Prioritizing the principles of circular economy among built environment professionals
Built Environment Project and Asset Management
ISSN: 2044-124X
Article publication date: 31 October 2023
Abstract
Purpose
Circular economy (CE) is guided by principles, the key being the R-framework. All R-frameworks have a hierarchy. Although several studies have prioritized these principles, there is still an urgent call for country-specific prioritization. This study prioritized circular economy (CE) principles among Ghana's built environment (BE) professionals.
Design/methodology/approach
An explanatory sequential mixed methods approach was adopted. Six principles of CE were identified through a review of related literature and incorporated into a questionnaire. In total, 162 questionnaire responses were received. The quantitative data were analyzed through descriptive and inferential analyses. The data were further validated via semi-structured interviews with eight interviewees of different professional backgrounds in the BE.
Findings
The findings revealed that BE professionals in Ghana highly perceived CE principles as important. The findings further revealed the order of prioritization of the CE principles as follows: (1) recycle, (2) reuse, (3) repair/remanufacture, (4) renewable energy usage, (5) redesign and (6) reduce. To further elaborate on these prioritized principles via the qualitative phase, the interviewees agreed to and confirmed the importance of the identified principles through their verbatim comments.
Originality/value
Although there is a growing interest in research regarding CE in the Ghanaian construction industry, its principles have yet to be prioritized and ranked by professionals in the Ghanaian construction industry. This study unearths why, in terms of prioritization of the CE principles, the construction industry in Ghana does not follow the well-known hierarchy (i.e. reduce, reuse and recycle) in the order of high to low level of circularity.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors wish to acknowledge the Guest Editors and Reviewers whose comments helped to shape this manuscript and made this project a success.
Funding: This work was partially funded by the College of Art and Built Environment (CABE) Research Fund, KNUST.
Citation
Agyekum, K., Amudjie, J., Pittri, H., Dompey, A.M.A. and Botchway, E.A. (2023), "Prioritizing the principles of circular economy among built environment professionals", Built Environment Project and Asset Management, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/BEPAM-04-2023-0077
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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