Search results

The circular economy concept emerged as the resolution to the destructive linear economy practices. Nevertheless, the transition to a circular built environment is hindered due to the ambiguities of the economic value of the concept. Conversely, numerous decision-making tools are applied in the construction industry in assessing economic alternatives, even if there is a gap in utilising these tools in appraising circular economic practices. Hence, this study investigates the potential benefits of applying proven decision-making practices, particularly criteria scoring matrices, in developing circular built environments.

A qualitative approach was followed to achieve the aim of the study. A conceptual design of a criteria scoring matrix was developed with a comprehensive literature survey. Semi-structured interviews of a three-round Delphi expert survey were employed to assess the matrix qualitatively and develop the matrix further. Data were analysed using the content analysis method.

The lack of a value assessment tool in economically assessing the circular economy principles is a key barrier to transcending to a circular built environment. In addressing this issue, this study develops a criteria scoring matrix for circularity value assessment during the design stage of a construction project.

This research contributes to the theory by developing a criteria scoring matrix to measure the economic contribution of circular economy principles. Further, this research contributes to the practice by allowing construction alternatives to be selected, balancing the potential economic return options of a project with the project's contribution to a circular economy.

The sluggish progression of disaster-induced housing reconstruction (DHR) in Sri Lanka provoked the assessment of drywall technologies as a mode of improving efficiency. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the applicability of drywall technologies to adopt a technical solution to DHR.

The research contextualized a mixed research design via a case-study strategy integrating semi-structured interviews, documentary reviews and observations. Two cases based on the 2016 Samasarakanda landslide were investigated. Within-case-analysis and cross-case-analysis were performed to derive conclusions.

Enablers for drywall technologies application are time saving, cost-saving, less water consumption and logistical easiness. Less strength of drywall technologies will not be a critical obstruction owing to the expected disaster resilience from the concrete frame and the subsequent requirement of non-load bearing walls for landslide DHR. Labor source, community acceptance, durability are potential settings of barriers. Observing model houses, researching the resistance of drywall technologies to landslide-induced vibrations and impulsive waves are some further research areas discovered.

Empirical findings are centered on the 2016 Samasarakanda DHR.

Because of many issues in updating guidelines, drawings and BOQs, a protocol should be gazetted in the parliament to improve its updating flexibility allowing provisions to apply novel technologies for DHR.

Being one of the very first of this kind of research, contextually, the research is original. This study provokes insightful investigation of drywall technologies for DHR beyond its overlooked properties. This study reveals many wall construction challenges of the 2016 Samasarakanda DHR which have not yet been explored in research.

Despite the desire to improve the sustainability of the construction industry, Sri Lanka is still plagued by the low-level adoption of essential methods such as Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) in building and infrastructure delivery. It is indispensable to investigate enablers for facilitating LCA because identification of enablers is a crucial step in the implementation of LCA. This study aims to analyze internal and external enablers for facilitating LCA for the Sri Lankan construction industry from the perspective of five stakeholder categories (academia, government, construction industry, society and environmentalists) and also aims to develop strategies to strengthen the enablers.

An explanatory research design was used. The five stakeholder categories identified above, whose contribution is essential for implementing LCA in Sri Lanka, were selected for data collection. A total of 20 semi-structured interviews were held representing each stakeholder category. The Repertory Grid Interview (RGI) technique was utilized and data analysis was performed using content analysis.

The results revealed that “ability to identify opportunities for environmental improvements as an extremely important internal enabler for all stakeholder categories” and “the positive growth in the country to achieve environmental sustainability”, “the availability of standardized LCA guides and handbooks” as extremely important external enablers for all stakeholder categories for facilitating LCA in the Sri Lankan construction industry. Further, strategies including making people aware of the LCA concept and development of the LCA database, etc. were proposed to strengthen the enablers.

Knowledge generated through this study would enable the abovementioned stakeholders to make informed decisions to promote the implementation of LCA in the Sri Lankan construction industry. Further, the results of this study have raised awareness of the issues that Sri Lanka will need to solve to expand the LCA applications.

So far, research on LCA has not looked into enablers that can facilitate the implementation of LCA in the Sri Lankan construction industry. This research provides a comprehensive view of the internal and external enablers for facilitating LCA from the perspective of five stakeholder categories and identifies enablers that led the abovementioned stakeholders to pursue the implementation of LCA in the Sri Lankan construction industry. The study also proposes strategies for strengthening the enablers.