Speaker
Description
The concept of "sustainability" is no longer sufficient in an era where planetary boundaries have been breached. The 1.5°C global warming limit has already been exceeded in certain regions, signaling irreversible climate impacts. The take-make-dispose linear economy, which ties development to the relentless consumption of virgin resources, is unsustainable in the face of escalating environmental crises. A paradigm shift towards a regenerative circular economy is imperative—one that prioritizes resource efficiency, closed-loop material cycles, and systemic change over incremental improvements.
The built environment, particularly the construction industry, plays a pivotal role in both economic growth (7% of India's GDP) and urban environmental degradation. The sector accounts for 37% of India's total carbon emissions and 39% of its energy consumption, making it a major contributor to climate change. However, these impacts are not evenly distributed. The wealthiest 10% of India's population contributes the most to climate change through unsustainable built environment practices, while the poorest and most vulnerable communities bear the brunt of extreme weather events, pollution, and resource depletion.
The Ellen MacArthur Foundation (2016) highlights that India's transition to a circular economy could yield annual benefits of ₹40 lakh crore (US$624 billion) by 2050, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 44%. Specifically, in the construction sector, circular economy strategies such as material reuse, modular construction, and adaptive reuse of buildings could lead to a 30-50% reduction in raw material demand, significantly lowering environmental impact. Additionally, innovative business models, such as product-as-a-service and extended producer responsibility, can help transition the industry away from wasteful linear practices.
Despite these benefits, the sector remains largely unorganized, lacking structured implementation of circular economy principles and equitable social inclusion. Moreover, India's built environment differs significantly from that of Europe, where many circular economy models have been successfully implemented. Unlike Europe, India faces unique socio-economic and infrastructural challenges, including a high degree of informal labor, inadequate waste management systems, and fragmented regulatory frameworks. As a result, circular economy strategies that work in European contexts may not be directly transferable to India without significant adaptations. India requires localized, context-specific solutions that address affordable housing needs, informal construction practices, and urban-rural material flows while ensuring inclusivity and social equity.
Given its massive scale and rapid urbanization, India presents a unique opportunity: a transformation in its construction industry could serve as a global model for systemic change. The circular economy, if embedded at the planning stage, has the potential to redefine urban metabolism, mitigate waste generation, and significantly contribute to multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including responsible consumption (SDG 12), climate action (SDG 13), and sustainable cities (SDG 11).
This research adopts a case study approach to examine the application of circular economy principles in various construction projects in India. It investigates:
- How circular strategies were implemented at different stages of
construction. - The role of interdisciplinary collaboration in ensuring
project success. - The policy and infrastructure support available, or
its absence, in enabling circular transitions. - Key challenges faced and how these can be addressed for wider scalability.
By critically analyzing these dimensions, this study aims to provide actionable insights into how India's built environment can transition towards a post-growth model that decouples development from resource depletion.
As India grapples with complex socio-economic and environmental crises, it has the potential to pioneer a disruptive, regenerative model that can guide global efforts in rethinking urban development.
This paper contributes to the discourse on post-growth urbanism by demonstrating that a circular economy in construction is not merely a technical shift but a transformative socio-ecological strategy—one that fosters resilience, equity, and long-term urban well-being.
References
Bherwani, H. et al. (2022) “Application of circular economy framework for reducing the impacts of climate change: A case study from India on the evaluation of carbon and materials footprint nexus,” Energy Nexus, 5. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nexus.2022.100047.
Dutta, P. et al. (2021) “Fostering reverse logistics in India by prominent barrier identification and strategy implementation to promote circular economy,” Journal of Cleaner Production, 294. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.126241.
Ellen MacArthur Foundation (2016) CIRCULAR ECONOMY IN INDIA: RETHINKING GROWTH FOR LONG-TERM PROSPERITY. Available at: http://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/publications/ (Accessed: June 15, 2024).
Ghosh, A. et al. (2023) “Exploring the practicality of circular economy through its associates: A case analysis-based approach,” Journal of Cleaner Production, 421. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.138457.
Huovila, P., Iyer-Raniga, U. and Maity, S. (2019) “Circular Economy in the Built Environment: Supporting Emerging Concepts,” in IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science. Institute of Physics Publishing. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/297/1/012003.
Mhatre, P. et al. (2021) “Circular economy in built environment – Literature review and theory development,” Journal of Building Engineering. Elsevier Ltd. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2020.101995.
| Keywords | Circular Economy; Indian Built Environment; Urban-Development; Resource Efficiency; Beyond Growth |
|---|---|
| Best Congress Paper Award | Yes |
