Evaluating material passports for circularity in the construction industry

Abstract

<p>Recent research has introduced material passports for circularity to promote the construction industry's transition to a circular economy. Despite the availability of many reviews guiding material passports' developments, they mainly focus narrowly on specific strategies or structures and ignore the relationship between data and circularity. Moreover, existing case studies remain highly dispersed, leading to fragmented knowledge and experience. These shortcomings fail to address the uncertainties related to strategies and structures, diminish trust in decision-making, and prevent material passports' widespread adoption. To bridge these gaps, this study conducts a systematic literature review of existing material passports' contents and case studies. After the literature screening, a multi-stage analysis of 57 filtered files is performed to propose a tiered (Level 0 to 4) data structure for a standardized universal passport and explore their data preferences. The universal material passports consider multiple circular strategies and are suitable for different structures. Then, a comparative quantitative analysis of 34 selected case studies is conducted to examine their geographic distribution, building types, implementation statuses, and content, identifying current trends and developments. Our findings offer valuable insights for enhancing the effectiveness and adoption of material passports for circularity, suggesting a path forward for integrating diverse circular strategies within the construction industry.</p>