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Advances in Deconstruction and the Sustainable Management of Construction Waste:...
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Advances in Deconstruction and the Sustainable Management of Construction Waste: Towards a Circular Economy

A special issue of Buildings (ISSN 2075-5309). This special issue belongs to the section "Construction Management, and Computers & Digitization".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2026 | Viewed by 1864

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Terri-Ann Berry

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Future Environments, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland 1025, New Zealand
Interests: construction waste; sustainable waste management; plastic construction wastes; hazardous wastes; mineral hazards; asbestos; indoor air quality
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Kim L. de Graaf

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Engineering Teaching and Research, University of Waikato, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand
Interests: sustainable construction methods; certification of contractors; sustainable reuse of waste soils from construction sites; sustainable concrete for geotechnical purposes
Dr. Ferdinand Oswald

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Architecture and Planning, University of Auckland, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
Interests: construction material reuse and recycling; building circularity; architecture technology; embodied building carbon; operational building carbon
Dr. Mohamed Elkharboutly

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Built Environment, Massey University, Auckland 0632, New Zealand
Interests: construction surplus management; demolition waste reuse; construction material recovery; sustainable deconstruction; zero waste construction; construction material repurposing

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The objective of this Special Issue is to stimulate discussion and share research initiatives required to advance the construction industry, with respect to waste reduction. The construction industry encompasses construction, renovation, and demolition (CRD) activities, which are energy-intensive and the most significant contributors to waste on a global scale. As a result of New Zealand (NZ)’s prolonged urbanisation and population growth, investments in construction works are significant, amounting to NZD 7.2 billion in 2021. CRD waste is prolific and unlikely to reduce soon. Currently, construction waste generation is estimated to be 943.5 kg/capita; therefore, how we presently manage design, construction, and operations of our buildings and infrastructure systems is far from sustainable.

This issue welcomes articles that enable the transformation of the construction industry, focusing on the development and validation of novel waste management tools and processes, sustainable design, deconstruction techniques and the use of innovative materials and inclusion of carbon reporting, in support of the whole lifecycle of sustainable buildings and infrastructure systems from design to construction and operations.

Dr. Terri-Ann Berry
Dr. Kim L. de Graaf
Dr. Ferdinand Oswald
Dr. Mohamed Elkharboutly
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Buildings is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • sustainable waste management
  • building circularity
  • sustainable building design
  • zero waste construction
  • construction material recovery
  • C&D waste reuse
  • hazardous C&D waste management
  • embodied and operational carbon sustainable reuse of waste soils
  • deconstruction methods

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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15 pages, 652 KB  
Article
Investigating the Factors of Waste Generation in Modular Construction Projects: A Developing-Country Context
by Precious Osaah Agyemang, Benjamin Botchway, Shadrach Baah-Sekyere, Prince Antwi-Afari and Frank Ato Ghansah
Buildings 2026, 16(8), 1568; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16081568 - 16 Apr 2026
Viewed by 356
Abstract
The construction industry is a significant source of waste generation in any economy. The advancement in construction technologies and methods has brought about the concept of modular construction. Modular construction is considered as a preferred construction method over conventional construction methods mainly due [...] Read more.
The construction industry is a significant source of waste generation in any economy. The advancement in construction technologies and methods has brought about the concept of modular construction. Modular construction is considered as a preferred construction method over conventional construction methods mainly due to improved environmental performance and less waste generation. Nonetheless, processes involved in the use of modular construction generate a significant amount of waste though minimal as compared to the traditional mode of construction. Therefore, it is imperative to perform a comprehensive assessment of the factors that lead to waste generation in modular construction. This study aims to identify these factors as outlined in the existing literature and highlight their implications on the benefits of modular construction with an interest in the context of developing countries. A quantitative study was conducted to assess the views of construction professionals on identified factors that lead to waste generation in modular construction. The study targeted construction professionals with major emphasis on professionals with direct roles in the modular construction process. Fifteen factors were identified from the previous literature which were tested to evaluate their significance using the one-sample t-test. All factors proved significant and as such a principal component analysis was carried out to group the factors, evaluate the factor loadings and correlation patterns among the factors. The results specified “Non-conformance to building codes leading to demolition or rework”, “Incorrect assembly leading to module rework or disposal” and “Breakage or deformation of modules in transit” as the top three factors that lead to waste generation in modular construction. The findings of the study are useful to construction stakeholders by developing strategies to mitigate waste generation in modular construction. This study adds to the body of knowledge on modular construction, particularly in a developing-country context where modular construction projects are fewer. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Deconstruction and the Sustainable Management of Construction Waste: Towards a Circular Economy)
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Other

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32 pages, 1354 KB  
Systematic Review
Trash to Treasure for Housing Resilience: A Systematic Literature Review of Community-Based Waste-to-Resource Innovations in the Built Environment
by Funmilayo Ebun Rotimi, Mahesh Babu Purushothaman and Yakubu George Warkaka
Buildings 2026, 16(7), 1399; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16071399 - 1 Apr 2026
Viewed by 534
Abstract
The built environment continues to encounter significant challenges related to waste generation and resource depletion, driving increased interest in circular economy strategies that extend material lifecycles and mitigate environmental impacts. This systematic review synthesises findings from 60 studies on waste-to-resource innovations across construction [...] Read more.
The built environment continues to encounter significant challenges related to waste generation and resource depletion, driving increased interest in circular economy strategies that extend material lifecycles and mitigate environmental impacts. This systematic review synthesises findings from 60 studies on waste-to-resource innovations across construction and household contexts. Although the existing literature predominantly addresses construction and demolition waste, this review foregrounds household operational waste, an area that remains insufficiently explored despite its importance for everyday resource recovery. The analysis examines how materials generated through routine use, maintenance, and minor renovation activities can be captured and redirected into productive resource streams, with particular attention to governance mechanisms such as Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). The findings indicate that effective waste-to-resource systems depend on coherent regulatory frameworks and enforcement, economic incentives, enabling technologies, community engagement, and product design that facilitates reuse and disassembly. Key barriers include low public awareness, fragmented supply chains, high recovery costs, weak compliance mechanisms, and materials that are difficult to separate. The review concludes that improving waste-to-resource outcomes in the built environment requires coordinated action among producers, households, local authorities, and technology providers, and it articulates policy-relevant and community-oriented pathways to support more effective resource recovery systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Deconstruction and the Sustainable Management of Construction Waste: Towards a Circular Economy)
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18 pages, 815 KB  
Systematic Review
Deconstruction, Disassembly, or Selective Demolition: A Review of Terminology and Conceptual Challenges in Literature
by Stephanie Therkelsen Salling, Søren Wandahl and Cristina Toca Pérez
Buildings 2026, 16(7), 1302; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16071302 - 25 Mar 2026
Viewed by 574
Abstract
Despite substantial research conducted over the past decades, the transition to a circular construction industry remains in its infancy. The deconstruction of buildings to recover materials for reuse is recognized as a promising strategy for advancing circularity. However, terminological ambiguity and a lack [...] Read more.
Despite substantial research conducted over the past decades, the transition to a circular construction industry remains in its infancy. The deconstruction of buildings to recover materials for reuse is recognized as a promising strategy for advancing circularity. However, terminological ambiguity and a lack of conceptual consensus continue to lead to misinterpretation and may impede theoretical and practical progress. Based on a systematic literature review of 51 academic and non-academic sources, this paper analyzes the use of core terminology related to deconstruction processes. Ten central terms and expressions are identified, among which ‘demolition’ and ‘deconstruction’ are the most consistently applied, whereas ‘selective demolition’ is used with varying interpretations. To further document the current state of terminology in the field, a glossary of general terms commonly employed is also presented. Clear communication and the explicit definition of applied terms are essential to ensure efficient on-site construction processes and the relevance and value of future studies in this field. To this end, this study aims to enhance transparency and contribute to coherence within the terminological landscape of deconstruction research. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Deconstruction and the Sustainable Management of Construction Waste: Towards a Circular Economy)
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