Exploring Challenges and Institutional Factors Affecting Circularity through Material Reuse in Renovation : A Case Study of a Construction Client’s Organization

Sammanfattning: The construction and real estate sectors are significant contributors to greenhouse gas emissions and have a profound impact on the environment. However, in recent years, construction companies have begun implementing circular practices to reduce these emissions and promote the goals of Agenda 2030. Literature suggests that these circular practices, particularly through the reuse of materials, have a substantial impact on reducing greenhouse emissions. Nevertheless, the implementation of circularity through material reuse poses numerous challenges for construction clients’ organizations. Challenges identified in the literature include legal and regulatory barriers, cost considerations, logistics and storage issues, availability of high-quality reclaimed materials, and the need for a shift in cultural attitudes towards waste reduction. This study aims to investigate these challenges and obstacles within the client’s organization by utilizing a combination of a literature review and a case study approach to gain a comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced by construction clients in implementing material reuse practices. The case study focuses on a specific construction client and examines their experiences and perspectives in reusing construction materials during renovation projects to promote circularity in construction. The findings of this study shed light on the various challenges faced by construction clients when incorporating material reuse in their projects such as economic factors, storage and logistics, knowledge, awareness, and customer demand. Additionally, the study explores the implications of these challenges and sheds light on the internal organizational dynamics, uncovering additional issues such as internal communication problems, lack of a defined strategy and commitment, unclear definition of reuse, and absence of a dedicated team within the client's organization. In conclusion, this study highlights the challenges faced by construction client’s organizationin implementing circularity through material reuse. The findings of this study contribute to the existing knowledge on sustainable construction practices through analysis of internal organizational tensions and offer practical implications for construction clients and stakeholders by identifying specific tensions and obstacles in material reuse and providing insights to inform decision-making processes, facilitating the implementation of effective strategies and practices to promote sustainability and circularity.