmental impact. The development of the theory of CE in the built-environment is analyzed by categorizing the conducted researches into various stages of theory – observation, categorization and association along with understanding if the research has been original, replicated or validated in its form. The article further points out the gaps in the literature and future scope using theory development models and suggests research implications for academicians and practitioners.