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Review

Bibliometric Analysis of the Intersection of Circular Economy, Prefabrication, and Modularity in the Building Industry

by
Nelson Soares
1,* and
Vanessa Tavares
2
1
Univ Coimbra, ADAI, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Rua Luís Reis Santos, Pólo II, 3030-788 Coimbra, Portugal
2
BuiltColab, Rua do Campo Alegre 760, 4150-171 Porto, Portugal
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Buildings 2025, 15(11), 1923; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15111923
Submission received: 29 April 2025 / Revised: 23 May 2025 / Accepted: 29 May 2025 / Published: 2 June 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Building Information Modelling (BIM) Applications in Construction Management: 2nd Edition)
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Abstract

:
This study aims to examine the latest literature at the intersection of prefabrication, modularity, and the circular economy (CE) through a bibliometric analysis. This systematic review follows five key steps: design and conceptualization, bibliometric data collection via the Scopus database, assessment of the collected data, data visualization, and discussion of the findings. The results are categorized into five main themes: prefabrication and modularity, CE in the construction sector, energy and environmental life cycle assessments, life cycle costing (LCC), and digitalization. The findings reveal that prefabricated and modular systems align with CE principles, supported by strategies such as disassembly and deconstruction design, as well as recycling and reuse. However, the direct connection between prefabrication/modularity and CE remains relatively weak, with environmental life cycle assessment (LCA) and building information modelling (BIM) emerging as the two primary methodologies bridging these concepts. To further advance the integration of prefabrication and modularity in CE, there is a need for the development of reliable guidelines and regulations that establish these practices as core requirements within the construction industry.

1. Introduction

The circular economy (CE) paradigm seeks to foster innovative business models and responsible societies by shifting from the traditional linear “take–make–waste” or “take–make–dispose” economic model to a more sustainable, “close-the-loop”, “regenerative”, and “restorative” approach. CE aims to generate value that benefits businesses, society, and the environment, driving more sustainable economic growth. It also focuses on enhancing the time-value and utility of materials, components, and products [1], while simultaneously reducing material costs, mitigating price volatility, improving supply security, and decreasing environmental pressures and impacts [2,3]. As noted by Tokazhanov et al. [4], the circularity performance of different projects can vary based on factors such as the construction methods and techniques, technologies employed, business models of corporations, and overall practices related to energy and material efficiency. Additionally, Luthin et al. [5] highlighted that the transition to a CE can have both positive and negative impacts on various stakeholders, since some positive impacts for some stakeholders, mainly the social ones, could imply adverse effects for others. Therefore, it is crucial to give special attention to the social dimensions during the transition to a CE. As defined by Meglin et al. [6], the transition to a CE is thus a co-evolutionary process between business models and public policies, marked by high multidimensional complexity and significant changes within a complex socio-technical-economic system. Consequently, it is essential to understand the circularity of products and services to effectively design circular policies and business strategies at the micro, meso, and macro levels. This understanding enables the prioritization of more sustainable solutions grounded in evidence [7].
The study of CE in the construction industry has garnered significant interest, as highlighted by numerous authors (e.g., by Benachio et al. [8], Çimen [9], Antwi-Afari et al. [10], Charef et al. [11], Charef and Lu [12], Norouzi et al. [13], Wijewickrama et al. [14], Joensuu et al. [15], Hossain et al. [16], Pomponi et al. [17], Guerra and Leite [18] and Yu et al. [19]). This is due to the construction sector’s substantial impact on the economy, job creation (both direct and indirect), raw material consumption, water and energy use, waste generation, and greenhouse gas emissions. These studies generally conclude that further research is needed to establish the core principles that drive circularity in construction projects. Key areas for exploration include developing decision-making tools to support the adoption of CE strategies, proposing assessment tools to “quantify” and/or “measure” circularity, and defining monitoring methodologies to evaluate the economic, environmental, and social impacts of CE measures. Additionally, overcoming current barriers hindering the transition to CE in the construction sector is essential. Furthermore, Oorschot and Asselbergs [20] emphasized the importance of fostering CE-based collaborative work among multidisciplinary teams to create more circular, cost-effective construction products and buildings with improved environmental performance.
The literature suggests that prefabrication and modularity align with two of the three CE principles outlined by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation [21]: waste and pollution reduction and the circularity of products and materials. Furthermore, within the 9R circular strategies framework (R0—refuse, R1—rethink, R2—reduce, R3—reuse, R4—repair, R5—refurbish, R6—remanufacture, R7—repurpose, R8—recycle, and R9—recover) proposed by Potting et al. [22] and Kirchherr et al. [23], prefabrication and modularity can facilitate smarter product/building use and manufacturing, contribute to extending the lifespan of buildings and their components, and promote more sustainable material use in the construction industry. However, as noted by Iacovidou et al. [24], the impact of modular construction on the recovery and reuse of materials—therefore enhancing resource efficiency downstream in the construction value chain—remains limited.
The terms “prefabrication” and “modularity” are often used interchangeably, but they do not have the same meaning. Prefabrication is a broad term that refers to a wide range of construction methods where components are manufactured offsite before being transported and assembled at the construction site [25,26]. In contrast, modularity is a more specific subset of prefabricated construction, involving the onsite assembly of individual, repeated units, blocks, or modules that are prefabricated offsite and then transported to the construction site for final assembly.
As highlighted by Chippagiri et al. [25] and Turner et al. [27], the growing interest in prefabrication is largely driven by the enhanced efficiency achieved in the production of prefabricated components within factory settings, where quality control and safer conditions are prioritized. Prefabrication enables faster construction, ensuring that project complexity and timelines are met while also achieving cost savings [28]. It can also promote the sustainable mass production of housing, increase flexibility and material efficiency, and reduce labor, waste, energy, and water consumption in construction [25]. These benefits align with CE principles, which can be further integrated into modular construction projects by identifying key success factors [29]. Prefabrication has significant potential to advance Industry 4.0 within the building sector [27]. This can be achieved through the integration of advanced technologies such as building information modelling (BIM), which enables the creation of centralized repositories of organized digital project data, as well as the adoption of additive manufacturing [30], 3D printing [31], digital twins (DTs), robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), and the internet of things (IoT) [32]. Prefabrication can also significantly improve systematic lean construction by streamlining workflows, minimizing inventory, and reducing waste. It also helps shorten lead times, enhance stakeholder value, boost engagement, improve safety, and empower employees across all levels [33,34]. Additionally, prefabricated components, particularly in modular construction, support key design strategies such as design for disassembly (DfDy), design for adaptability (DfAd) [35,36,37], and design for manufacture and assembly (DfMA) [38,39,40,41], while driving the digitalization of the construction industry [42]. These strategies facilitate the future modification, reuse, reconfiguration, and dismantling of all or part of a building, allowing components to be recovered and extending their lifespan. As noted by several researchers, prefabricated and modular homes offer the potential for comfortable, flexible, regenerative, reusable, and adaptable post-disaster temporary housing, with reduced construction time and lower costs [43,44,45,46]. Kamali and Hewage [47] also conducted a review of the key benefits and challenges of modular construction. The primary advantages, as highlighted earlier, include time and cost savings, enhanced onsite safety, improved product quality, better workmanship, increased productivity, and superior environmental performance. However, the authors also identify some key drawbacks, such as transportation limitations, project planning complexities, negative perceptions, site constraints, coordination and communication challenges, and higher initial costs. In particular, additional stages (such as prefabrication), extra activities (like transportation to the site), and materials (e.g., additional resources needed for module or part transport) can introduce impacts that may offset some of the initial benefits of prefabrication, necessitating further research.
The literature identifies various degrees of prefabrication based on factors such as size, complexity, configuration, and installation [48,49,50,51,52,53]. These range from buildings with low levels of prefabrication that only incorporate certain prefabricated components or parts to fully prefabricated structures with the highest level of prefabrication. Accordingly, prefabricated components can be categorized into component sub-assemblies, non-volumetric pre-assemblies (or panelized systems), volumetric pre-assemblies, modular construction, hybrid structures, and unitized whole-building prefabrication [54]. Notably, standardization plays a crucial role in facilitating modularity within the building industry. In this regard, Anastasiades et al. [55] recently reviewed the key drivers for standardization to enable the circular reuse of construction components, contributing to a more sustainable construction industry.
Despite extensive recent research on these topics, the relationship between prefabrication, modularity, and CE remains underexplored, creating a significant gap in the literature. While prefabrication and modularity are recognized as key strategies for promoting CE in the construction sector, their interconnections with CE have not been sufficiently mapped. This study aims to address this gap by conducting a bibliometric analysis and systematic review of the existing literature at the intersection of prefabrication, modularity, and CE. The goal is to identify research trends, gaps, and emerging areas of focus, as well as to explore the connections between these concepts and other relevant fields. In doing so, this study seeks to uncover pivotal topics, tools, and methodologies that can accelerate the adoption of circular practices in the construction industry. Additionally, the bibliometric analysis will help outline a roadmap for future research on leveraging prefabrication and modularity to enhance CE across the various life cycle phases of buildings.

2. Framework: Bibliometric Analysis and Systematic Review

A systematic review of the literature is designed to address a specific research question and aims to identify, select, analyze, and synthesize relevant evidence in a structured, transparent, and replicable manner. It involves a methodical process of systematically gathering documents and presenting the results, which may also include a bibliometric analysis of the selected studies to further enrich the findings.
Bibliometric analysis is recognized as an effective, reproducible, objective, and systematic method for collecting and organizing large volumes of data on specific research topics within the literature. This methodology allows for the clear illustration of current research progress, impact, trends, and gaps by leveraging title, keyword, abstract, and citation databases from peer-reviewed literature. Through bibliometric analysis, a quantitative evaluation of various parameters can be swiftly conducted, including keyword relationships, annual publication rates, the geographical distribution of publications and authorship, research area linkages through data clustering, author and institution collaborations, citation trends, and more. This “big picture” approach is invaluable for positioning specific research topics, mapping out research branches within particular fields, identifying emerging areas of focus, recognizing research gaps, and generating innovative ideas for future exploration. As such, bibliometric analysis enables a rapid overview of the state-of-the-art in scientific knowledge on a given topic, supports theoretical discussions, and lays the groundwork for conducting a systematic review of the literature.
Table 1 provides a summary of bibliometric studies and systematic reviews published up until August 2023, which have explored and discussed the key pillars, drivers, actors, technologies, methodologies, actions, challenges, and barriers in the transition to a more CE in the building industry. These studies have employed a systematic approach to analyze the topic.

3. Methodology

The methodology adheres to the procedure outlined by Norouzi et al. [13] and Aria and Cuccurullo [96], as depicted in Figure 1. It consists of five key stages: (i) research design and conceptualization; (ii) collection of bibliometric data; (iii) assessment and selection of relevant documents; (iv) visualization of the bibliometric data; and (v) interpretation and discussion of the bibliometric findings.
In the first stage, the research question is formulated and the search process is defined. This includes selecting the appropriate database, developing the search query, choosing relevant keywords, and establishing inclusion and exclusion criteria for keyword selection. The following research question was formulated to guide this systematic review: “What are the main research trends in global studies on prefabrication and modularity to promote CE in the construction sector?”
The Scopus database [97] was used to gather and export data, followed by the use of VOSviewer [98] for network visualization. Scopus is a leading scientific database, known for its extensive content and powerful citation analysis capabilities. However, other databases are often used, as shown in Table 1; e.g., Web of Science, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, etc. VOSviewer (v. 1.6.18) [98], on the other hand, is a free software tool designed to create bibliometric maps based on network data from a selected set of documents, allowing users to visualize and explore these maps. This tool facilitates the presentation of large bibliometric networks in a clear, accessible, and easily interpretable format [98]. Other software programs are very often used in the literature, such as Bibliometrix R—R Studio, CiteSpace, SciMAT, etc.
Initially, the literature search was confined to documents containing the keywords “circular economy”, “prefabrication”, “modular construction”, and “construction sector” in their title, keywords, or abstract. However, it became apparent that various alternative terms are often used to describe these concepts. For example, “circular economy” is frequently associated with terms like “circularity”, “closed loop economy”, or “zero waste economy”; “prefabrication” is sometimes referred to as “offsite production” or “offsite construction”; “modular construction” is often used interchangeably with “modular buildings” or “modularity”; and “construction sector” is sometimes expressed as “built environment” or “buildings”.
Thus, given the significant impact of keyword selection on bibliometric results, semantically different terms with the same meaning were incorporated into an extended keyword collection for the literature search, as shown in Table 2. This collection includes terminology referenced by Charef et al. [11], Nobre and Tavares [13], Kalmykova et al. [2], Norouzi et al. [13], Hossain et al. [16], Munaro et al. [69], and Yu et al. [19], expanding the scope to include broader topics related to CE. Additionally, keywords from Norouzi et al. [13], Yu et al. [19], and Cabeza et al. [99] were used to encompass topics related to the construction sector and various building types. Terms from Yevu et al. [63] and Tavares et al. [100] were included to cover different concepts related to prefabrication and modular construction, as well as construction methods commonly associated with these approaches, such as lightweight steel framing (LSF), cross-laminated timber (CLT), wood framing, precast manufacturing, and structural insulated panels (SIPs). In the absence of a consistent, up-to-date taxonomy for “circular economy”, “modularity”, and “prefabrication” in the literature, the search query was further enriched with additional terms and concepts identified during the preliminary publication retrieval and from the papers listed in Table 1.
It is important to note that this study only includes well-established, expert-driven, semantically related terms that are widely recognized in the literature and cited in the documents listed in Table 1. Context-specific terms found in the literature but not comprehensively addressing the full spectrum of CE are excluded from the search query. For example, while the taxonomy for the EoL strategies of buildings, which includes terms starting with the prefix “Re” (e.g., reduce, reuse, repair, recycle, recover, refuse, reorganize, refurbish, etc.), is well-established, these isolated terms do not necessarily cover the entire CE scope of a project, and therefore are excluded. The only exception is the inclusion of the combined 3R’s (reduce, reuse, recycle), as these terms form the foundation of numerous earlier CE studies [13,91]. Additionally, the term “nR” was included in the search to capture several other well-established CE strategies.
As noted by Jaillon and Poon [101], prefabrication has seen increasing use in the building industry. However, it remains crucial to identify the primary DfD barriers and the obstacles hindering the development of more industrialized, flexible, and demountable building systems. To address this, several additional keywords were incorporated into the search query, including: “design for manufacture”, “design for assembly”, “design for disassembly and deconstruction”, “design for disassembly”, “design for deconstruction”, “design for reuse”, “design for adaptation”, “design for flexibility”, and “design for reassembly”.
Construction and demolition waste management (CDWM) is also included in the search query, as it underpins several symbiotic and synergistic CE strategies within the construction sector. Similarly, the lean construction philosophy is incorporated into the CE framework, as it aims to enhance productivity, profitability, and innovation in the construction industry while minimizing waste. While the terms “sustainability” and “sustainable” are included in some definitions of CE by various authors [13], they are considered too broad for the purposes of this study and are therefore excluded from the search query. However, several tools commonly used to assess the environmental and economic impacts of construction projects, along with their sustainability, are included in the CE framework search. These tools include LCA, LCC, and material flow analysis (MFA). These methodologies focus on mapping material, energy, service, and emission flows across the different phases of a construction project’s life cycle, enabling better identification of efficiency opportunities and resource recovery [17]. Moreover, these tools are valuable for supporting decision-making toward a more sustainable built environment. It is important to note that MFA is a reliable method for understanding material flows in complex, large-scale systems [17], and it is particularly effective for evaluating CE strategies at the city, regional, or national levels (e.g., urban metabolism). For example, Meglin et al. [6] and Meglin et al. [102] utilized this method within an integrated assessment model to evaluate the environmental and economic aspects of the regional building materials industry in Switzerland. Similarly, Böckin et al. [103] explored resource efficiency measures that could reduce physical flows and environmental impacts, depending on the characteristics of products and their life cycles. Although the social life cycle assessment (S-LCA), the third pillar of sustainability evaluation, is not directly included in the search query, the “social sciences” subject area is considered for data collection, as illustrated in Figure 1.
The final search query was formulated as shown in Figure 2, and bibliometric data were collected using the Scopus database, with the last access on August 2023. Boolean operators “AND” and “OR” were used to link and combine the research topics listed in Table 2. Several wildcards (asterisks) were employed to represent different variations of terms, automatically including all possible forms of a given word (e.g., plural, -ing form, etc.) and any noun phrases related to the term. Initially, a total of 5369 documents worldwide were identified, with no restrictions on the year of publication. The bibliometric data were then filtered according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria outlined in Figure 1. Only peer-reviewed articles and reviews published in English were considered. Additionally, the search was restricted to the following subject areas: arts and humanities; business, management, and accounting; energy; engineering; environmental science; materials science; and social sciences. After applying these filtering criteria, the document count was reduced to 2354.
The collected documents underwent further assessment before finalizing the selection for the bibliometric analysis. The inclusion process involved evaluating the relevance of each document by reviewing their titles, keywords, and abstracts. Duplicate entries were excluded, and only documents that specifically linked CE principles in the construction sector with concepts of prefabrication and/or modularity were retained in the final selection. Documents that focused on unrelated topics, such as food waste and food chain supply, household waste management, urban solid waste management, wastewater treatment, energy communities, or the urban environment, were excluded. Similarly, papers that addressed mechanical systems (e.g., ventilation, air-conditioning, or domestic hot water), the assessment of asphalt-based materials, polymer processing and recycling, the valorization of plastic wastes, thermophysical or mechanical properties of specific materials, the environmental or economic impacts of materials, or specific construction types were also excluded. Additionally, studies that dealt with particular refurbishment or retrofitting actions, thermal and energy performance assessments, or seismic performance evaluations were not included. The bibliometric data were also cleaned and edited to correct any typos or missing information before mapping. Following this refinement process, a total of 623 documents were included in the final portfolio for the bibliometric analysis.
The bibliometric data were then imported into VOSviewer for graphical plotting and analysis. In the bibliometric maps, connections between items are represented by lines, with the thickness of these lines indicating the strength of the relationship. This strength can be interpreted in different ways depending on the analysis type. For example, in a co-authorship analysis by countries, connection strength reflects the total number of collaborative publications between those countries. In keyword co-occurrence analysis, connection strength denotes the frequency with which two keywords appear together in the same publication. Another key indicator in the bibliometric maps is the size of the circle representing each item. The size of the circle reflects the relative importance of that item in the literature, with larger circles indicating greater relevance. For co-authorship by countries, the circle size corresponds to the total number of documents published by each country. In keyword co-occurrence, it shows how frequently a specific keyword appears in the literature. VOSviewer offers two types of visualizations. The first is a standard visualization, where items are grouped into clusters based on their overall connections within the network, with each cluster assigned a distinct color. The second visualization maintains the same cluster distribution but adds an overlay color scale to indicate the average publication year for each item. In the case of country co-authorship, this overlay represents the average year of publication for documents from that country, while in keyword co-occurrence, it indicates the average year of reference for that keyword in the literature.

4. General Mapping of the Bibliometric Results

Figure 3 illustrates the annual trend in the number of publications, starting with the first document by Sarja [104] identified in the selected literature. Prior to 2007, the number of publications per year was relatively low. However, from 2008 onward, there was a noticeable increase in the volume of publications, with a substantial surge beginning in 2020. This upward trend highlights the growing prominence of the emerging “circular economy” research field. It is important to note that, as of the time of this study (August 2023), the Scopus database only includes documents published up to that point. Consequently, the number of publications for 2023 is not fully representative of the total number of publications for that year.
A total of 68 countries have contributed publications to the selected research fields. Among them, China (excluding Hong Kong, as Hong Kong is classified as a special administrative region of China for statistical purposes) leads with 98 publications, followed by the USA with 74 and Australia with 72. Figure 4 displays the co-authorship network of countries, including the average year of publication for each country. A minimum threshold of five documents per country was used for mapping the bibliometric results, and 36 countries of the 68 met this criterion. The findings indicate that the topics under investigation are highly current, reflecting a surge of interest in these research areas, particularly since 2020. In terms of co-authorship networks, strong collaborative links were identified between China and Australia; China and Hong Kong; China and the UK; China and the USA; China and Singapore; China and the Netherlands; the UK and Australia; the UK and the Netherlands; the UK and Hong Kong; and Australia and Hong Kong. Geographically, Europe has the highest share of publications, accounting for 41.1%, followed by Asia at 31.3%, North America at 13.3%, Australia at 9.2%, South America at 3.1%, and Africa at 2%. In total, 1304 organizations have contributed to the research areas.
Figure 5 shows the co-authorship network of institutions, including the average year of publication for each institution. A minimum threshold of three documents per institution was used for mapping, and only 10 of the 1300 institutions met this criterion. The leading institution is the Department of Civil Engineering of the University of Hong Kong, with nine publications, followed by the School of Management Science and Real Estate of the Chongqing University and the Department of Building and Real Estate of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, with eight and six publications, respectively. Figure 5 demonstrates the near-absence of notable co-authorship links among the institutions. This may be explained by the relatively recent emergence of research in these areas.
Figure 6 displays the co-authorship network of authors—a minimum threshold of six documents per author was used for mapping the bibliometric results, and only 16 authors of the 1833 met this criterion. Among the most prominent authors who have published in these areas, the most prolific author is Lu W. (H-index of 55), followed by Li Z. and Wang J. These results are based on the bibliometric data, where all co-authors are attributed equal value.
Figure 7 maps the co-occurrence of author keywords, using a threshold of 10 occurrences per keyword (out of the 1456 keywords, 44 met this criterion). This visualization highlights the key research topics and the connections between them. Table 3 provides a detailed summary of the information presented in Figure 7, including descriptions of the terms (with similar meaning keywords grouped together as explained earlier), along with the number of co-occurrences and total link strength. To reduce ambiguity, keywords with synonymous meanings were clustered before mapping. As a result, the original 1734 author keywords in the selected documents were consolidated into 1457 distinct keywords. For example, variations such as “Life cycle assessment (LCA)”, “Lifecycle assessment”, “LCA”, “(LCA)”, “Life cycle assessment”, “Lifecycle assessment”, “Life-cycle assessment”, “Life-cycle assessment (LCA)” and “LCA method” were unified under the single term “Life cycle assessment”.
The keyword “Life cycle assessment” stands out with the highest total occurrence and link strength, indicating its centrality and high frequency of use in the literature. It is closely followed by the keywords “Circular economy” and “Prefabrication”. However, it is important to note that the direct connection between “Circular economy” and “Prefabrication” remains relatively weak, suggesting that this relationship may evolve into a prominent research topic in the near future.
The results are grouped into five distinct clusters, each represented by a different color:
  • The red cluster (cluster #1) focuses on prefabrication and modularity, including terms such as “Prefabrication”, “Offsite construction”, “Modularity”, “Modular construction”, “Industrialized building system”, “Lean construction”, and “Lean production”.
  • The green cluster (cluster #2) centers on strategies for CE in the construction sector, with terms like “Circular economy”, “Building information modeling”, “Design for disassembly”, “Design for deconstruction”, “Reuse”, and “Recycling”.
  • The blue cluster (cluster #3) is concerned with energy and environmental LCA, including terms such as “Life cycle assessment”, “Carbon footprint”, “Embodied carbon”, “Embodied energy”, “Global warming”, “Climate change”, and “Greenhouse gas emissions”.
  • The yellow cluster (cluster #4) is primarily associated with “Life cycle costing”.
  • Lastly, the purple cluster (cluster #5) includes terms related to “3D printing” and “Additive manufacturing”.
These clusters highlight the main thematic areas in the research, with some terms bridging multiple topics within the construction industry’s CE framework.
Table 4 lists the 25 most-cited studies found in the selected literature at the time this paper was written. The 623 documents selected for the final portfolio of documents were cited 18,588 times.

5. Conclusions

This paper conducted a bibliometric analysis to explore the key relationships between prefabrication and/or modularity and CE research in the building industry. The primary objective was to determine the extent to which prefabrication and modularity serve as core strategies for advancing CE in construction or whether they are merely treated as supplementary approaches. To achieve this, documents published before August 2023 were selected from the Scopus database and VOSviewer was used to visualize the bibliometric findings.
It was concluded that, while prefabrication and modularity are frequently recognized as key strategies for enhancing the CE in buildings, the direct connection between these concepts remains weak. Instead, environmental LCA and BIM have emerged as the primary tools linking prefabrication, modularity, and CE. In other words, although prefabrication and modularity are acknowledged as CE strategies, they are rarely considered the primary drivers of circularity in buildings. Additionally, the bibliometric analysis identified five main thematic categories: prefabrication and modularity, CE in the construction sector, LCA, LCC, and digitalization.
The research question—“What are the main future research trends in global studies on prefabrication and modularity to promote CE in the construction sector?”—encompasses four key research categories: circular tools, circular strategies, construction types, and degree of prefabrication. Within the circular tools category, LCA, LCC, MFA, and S-LCA emerge as the primary methods for evaluating building circularity across environmental, economic, and social dimensions. However, most studies focus on the manufacturing and construction stages, with insufficient attention to operation and EoL phases. Additionally, further research is needed to integrate CE strategies at the social level. The circular strategies category includes CE principles that can be enhanced by prefabrication and modular construction. Key strategies include closed-loop systems, stronger circularity regulations and incentives, standardization, stakeholder awareness, economic impact maximization, and support for the local economy. Design considerations play a crucial role, such as long-life design, material durability, maintenance, repair, and flexibility. Digital and technological advancements—including offsite construction, lean construction, BIM, material passports, EPDs, additive manufacturing, robotics, IoT, and automation—also contribute to CE adoption. Further strategies involve designing for adaptability, reuse, disassembly, and recycling, as well as prioritizing energy efficiency, renewable energy integration, water and waste reduction, and minimizing CDW. The construction types that align best with prefabrication and modularity principles include LSF, CLT, wood framing, and precast concrete. Regarding the degree of prefabrication, various classification scales have been identified, primarily encompassing component sub-assembly, non-volumetric pre-assembly, volumetric pre-assembly, modular construction, hybrid structures, and unitized whole-building prefabrication.
Finally, this study concluded that establishing reliable guidelines and regulations is essential to directly support the integration of prefabrication and modularity as key requirements for advancing the CE in the construction sector.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, N.S. and V.T.; methodology, N.S. and V.T.; investigation, N.S. and V.T.; writing—original draft preparation, N.S. and V.T.; writing—review and editing, N.S. and V.T.; visualization, N.S. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Funding

This research was funded in part by the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P. (FCT, https://ror.org/00snfqn5816) under Grant https://doi.org/10.54499/UIDB/50022/2020, https://doi.org/10.54499/UIDP/50022/2020, https://doi.org/10.54499/LA/P/0079/2020. For the purpose of Open Access, the author has applied a CC-BY public copyright license to any Author‘s Accepted Manuscript (AAM) version arising from this submission.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Abbreviations

The following abbreviations are used in this manuscript:
AECarchitecture, engineering and construction
AI artificial intelligence
BIMbuilding information modelling
CAM computer-aided manufacture
CDW construction and demolition waste
CDWM construction and demolition waste management
CEcircular economy
CLTcross-laminated timber
DfA design for assembly
DfAd design for adaptability
DfD design for deconstruction
DfDydesign for disassembly
DT digital twin
EoL end-of-life
GIS geographic information system
ICT information and communication technology
IoT internet of things
LCA environmental life cycle assessment
LCC life cycle costing
LSFlightweight steel framing
MFA material flow analysis
MMC modern method of construction
PfD planning for deconstruction
S-LCA social life cycle assessment
SIPstructural insulated panels

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Buildings 15 01923 g001
Figure 1. Sketch of the methodological framework.
Figure 1. Sketch of the methodological framework.
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Figure 2. Scopus search query.
Figure 2. Scopus search query.
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Figure 3. Annual publication trends in the selected literature.
Figure 3. Annual publication trends in the selected literature.
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Figure 4. Network of countries with the average publication year per country between 1989 and August 2023 (co-authorship analysis), with a minimum threshold of five documents per country.
Figure 4. Network of countries with the average publication year per country between 1989 and August 2023 (co-authorship analysis), with a minimum threshold of five documents per country.
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Figure 5. Network of institutions with the average publication year per institution between 1989 and August 2023 (co-authorship analysis), with a minimum threshold of three documents per institution.
Figure 5. Network of institutions with the average publication year per institution between 1989 and August 2023 (co-authorship analysis), with a minimum threshold of three documents per institution.
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Figure 6. Network of authors with the average publication year per author between 1989 and August 2023 (co-authorship analysis), with a minimum threshold of six documents per author.
Figure 6. Network of authors with the average publication year per author between 1989 and August 2023 (co-authorship analysis), with a minimum threshold of six documents per author.
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Figure 7. Co-occurrence map of author keywords with a minimum frequency of 10 occurrences per keyword.
Figure 7. Co-occurrence map of author keywords with a minimum frequency of 10 occurrences per keyword.
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Table 1. Bibliometric studies and systematic reviews that have examined the key pillars, drivers, actors, technologies, methodologies, actions, challenges, and barriers in advancing a CE within the building industry.
Table 1. Bibliometric studies and systematic reviews that have examined the key pillars, drivers, actors, technologies, methodologies, actions, challenges, and barriers in advancing a CE within the building industry.
Ref.AuthorsJournalYearDatabaseReview PeriodFinal Number of DocumentsContents and Main Contribution
[56]Aziminezhad and TaherkhaniJournal of Building Engineering2023Scopus,
Web of Science		2012–August 2022231This bibliometric study evaluates the research trends surrounding the integration of BIM and deconstruction. The findings highlight that earlier studies on BIM largely overlooked deconstruction. However, recent research has shown a growing interest in bridging the two fields. Key research gaps and critical areas for future investigation include effective design for deconstruction (DfD), end-of-life (EoL) performance assessment, and strategies for waste minimization.
[57]Allam and Nik-BakhtJournal of Building Engineering2023Scopus2015–February 2022273This bibliometric analysis examines developed frameworks and tools for deconstruction across all life cycle stages, including the design, EoL, and second-life phases. Active research areas identified include architectural DfD, structural DfD, planning for deconstruction (PfD), post-deconstruction waste management, and the evaluation of second-life performance for materials and components. However, the study concludes that more attention is needed in several areas: the construction and operation/maintenance phases, which are crucial for facilitating EoL deconstruction; exploring the relationships between deconstruction planning and second-life performance; quantifying the impacts of various construction phases on deconstructability; and assessing the performance of facilities designed for deconstruction during the construction, operation, and maintenance phases.
[58]Du et al.Automation in Construction journal2023Scopus,
Web of Science		Until June 2022121This bibliometric search, quantitative analysis, and comprehensive literature classification reviews lean management practices and their application in prefabricated construction projects, systematically evaluating their impact on project improvement. The study proposes several strategies and potential research directions across five key dimensions: data-driven intelligent decision-making, construction sustainability, optimization of activity processes, adoption of lean construction principles, and other lean strategies related to prefabrication.
[59]Barkhausen et al.Journal of Cleaner Production2023Scopus,
Web of Science		Until July 202244A PRISMA-based systematic review of studies integrating material flow analysis (MFA) and LCA, examining various levels of integration between the two methodologies, as well as differences in geographical and temporal scope and application fields, including construction (buildings), manufacturing, and waste management.
[60]Oluleye et al. Sustainable Production and Consumption2023Scopus2018–June 202230A systematic review assessing the potential of AI to support and enable CE practices in the building construction industry.
[61]Kręt-Grześkowiak and Baborska-NarożnySustainable Production and Consumption2023Scopus,
Web of Science		Until August 202270A systematic review aimed at establishing guidelines for DfDy and DfAd to support CE practices in architectural practice.
[5]Luthin et al.Journal of Cleaner Production2023Scopus,
Web of Science,
Google Scholar		Until January 202240A systematic review evaluating the current state-of-the-art in social circularity indicators and social life cycle assessment (S-LCA) methodologies within the context of CE. Training and education, job creation, and health and safety emerge as key CE indicators. Furthermore, future S-LCA studies should incorporate social circularity indicators to better assess CE strategies.
[62]Salvador et al.Sustainable Production and Consumption2023Scopus,
Web of Science,
ScienceDirect		Until September 202129A systematic review discussing business models for a circular bioeconomy, focusing on resource efficiency optimization, biorefinery creation, value recovery from waste, resource exchange, innovation in bio-based and renewable resources, development of feasible service- and result-oriented value offers, and the enhancement of the local economy. This study, limited in geographical scope, considers only environmental aspects.
[63]Yevu et al.Building Research & Information2023ScopusNot provided69A systematic review assessing the integration of prefabrication and BIM. Six key integration application categories are discussed: visualization and real-time monitoring, energy and environmental assessment, parametric design optimization, automation in modelling, BIM-prefabrication modifications, and information mapping.
[64]Khan et al.Sustainability2023Scopus,
Web of Science		2010–January 202391A PRISMA-based systematic review to identify critical risk factors in volumetric modular construction across project stages (including design and planning, offsite manufacturing, transport and logistics, and onsite assembly) and project attributes (including implementation and scheduling, supply chain and financial concerns, safety and ergonomics, and civil and structural aspects). Digital technology-driven circular strategies are proposed to mitigate the identified risks.
[19]Yu et al. Journal of Cleaner Production2022Web of Science2010–November 202162A review of CE-oriented decision support tools leveraging information and communication technologies (ICTs). Seven ICT solutions aligned with various construction life cycle phases are discussed, including BIM, geographic information systems (GISs), radio frequency identification, big data analytics, IoT, blockchain technology, and modelling and simulation.
[65]Hamida et al.International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation2022Scopus,
Web of Science		Until March 2021104A PRISMA-based systematic review assessing how adaptability can foster more circularity-oriented models. The review identifies ten key design and operational factors that enhance building resilience, create value, and reduce waste: configuration flexibility, product dismantlability, asset multi-usability, design regularity, functional convertibility, material reversibility, building maintainability, resource recovery, volume scalability, and asset refitability.
[66]López-Guerrero et al.Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews2022Scopus,
Web of Science,
Google Scholar,
Engineering Village,
Emerald Insight		2008–February 202167A bibliometric review evaluating the sustainability of industrialized systems compared to traditional building systems. The review concludes that most studies focus primarily on environmental indicators, with limited attention given to economic and social indicators. Additionally, certain indicators, such as water usage, acidification potential, reusability, and the level of prefabrication, have been insufficiently studied.
[67]Horn and ProkschFrontiers in Built Environment2022Not providedNot provided84A review evaluating sustainability frameworks and strategies to support the implementation of circular city goals for sustainable urban futures. The review explores several key domains, including circular cities, the food–water–energy nexus, CE, bioeconomy, industrial symbiosis, and regenerative design.
[68]Ahn et al.Journal of Building Engineering2022Web of Science,
Google Scholar		2010–December 202190A systematic review of CE practices in mass timber construction.
[11]Charef et al.Journal of Cleaner Production2022Scopus,
Google Scholar,
University library		Not providedNot providedAn overview of key sustainable approaches that support the transition to a circular construction industry. Forty-two approaches within the construction sector were categorized into seven groups, with their differences and similarities evaluated using a text mining method. The authors also provided a force-directed graph illustrating the diversity of approaches and their interrelationships, along with a taxonomy of asset life cycle strategies in the context of CE.
[69]Munaro et al. Sustainable Production and Consumption2022Scopus,
Web of Science		1995–2019288A bibliometric review assessing how the construction sector applies ecodesign methods to facilitate building deconstruction. Design for adaptability (DfAd) and design for disassembly (DfDy) were identified as the two most inclusive and sustainable ecodesign methods for deconstruction. The review also concluded that further research is needed on ecodesign methods, deconstruction strategies, material reuse, and life cycle assessment tools.
[70]Díaz-López et al.Sustainability2021Scopus,
Web of Science		1993–20201440A PRISMA-based systematic review and bibliometric analysis evaluating the current state of CE research applied to construction and demolition waste (CDW).
[71]Arumugam et al.Journal of Engineering Science and Technology2021Scopus2011–202166A PRISMA-based systematic review of nature-inspired 3D printed building envelopes.
[13]Norouzi et al.Journal of Building Engineering2021Scopus,
Web of Science		2005–20207005A bibliometric analysis of the application of CE in the building sector. The review concludes that research hotspots requiring further investigation include the development and use of alternative construction materials, the creation of circular business models, and the integration of smart cities and Industry 4.0 technologies with CE.
[14]Wijewickrama et al.Journal of Cleaner Production2021Scopus,
Web of Science,
Google Scholar,
ScienceDirect		2002–2020125A systematic review evaluating how new information brokers can bridge gaps between parties in the circular supply chain within the construction industry, preventing the loss of valuable information.
[72]Schuldt et al.Automation in Construction2021Scopus1998–2019297A PRISMA-based systematic review assessing the viability of 3D-printed construction in remote, isolated, or expeditionary environments as an alternative to conventional methods. The review identifies several key areas for future research to ensure the technology’s feasibility, including cost and environmental life cycle assessments, printing full-scale structures and components with locally sourced materials in uncontrolled environments, establishing standards for 3D printing, and automating additional construction processes.
[73]Camana et al.Sustainable Production and Consumption2021Scopus,
Web of Science		2010–2020609A systematic review and bibliometric analysis (using Italy as a case study) to assess the applicability of key environmental assessment tools related to CE—including industrial ecology, life cycle thinking, footprints, and material and energy flow analyses—in evaluating the sustainability of local circular actions within the European CE framework and measuring the performance of CE policies.
[74]Liu et al.Advances in Civil Engineering2021Web of Science2010–20191224A bibliometric analysis of global research on prefabricated buildings.
[75]O’Grady et al.Resources, Conservation & Recycling2021Scopus,
Web of Science,
ScienceDirect		Not provided496A systematic review assessing how design, disassembly, deconstruction, and material resilience are defined within the context of CE.
[76]Machado and MoriokaJournal of Building Engineering2021Web of ScienceUntil June 202049A systematic review discussing the contribution of modularity to CE. The review concludes that while the link between modularity and CE has become more evident in recent years, further research is needed to validate the key benefits and barriers of modularity in promoting CE within the building industry and to drive behavioral changes among stakeholders.
[10]Antwi-Afari et al.Journal of Cleaner Production2021ScopusUntil February 202025A bibliometric analysis to identify circularity gaps in the construction industry, key areas of influence, emerging research topics, and CE approaches.
[9]ÇimenJournal of Cleaner Production2021Ebscohost2008–April 2020238A systematic survey of construction and the built environment under CE principles. The author concludes that the diversity of stakeholders, their motivations, and their influence across various project life cycle stages must be considered; flexible buildings with adaptive reuse and modularity can enhance efficiency and health benefits when aligned with CE principles; and cities adopting a CE require a system dynamics approach to effectively understand urban transitions under varying policies and regulations.
[77]Charef et al.Sustainability2021Scopus,
Google Scholar		Not provided41A systematic review identifying and discussing the key barriers hindering the transition to a CE in the construction sector. The authors categorize these barriers into six areas: organizational, economic, technical, social, political, and environmental.
[78]ZairulCleaner Engineering and Technology2021Scopus,
Web of Science,
Mendeley		2015–202136A survey of recent trends in prefabrication within the building industry, considering CE approaches. The authors conclude that there is a need to design new business models that integrate CE principles into the prefabrication of buildings.
[79]Kedir and HallJournal of Cleaner Production2021Scopus,
Web of Science		Not provided86A systematic survey identifying key opportunities for resource efficiency in industrialized housing construction, including CE concepts, value chain coordination, and socio-economic impacts.
[16]Hossain et al.Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews2020Scopus,
Web of Science,
Google Scholar		2015–201966A systematic review identifying the main implications, considerations, contributions, and challenges of CE in the construction industry. The review discusses several challenges across various stages, including design, material selection, supply chain, business models, uncertainty and risk, collaboration among stakeholders, knowledge and understanding, relevant policies, integration of urban metabolism, and methodologies for CE evaluation.
[80]Jin et al.Energy & Buildings2020Scopus,
Web of Science		Not provided43A bibliometric study on the environmental performance of offsite constructed facilities, concluding that LCA is commonly used to assess carbon emissions and energy consumption, while other environmental impact categories receive less focus. Sub-assembly components are frequently used as functional units, while volumetric construction is rarely considered. Research predominantly focuses on the manufacturing and construction stages, with the operation and EoL stages largely overlooked. The study identifies three key areas for future research: the development of sustainability rating systems, the application of the IoT for monitoring, and the creation of indicator systems for performance evaluation.
[81]Akbarieh et al.Sustainability2020Scopus,
Web of Science		2009–February 201988A bibliometric analysis and literature review assessing the use of BIM for selecting EoL scenarios to reduce CDW.
[8]Benachio et al.Journal of Cleaner Production2020Scopus,
Web of Science,
ScienceDirect		2015–May 201945A systematic review evaluating the application of CE within the construction industry. Six key areas of research are discussed: the development of CE, material reuse, material stocks, CE in the built environment, LCA, and material passports.
[82]Jin et al. Resources, Conservation and Recycling2019Scopus2009–2018370A bibliometric analysis evaluating the latest research on construction and demolition waste management, concluding that further investigation is needed into the integration of BIM and big data in this field.
[83]Li et al.Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management2019Scopus1997–2016370A bibliometric analysis evaluating research trends in lean construction.
[7]Corona et al. Resources, Conservation and Recycling2019Web of Science2008–August 201872A survey of current methodological developments to identify circularity metrics for products and services, evaluate their validity based on a CE definition rooted in sustainability, and provide recommendations for measuring circularity.
[84]Merli et al. Journal of Cleaner Production2018Scopus,
Web of Science		Until April 2017565A systematic review of CE literature, identifying three main directions: the transformation of social and economic dynamics at the macro and administrative levels, the development of industrial symbiosis at the meso level, and the support of CE business models at the micro level.
[85]Ji et al.Resources, Conservation and Recycling2018Web of Science1988–August 20172368A bibliometric analysis assessing the evolution of research on resource conservation and recycling.
[86]Jin et al.Journal of Cleaner Production2018Scopus2008–February 2018349A bibliometric analysis of the literature on offsite construction, highlighting several research gaps: the need to further integrate emerging digital construction technologies, combine the concepts of design for manufacturing (DfM) and design for assembly (DfA), and incorporate project delivery methods, lean construction practices, and sustainability metrics.
[87]Sonego et al.Journal of Cleaner Production2018Web of ScienceUntil March 201781A systematic review evaluating the role of modularity in the sustainable design of products throughout their life cycle.
[88]Winans et al.Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews2017Scopus,
Google Scholar,
ScienceDirect 		Not provided150A review of the history (definitions, concepts, and principles) and applications of the CE concept, including policy instruments and approaches, value chains, material flows, and products, as well as technological, organizational, and social innovations.
[89]Geissdoerfer et al.Journal of Cleaner Production2017Web of Science1950–January 201667A bibliometric analysis and systematic review aimed at conceptually distinguishing the terms CE and sustainability and evaluating the various types of relationships between them.
[90]D’Amato et al.Journal of Cleaner Production2017Web of Science1990–20161943A bibliometric analysis examining the diversity within and between the concepts of CE, green economy, and bioeconomy.
[91]Nobre and Tavares Scientometrics2017Scopus2006–201570A bibliometric analysis of the application of big data and the IoT in CE.
[92]Ghisellini et al. Journal of Cleaner Production2016Web of Science,
ScienceDirect		2004–2014155A review of the key features and perspectives of CE, including its origins, core principles, advantages, and drawbacks, as well as the modelling and implementation of CE at the micro, meso, and macro levels.
[93]Lieder and RashidJournal of Cleaner Production2016Scopus,
Web of Science		1950–2015158A systematic review exploring CE in the contexts of resource scarcity, waste generation, and economic benefits, particularly when considered together. A CE framework and practical implementation strategy are proposed, integrating three key aspects: environment, resources, and economic advantages.
[94]TukkerJournal of Cleaner Production2015Scopus2000–2012278A bibliometric analysis and review of product-service systems for resource efficiency and CE.
[95]Li et al.Habitat International2014Scopus2000–2013 100A bibliometric analysis and review of research on the management of prefabricated construction.
Table 2. Taxonomy and expanded keyword collection for the literature search, categorized by research topic.
Table 2. Taxonomy and expanded keyword collection for the literature search, categorized by research topic.
Circular economyBiosphere cycle, butterfly diagram; circular business model; circular corporation; circular ecology; circular industry; circular management; circular production; circular supply chain; circular technology; circular transition; circular value chain; circularity; circulatory economy; cleaner production; closed-loop construction; closed-loop economy; construction and demolition waste management; CDWM; cradle to cradle; eco cycle industry; end of waste; environmental supply chain cooperation; environmental supply chain cooperation; green economy; green supply chain; industrial ecology; industrial symbiosis; input-output model; lean construction; lean management; lean production; life cycle analysis; life cycle assessment; LCA; life cycle costing; LCC; material flow accounting; MFA; low carbon economy; reduce, reuse, recycle; 3R; 4R; 5R: 6R; 7R; 8R; 9R; 10R; regenerative economy; resource recirculation; restorative economy; sharing economy; technological cycle; urban metabolism; waste management; waste reduction; zero waste economy.
Construction sectorAEC; architecture, architectural design; building construction; building stock; buildings; buildings industry; buildings sector; built environment; city; commercial building; construction; construction industry; demolition; district; dwelling; educational building; engineering and construction; home; hospital; hotel; house; industrial building; institutional building; office; residence; residential building; retail building; school; rooms; service building; shelter; sport building, toilet.
Prefabrication3D printed; additive manufacturing; automation; CAM; computer-aided manufacture; CLT; cross-laminated timber; design for assembly; design for deconstruction; design for disassembly and deconstruction; design for disassembly; design for manufacture; design for reuse; factory assembly; hybrid construction; industrialized buildings; industrialized construction; LSF; light steel framing; lightweight steel framing; mass production; MMC; modern method of construction; offsite; offsite construction; offsite manufacturing; offsite pre-assembly; offsite production; panelized building; panelized construction; panelized prefabrication; preassembly; pre-cast production; prefab building; prefab construction; prefabricated; prefabricated prefinished volumetric construction; regenerative design; SIP; structural insulated panels; timber framing; volumetric construction, wood framing.
Modular construction3D volumetric construction; adaptative design; building module; building units; convertibility; customization; design for adaptation; design for flexibility; design for reassembly; expandability; factory-built modules; modular; modularity; modular integrated construction; repetition; shipping containers building; versatility.
Table 3. Description of the terms presented in Figure 5, including their co-occurrence frequency and total link strength.
Table 3. Description of the terms presented in Figure 5, including their co-occurrence frequency and total link strength.
KeywordDescriptionOccurrencesTotal Link Strength
3d printing3D print; 3D printing; 3-D printing.1230
Additive manufacturingAdditive manufacturing; Additive manufacturing (AM).1628
Building information modelingBuilding information modeling; Building information model/modeling (BIM); Building information modeling (BIM); Building information modelling; Building information modelling (BIM); Building information management (BIM); BIM.5290
Building materialsBuilding materials; Building material.1030
BuildingsBuilding; Buildings; Building construction; Building construction industry; Building industry.3285
Built environmentBuilt environment; Built-environment.1528
Carbon emissionsCarbon emission; Carbon emissions; Carbon emission intensity.2339
Carbon footprintCarbon footprint.1022
Circular economyCircular economy; Circular economy (CE); (CE).90169
Climate changeClimate change.1638
Construction and demolition wasteConstruction and demolition waste; Construction and demolition waste (C&DW); Construction and demolition waste (CDW); CDW; C&D waste.2647
Construction industryConstruction industry; Construction industry (CI); Construction.51101
Construction wasteConstruction waste.1426
Cross laminated timberCross laminated timber (CLT); CLT; Cross laminate timber; Cross laminated timber; Cross-laminated timber; Cross-laminated timber (CLT).2547
DeconstructionDeconstruction.1326
Design for deconstructionDesign for deconstruction; Design for deconstruction (DfD).1430
Design for disassemblyDesign for disassembly; Design for disassembling; Design for disassembly (DFD); Design-for-disassembly; DfD.2767
Design for manufacture and assemblyDesign for manufacture and assembly; Design for manufacture and assembly (DfMA); Design for manufacturing and assembly; Design for manufacturing and assembly (DfMA); DfMA.1123
Embodied carbonEmbodied carbon; Embodied carbon (EC); Embodied carbon assessment.2058
Embodied energyEmbodied energy; Embodied energy (CED); Embodied energy (EE).2250
End of lifeEnd of life; End-of-life; EoL.1031
Energy efficiencyEnergy efficiency; Energy-efficiency.1217
Environmental impactEnvironmental impact; Environmental impacts; Environmental impact assessment.3260
Global warmingGlobal warming; Global warming potential; Global warming potential (GWP).1429
Greenhouse gas emissionsGHG emissions; Greenhouse gas emissions; Greenhouse emission; Greenhouse gas; Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions; Greenhouse gases; Green house gases (GHG).1632
Industrialized building systemIndustrialised Building System; Industrial building system (IBS); Industrialized building system; Industrialised Building System (IBS); Industrialized building system (IBS); Industrialized building systems.1525
Lean constructionLean construction; Lean construction (LC); Lean construction 4.0; Lean in construction; Lean-construction.5159
Lean productionLean production; Lean production principles.1418
Life cycle assessmentLife cycle analysis (LCA); Life cycle analysis; Lifecycle analysis; Life-cycle analysis; Life cycle assessment (LCA); lifcycle assessment LCA; (LCA); Life cycle assessment; Lifecycle assessment; Life-cycle assessment; Life-cycle assessment (LCA); LCA method.210355
Life cycle costingLife cycle cost (LCC); Life cycle cost; LCC; Life cycle cost analysis; Life cycle cost assessment; Life cycle cost assessment (LCCA); Life cycle costing; Life cycle costing (LCC); Life-cycle cost; Life-cycle cost assessment; Life-cycle costing; Life-cycle costs; Lifecycle costs (LCC).3868
Modern method of constructionModern construction systems; Modern method of construction; Modern methods of construction; Modern methods of construction (MMC).1026
Modular constructionModular construction1728
ModularityModular; Modularity.1017
Offsite constructionOff-site; Offsite construction; Off-site construction; Offsite construction (OSC); Off-site construction (OSC).2657
PrefabricationPrefabricated; Prefabricated; Prefabrication; Pre-fabrication; Prefabricated architecture (prefab); Prefabricated building; Prefabricated buildings; Prefabricated building project; Prefabricated buildings and walls.83136
RecyclingRecycle; Recycling.2162
Residential buildingsResidential; Residential building; Residential buildings; Residential homes.1229
ReuseReuse; Re-use; Re-using.2570
SustainabilitySustainability; Sustainable.5399
Sustainable buildingsSustainable building; Sustainable buildings.1324
Sustainable constructionSustainable construction; Sustainable constructions.2036
Sustainable developmentSustainable development.1528
Waste managementWaste management; Waste management (WM).1735
Waste reductionWaste minimisation; Waste minimization; Waste reduction.1531
Table 4. Top 25 most-cited documents in the research areas under investigation (as of August 2023).
Table 4. Top 25 most-cited documents in the research areas under investigation (as of August 2023).
RankCitationsAuthorsYearJournalJournal H-IndexClusterRef.
1622Allwood et al.2011Resources, Conservation and Recycling218#2[105]
2525Wu et al.2016Automation in Construction200#2, #4, #5[106]
3422Tam et al.2007Building and Environment221#1, #2[107]
4396Monahan and Powell 2011Energy and Buildings246#3[108]
5378Jaillon et al.2009Waste Management239#1, #2[109]
6319Labonnote et al.2016Automation in Construction200#5[110]
7310Aye et al.2012Energy and Buildings246#1, #2, #3[111]
8302Kamali and Hewage 2016Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews464#1, #3[47]
9216Cao et al.2015Journal of Cleaner Production354#1, #3[112]
10201Jin et al.2018Journal of Cleaner Production354#1[86]
11198Jin et al.2019Resources, Conservation and Recycling218#2, #4[82]
12183Akanbi et al.2018Resources, Conservation and Recycling218#2[113]
13178Hong et al.2016Journal of Cleaner Production354#1, #3[114]
14171Tam 2008Waste Management239#2, #4[115]
15151Robertson et al.2012Buildings71#3[116]
16149Ding et al.2018Journal of Cleaner Production354#2[117]
17147Wang et al.2014Resources, Conservation and Recycling218#2[118]
18144Shadram et al.2016Energy and Buildings246#2, #3[119]
19144Akinade et al.2015Resources, Conservation and Recycling218#2[120]
20144Li et al.2014Resources, Conservation and Recycling218#1[121]
21144Nahmens et al. 2012Journal of Architectural Engineering46#1[33]
22141Agustí-Juan and Habert 2017Journal of Cleaner Production354#3, #5[122]
23140Quale et al.2012Journal of Industrial Ecology141#1, #3[123]
24140Jaillon and Poon 2010Construction Management and Economics116#1, #5[124]
25137Dong et al.2015Construction and Building Materials293#1, #3[125]
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Soares, N.; Tavares, V. Bibliometric Analysis of the Intersection of Circular Economy, Prefabrication, and Modularity in the Building Industry. Buildings 2025, 15, 1923. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15111923

AMA Style

Soares N, Tavares V. Bibliometric Analysis of the Intersection of Circular Economy, Prefabrication, and Modularity in the Building Industry. Buildings. 2025; 15(11):1923. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15111923

Chicago/Turabian Style

Soares, Nelson, and Vanessa Tavares. 2025. "Bibliometric Analysis of the Intersection of Circular Economy, Prefabrication, and Modularity in the Building Industry" Buildings 15, no. 11: 1923. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15111923

APA Style

Soares, N., & Tavares, V. (2025). Bibliometric Analysis of the Intersection of Circular Economy, Prefabrication, and Modularity in the Building Industry. Buildings, 15(11), 1923. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15111923

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