Abstract
The construction industry generates more than a third of global waste, most of which is generated at the End-of-Life stage of built facilities and is disposed of in landfills. While decision-making models have been developed by previous studies, they have focused only on a subset of End-of-Life decisions and have lacked stakeholder diversity, which can lead to biased decisions. This study seeks to develop a comprehensive and inclusive decision-making model for the End-of-Life stage of built facilities. A framework of four End-of-Life sub-phases, related decision problems and alternatives was defined based on a systematic literature review. A set of 25 criteria was compiled and validated through semi-structured interviews with 25 stakeholders representing various roles in the End-of-Life. Criteria weights were assigned with an Analytical Hierarchical Process-based survey, conducted with 52 participants. Regulations were found to be the most important criterion, specifically pointing to the value of implementing circular construction regulations and financial incentives. Furthermore, by including diverse stakeholders, higher priority was given to certain social and material factors, particularly those related to safety. Logistical constraints were also found to be important, suggesting a need to streamline deconstruction and material handling at the End-of-Life to enable circular practices. These results offer actionable insights for policymakers, building owners, and contractors aiming to implement circular economy strategies in End-of-Life decision-making. The findings highlight the role of circular economy principles in guiding sustainable End-of-Life strategies by emphasizing regulatory levers, social safeguards, and logistical enablers essential for reuse and recovery.
Gomes et al. 2026
Journal of Cleaner Production 10.1016/j.jclepro.2026.149172
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