Frameworks, Tools, Methods, Indicators, and Considerations for Evaluating Circular Economy in Buildings

Dear Colleagues,

The circular economy (CE) is considered a key enabler for enhancing sustainability and resource efficiency and mitigating climate change, which are priority concerns in the building sector. This sector emits over 38% of global greenhouse gas emissions, consumes 40% of global resources, and generates 40% of waste globally. It is expected that the global building area will be doubled by 2060. Therefore, this sector is key to optimizing the use of resources, minimizing waste, and mitigating emissions. Circular strategies can help achieve such objectives, as this eliminates waste and considers the existing commodity as a resource to be kept in the loop for the longest possible time. There are several major challenges in this broad area, such as the effective and implementable frameworks for adopting the CE principle; tools, methods, and a full set of indicators for evaluating the CE/circularity of buildings; considerations (e.g., dynamic material flow); and so on. Therefore, this Special Issue is interested in, among others, the following topics:

• Principles and frameworks for adopting CE into buildings;
• Material passport and CE;
• Design for circularity: materials and buildings;
• Bio-based design/materials and CE;
• Sourcing sustainable and alternative materials, local materials, and waste materials;
• Materials flow analysis and circularity;
• Materials efficiency and circularity;
• Tools, methods, and indicators for evaluating the CE of buildings;
• LCA and CE of materials and buildings;
• Circularity metrics, measurement, and approach;
• Key considerations in measuring circularity;
• Benchmarks, standards, and key performance indicators;
• CE, logistics, and the Internet of Things (IoTs).

Dr. Md. Uzzal Hossain
Prof. Dr. Yahong Dong
Guest Editors

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• building materials
• low carbon
• sustainable
• green buildings