Study on the Awareness and Practice of Circular Economy Principles among Construction Stakeholders in Nigeria
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
The Nigerian construction industry, characterized by a linear economic model and being a major contributor to waste generation, is slow in the adoption of methods that could be beneficial in sustainable waste disposal techniques. Despite the known benefits of circular economy principles (CEPs), the awareness level and usage of circular economy are still considered to be below average. This study aims to analyze the level of awareness and usage of CE principles among Nigerian construction stakeholders. It adopts a quantitative research method by using closed-ended questionnaires distributed to construction professionals in Lagos State, Nigeria. Data were analyzed using frequency distribution for the proportion of responses and characteristics of the respondents and mean item score, standard deviation, and factor analysis for the objectives. Additionally, the Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin (KMO) measure of sampling adequacy was used to indicate that the retrieved data were sufficient for factor analysis, while Bartlett’s test of sphericity (BTS) tested the significance of the correlations between the variables. The findings of the study indicate that construction professionals have only a basic knowledge of CEPs and their importance in practice, but they are very familiar with their application. Thus, it provides the basis for which construction stakeholders, policymakers, and the government can make informed decisions to improve the awareness and usage of CEPs in the construction industry. The study’s findings highlight the knowledge gap and the need for targeted educational and training initiatives, which can serve as a basis for future research and intervention programs.
Article Details
Section
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
a) Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share and adapt the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
b) Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
c) Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Open Access Citation Advantage Service). Where authors include such a work in an institutional repository or on their website (ie. a copy of a work which has been published in a UTS ePRESS journal, or a pre-print or post-print version of that work), we request that they include a statement that acknowledges the UTS ePRESS publication including the name of the journal, the volume number and a web-link to the journal item.
d) Authors should be aware that the Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) License permits readers to share (copy and redistribute the work in any medium or format) and adapt (remix, transform, and build upon the work) for any purpose, even commercially, provided they also give appropriate credit to the work, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. They may do these things in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests you or your publisher endorses their use.
How to Cite
References
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.
Akinwale, Y.O., 2023. Awareness and adoption of circular economy in the consumption and production value-chain among MSMEs towards sustainable development. African Journal of Science, Technology, Innovation and Development, pp.1-10.
Albert, A.O. and Olutayo, F.S., 2021. Cultural dimensions of environmental problems: a critical overview of solid waste generation and management in Nigeria. American International Journal of Multidisciplinary Scientific Research, 8(1), pp.1-15. https://doi.org/10.46281/aijmsr.v8i1.1110
Ayanrinde, O. and Mahachi, J., 2023. Scenario Method for Catalysing Circularity and Lowering Emissions in the Construction Sector/Real Estate, Nigeria. In The Routledge Handbook of Catalysts for a Sustainable Circular Economy (pp. 388-402). Routledge.
Bertino, G., Kisser, J., Zeilinger, J., Langergraber, G., Fischer, T. and Österreicher, D., 2021. Fundamentals of building deconstruction as a circular economy strategy for the reuse of construction materials. Applied sciences, 11(3), p.939.
Bilal, M., Khan, K. I. A., Thaheem, M. J., & Nasir, A. R. (2020). Current state and barriers to the circular economy in the building sector: Towards a mitigation framework. Journal of Cleaner Production, 276, 123250. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.123250
Boarin, P. and Martinez-Molina, A., 2022. Integration of environmental sustainability considerations within architectural programmes in higher education: A review of teaching and implementation approaches. Journal of Cleaner Production, 342, p.130989.
Charef, R., Lu, W. and Hall, D., 2022. The transition to the circular economy of the construction industry: Insights into sustainable approaches to improve the understanding. Journal of Cleaner Production, 364, p.132421.
Donaghy, K.P., 2022. A circular economy model of economic growth with circular and cumulative causation and trade. Networks and Spatial Economics, 22(3), pp.461-488.
Estarrona, U. M. de, Seneviratne, D., Villarejo, R., & Galar, D. (2019). The New Asset Management: Implicationsof Servitization in Circular Economy. Journal of Industrial Engineering and Management Science, 2018(1), 109–120. https://doi.org/10.13052/jiems2446-1822.2018.006
Ezeudu, O. B., Ezeudu, T. S., Ugochukwu, U. C., Agunwamba, J. C., & Oraelosi, T. C. (2021). Enablers and barriers to implementation of circular economy in solid waste valorization: The case of urban markets in Anambra, Southeast Nigeria. Environmental and Sustainability Indicators, 12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indic.2021.100150
Geng, Y., & Doberstein, B. (2008). Developing the circular economy in China: Challenges and opportunities for achieving “leapfrog development.” In International Journal of Sustainable Development and World Ecology (Vol. 15, Issue 3, pp. 231-239). https://doi.org/10.3843/SusDev.15.3:6
Ghaffar, S.H., Burman, M. and Braimah, N., 2020. Pathways to circular construction: An integrated management of construction and demolition waste for resource recovery. Journal of cleaner production, 244, p.118710.
Gillott, C., Mihkelson, W., Lanau, M., Cheshire, D. and Densley Tingley, D., 2023. Developing Regenerate: A circular economy engagement tool for the assessment of new and existing buildings. Journal of Industrial Ecology, 27(2), pp.423-435.
González, A., Sendra, C., Herena, A., Rosquillas, M. and Vaz, D., 2021. Methodology to assess the circularity in building construction and refurbishment activities. Resources, Conservation & Recycling Advances, 12, p.200051.
Grigoropoulos, C. J., Zerefos, S. C., Tsangrassoulis, A., & Doulos, L. T. (2022). Lighting products as part of the circular economy and strategies that affect it. A literature overview. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 1123(1). https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/1123/1/012006
Güsser-Fachbach, I., Lechner, G., Ramos, T. B., & Reimann, M. (2023). Repair service convenience in a circular economy: The perspective of customers and repair companies. Journal of Cleaner Production, 415(May), 137763. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.137763
Hair Jr, J.F., LDS Gabriel, M., Silva, D.D. and Braga, S., 2019. Development and validation of attitudes measurement scales: fundamental and practical aspects. RAUSP Management Journal, 54(4), pp.490-507.
Ikuabe, M., Aigbavboa, C., Aghimien, D. and Ramaru, P., 2022. Bolstering measures for adopting lean construction in the South African construction industry. International Journal of Productivity and Quality Management, 36(4), pp.589-603.
John, I.B., Adekunle, S.A. and Aigbavboa, C.O., 2023. Adoption of circular economy by construction Industry SMEs: organisational growth transition study. Sustainability, 15(7), p.5929.
Joustra, J., Bakker, C., Bessai, R., & Balkenende, R. (2022). Circular Composites by Design: Testing a Design Method in Industry. Sustainability (Switzerland), 14(13). https://doi.org/10.3390/su14137993
Kekic, A., Stojanovic Bjelic, L., & Neskovic Markic, D. (2020). Nature-Inspired Design Biomimicry and Cradle to Cradle. Quality of Life (Banja Luka) – APEIRON, 18(1-2). https://doi.org/10.7251/qol2001058k
Kopsidas, O. N., & Giakoumatos, S. D. V. (2021). Economics of Recycling and Recovery. Natural Resources, 12(04), 73–90. https://doi.org/10.4236/nr.2021.124007
Lee, P. H., Juan, Y. K., Han, Q., & Vries, B. de. (2023). An investigation on construction companies’ attitudes towards importance and adoption of circular economy strategies. Ain Shams Engineering Journal, 14(12). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asej.2023.102219
Lekan, M., Jonas, A. E. G., Deutz, P., & Jonas, A. E. G. (2021). Circularity as Alterity ? Untangling Circuits of Value in the Social Enterprise – Led Local Development of the Circular Economy Circularity as Alterity ? Untangling Circuits of Value in the Social Enterprise – Led Local. Economic Geography, 97(3), 257–283. https://doi.org/10.1080/00130095.2021.1931109
Merli, R., Preziosi, M., & Acampora, A. (2018). How do scholars approach the circular economy? A systematic literature review. Journal of Cleaner Production, 178, 703–722. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.12.112
Mhatre, P., Panchal, R., Singh, A. and Bibyan, S., 2021. A systematic literature review on the circular economy initiatives in the European Union. Sustainable Production and Consumption, 26, pp.187-202. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2020.09.008
Minunno, R., O'Grady, T., Morrison, G.M. and Gruner, R.L., 2020. Exploring environmental benefits of reuse and recycle practices: A circular economy case study of a modular building. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 160, p.104855.
Morseletto, P. (2020). Targets for a circular economy. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 153(November 2019), 104553. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2019.104553
OECD (2023), “ A circular transition for construction”, in Towards a National Circular Economy Strategy for Hungary, OECD Publishing, Paris. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1787/9347f752-en
O'Grady, T., Minunno, R., Chong, H.Y. and Morrison, G.M., 2021. Design for disassembly, deconstruction and resilience: A circular economy index for the built environment. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 175, p.105847.
Ogunmakinde, O. E., Sher, W., & Maund, K. (2019). An assessment of material waste disposal methods in the Nigerian construction industry. Recycling, 4(1). https://doi.org/10.3390/recycling4010013
Osei-Tutu, S., Ayarkwa, J., Osei-Asibey, D., Nani, G., & Afful, A. E. (2023). Barriers impeding circular economy (CE) uptake in the construction industry. Smart and Sustainable Built Environment, 12(4), 892–918. https://doi.org/10.1108/SASBE-03-2022-0049
Otasowie, O.K., Aigbavboa, C.O., Oke, A.E. and Adekunle, P., 2024. Mapping out focus for circular economy business models (CEBMs) research in construction sector studies–a bibliometric approach. Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology.
Papamichael, I., Voukkali, I., Loizia, P., & Zorpas, A. A. (2023). Construction and demolition waste framework of circular economy: A mini review. Waste Management and Research, 41(12), 1728–1740. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734242X231190804
Paul, S.O. and Ofuebe, C., 2021. The United Nations Industrial Development Organization's Role in Modern Industrialization of Nigeria. International Economic Policy, (34), pp.115-138.
Ranganathan, P., & Caduff, C. (2023). Designing and validating a research questionnaire - Part 1. Perspectives in Clinical Research, 14(3), 152–155. https://doi.org/10.4103/picr.picr_140_23
Ruiz, L.A.L., Ramón, X.R. and Domingo, S.G., 2020. The circular economy in the construction and demolition waste sector–A review and an integrative model approach. Journal of Cleaner Production, 248, p.119238.
Schöggl, J. P., Stumpf, L., & Baumgartner, R. J. (2020). The narrative of sustainability and circular economy - A longitudinal review of two decades of research. In Resources, Conservation and Recycling (Vol. 163). Elsevier B.V. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2020.105073
Singhal, D., Tripathy, S., & Jena, S. K. (2020). Remanufacturing for the circular economy: Study and evaluation of critical factors. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 156(January), 104681. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2020.104681
Talamo, C., Lavagna, M., Monticelli, C., Zanelli, A., & Campioli, A. (2021). Remanufacturing: strategies to enhance the life extension of short-cycle building products. Techne, 22, 71–78. https://doi.org/10.36253/techne-10591
Upadhayay, S., Alqassimi, O., Khashadourian, E., Sherm, A., & Prajapati, D. (2024). Development in the Circular Economy Concept: Systematic Review in Context of an Umbrella Framework. In Sustainability (Switzerland) (Vol. 16, Issue 4). Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MPDI). https://doi.org/10.3390/sul16041500
Zhang, C., Hu, M., Di Maio, F., Sprecher, B., Yang, X. and Tukker, A., 2022. An overview of the waste hierarchy framework for analyzing the circularity in construction and demolition waste management in Europe. Science of the Total Environment, 803, p.149892.
Zulu, S.L., Zulu, E., Chabala, M. and Chunda, N., 2023. Drivers and barriers to sustainability practices in the Zambian Construction Industry. International Journal of Construction Management, 23(12), pp.2116-2125.
Zuofa, T., Ochieng, E.G. and Ode-Ichakpa, I., 2023. An evaluation of determinants influencing the adoption of circular economy principles in Nigerian construction SMEs. Building Research & Information, 51(1), pp.69-84. https://doi.org/10.1080/09613218.2022.2142496