Circular Construction Economics

Adopting the principles of the circular economy requires a fundamental shift in how we conduct business and organize our economic systems. In this video, Daan describes a series of examples that illustrate different ways this shift can take place and what the changes needed from supply chains, organizations and the economy to make it happen are.

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Main Takeaways

  • Construction ecosystems can innovate by experimenting with niche ideas and orchestrating supply chain functions; however, individual actors within a supply chain need the capability to redefine their own circular value creation.

  • Design and experimentation are required for [a] Organizing Circular Value Creation, [b] Testing Circular ideas, and [c] Embracing Unconventional Systems Thinking.

  • Transitioning to a more circular built environment should not continuously rely on subsidies or political goodwill. While these can provide an initial boost, initiatives must evolve from pilot stages into self-sustaining industry- wide efforts for meaningful impact.

Author

Daan Schraven
Daan Schraven
Associate Professor

Daan Schraven is an Associate Professor of New Economics in the Built Environment at the Department of Management in the Built Environment, part of the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment. His research explores the development of new economic systems that support society’s transition towards more self-reliant futures. With a focus on infrastructure and the construction sector within the context of the built environment, particularly cities, his work addresses pressing challenges in sustainability and resilience. Daan is the principal investigator of several research projects, including industry-funded initiatives such as The Circular Road and Industrialized Construction Economics, as well as Dutch-funded projects like Adaptive Design Pathway Transitions and internationally funded studies such as Quantum Inspired Valuation. His research emphasizes value propositions and delivery through innovative business models and organizational frameworks aimed at driving change and enhancing the efficiency and sustainability of the built environment.

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Circularity for Educators

The platform is intended to provide with content on either circularity or pedagogy for and about circularity. It is one of the outcomes of the Circular Impulse Initiative (CII), a project intending to enhance the integration of circularity in the Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment education. The platform mainly aims to help tutors get better acquainted with circularity in the built environment by providing a series of resources on this subject that they can either view to get better informed or directly share with their students in class or online. A large number of the Faculty's professors and researchers have contributed substantially both in creating a coherent narrative for circularity in the built environment as well as further elaborating on different aspects of it. Besides this one, a new platform for interaction and direct exchange was also established in parallel that we call ‘Educators for Circularity‘. This one offers the opportunity for all of us to meet and share our experiences and learn from one another.

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