Critical Indicators for Evaluating the Sustainability of Recycled Aggregated Concrete Industry: An Analysis from Stakeholders’ Perspective

Construction and demolition (C&D) waste recycling is crucial in dealing with huge and increasing amounts of solid waste. The collected C&D waste can be used to produce recycled aggregated concrete (RAC) and other recycled products, thus promoting sustainable development within the construction industry. Previous researches on recycled aggregated concrete were mainly focused on technical aspects, such as manufacturing techniques, potential amount of C&D waste, and application of recycled aggregated concrete. However, only a few researches have evaluated the influence of the RAC industry and considered the evaluation of the sustainability of the RAC industry from the perspective of stakeholders. On this basis, this study proposes a new strategy for evaluating the sustainability of the recycled aggregated concrete industry based on insights obtained from various stakeholders involved in this industry. The initial indicators from economic, social, and environmental aspects that have influence on the sustainability of the recycled concrete industry are first identified through literature review and interviews with related stakeholders. The social network analysis (SNA) method is adopted to evaluate the sustainability of the recycled concrete industry and the critical indicators are identified while taking into consideration the perceptions of various stakeholders involved in the industry. Overall, this study provides a framework for analyzing and evaluating critical indicators for the sustainability of the recycled aggregated concrete industry from the perspective of stakeholders.