Finding the right incentives; circular business models for the construction industry

Abstract

After its launch, the circular economy gained popularity all over the world as the new sustainability paradigm. Despite its popularity there is little to no material to be found on the implementation of the circular economy in the construction industry. Through a mixed method methodology using literature reviews, case studies, thought exercises, and interviews to both build and subsequently validate theory, five circular business models for service providing in the construction industry were developed. Next a roadmap for advance circular services was set up. These models show internal and external supply-side stakeholders how to implement the circular economy, and that this implementation is thinkable on a business-case level, but less evident on
an industry level. This as previously unaddressed financial and regulatory aspects challenge the implementation of the circular economy in the construction industry. Considering these challenges, implementing the circular economy in the construction industry might be considered even more disruptive as in other sectors of our industrial economy.