Advancing the Circular Transition: Digitalization and Material Innovation for a Sustainable Built Environment

Dear Colleagues,

The transition to a circular built environment is a critical pathway to address the growing challenges of material consumption, waste generation, and the environmental footprint of the construction sector. As buildings and infrastructure account for substantial shares of global material use and waste, advancing circularity demands a fundamental rethinking of design, construction, operation, and end-of-life strategies.

This Topic invites contributions that explore how digitalization and material innovation, such as Building Information Modeling (BIM), Geographic Information Systems (GISs), Digital Twins, Lifecycle Assessment, Material Passports, AI-based Systems, and Data Platforms, can support the transition to a regenerative and resource-efficient built environment. We particularly welcome studies that integrate Material Flow Analysis (MFA), Material Stock Analysis (MSA), and Intelligent Material Passports as tools for monitoring, planning, and optimizing material lifecycles.

We invite contributions that bring together interdisciplinary research, case studies, methods, and innovations that promote data-driven decision-making, material traceability, and circular business models in construction, infrastructure, and urban systems.

Developed in collaboration with the EU COST Action CircularB, this Topic seeks to spark cross-sectoral dialogue among academics, practitioners, and policymakers dedicated to driving the circular transition forward.

Prof. Dr. Luís Bragança
Dr. Mayara Regina Munaro
Dr. Ferhat Karaca
Dr. Sakdirat Kaewunruen
Topic Editors