Conceptual circular economy maturity model for construction organisations

In the construction industry, the main contractor organisations play a significant role in implementing Circular Economy (CE) as they involve one or several phases of a construction project while handling multiple supply chain processes and collaborating with various stakeholders. Hence, implementing CE within main contractor organisations positively impacts CE transformation in the construction industry. Assessment of CE has become a prominent approach at any level that will lead to implementing, improving, and monitoring circularity. However, the existing CE assessment frameworks for construction organisations are associated with several issues. They do not take a holistic approach when developing these frameworks and lack a systematic method for improving CE over time, relying instead on quantitative equations or qualitative checklists for assessment. To address these issues, this study proposes a Circular Economy Maturity Model for Construction Organisations (CEMM4CO), with a specific focus on identifying the relevant Process Categories (PCs) essential for its implementation. The study follows two systematic literature reviews and identifies maturity models in similar domains: sustainability maturity models in construction and generic CE maturity models. Subsequently, by comparing the PCs of identified maturity models, this study justifies the suitability of construction organisations by supporting a comprehensive discussion. Finally, the study conceptualises the CEMM4CO by highlighting its requirements and suitable PCs.