A reverse logistics adoption framework to enhance the circularity of building materials

<p dir="ltr">The concept of reverse logistics (RL) has garnered increasing attention from the industry since it offers a way to recapture the value of used products through various recovery options. RL has been adopted with ever-greater frequency across the manufacturing industry, demonstrating its effectiveness in resource conservation and cost reduction. However, research on RL development within the construction context remains limited, often simply discussing this concept as an aspect of waste management and building material (BM) reuse and recycling. However, RL deserves attention in its own right, as the construction sector is by far the greatest consumer of resources and producer of waste, far greater than other sectors. Therefore, academia and industry have begun to embrace a more circular approach to BM utilisation by developing RL.</p><p dir="ltr">This research project began by reviewing RL’s definitions, processes, involved stakeholders, and adoption methods within the construction context. Then, it identified and categorised the drivers, barriers, and enablers of RL adoption in the construction industry. Drivers were summarised into three groups: financial and regulatory, business, and environmental. Barriers and enablers were classified into six categories: financial, market, logistical, technical, regulatory, and cultural. Next, RL critical success factors (CSFs) were explored to highlight their potential to enhance the circularity of BMs. Their categorisation aligned with identified barriers and enablers. After a comprehensive literature review, the research concluded that existing knowledge of RL in the construction industry remains fragmented, and studies on the systematic adoption of RL within the construction sector should be conducted. Consequently, this research set out to develop a Reverse Logistics Adoption Framework (ReLAF) to promote the circularity of BMs.</p><p dir="ltr">The framework was developed from the perspectives of construction and demolition contractors. This research project employed a mixed-method approach to gather qualitative and quantitative data, utilising questionnaires, interviews, and focus groups. Initially, two questionnaires and follow-up interviews were conducted to identify and examine the drivers, current practices, barriers, and enablers of RL adoption for enhancing the circularity of BMs. One questionnaire and set of interviews were tailored to contractors, while the other explicitly catered to demolition contractors. Subsequently, a focus group with contractors and a series of semi-structured interviews with demolition contractors were conducted to identify RL CSFs and their required implementation strategies. The findings from the data collection process indicated that RL barriers, enablers, and CSFs in the financial, market, technical, and regulatory domains play a significant role in adopting RL, which is required for the full benefit realisation of the circularity of BMs.</p><p dir="ltr">A comprehensive ReLAF was therefore developed based on the findings from the literature review, questionnaires, interviews and focus groups. The framework encompassed RL barriers, enablers, CSFs, and their implementation strategies, divided into four categories: financial, market, technical, and regulatory. The proposed ReLAF comprises three hierarchical levels: Level 0 provides a high-level overview of the framework, Level 1 delves into the barriers and enablers of RL adoption, and Level 2 details the RL CSFs and their implementation strategies. The relationships between each element at the same level and across different levels were explored. Subsequently, an industry review process was conducted to validate the developed framework, utilising a pre-focus group questionnaire and two focus groups, one tailored to contractors and the other to demolition contractors. This two-step review process assessed the framework's structure, clarity, and presentation while also gathering insights on which stakeholders should be actively involved in implementing RL CSF strategies. The results presented that the developed ReLAF can guide the construction industry in effectively adopting RL, thus promoting the circularity of BMs and encouraging a more sustainable future.</p>