Time Management in Circular Construction: A Systematic Review of Secondary Materials Integration

Abstract

The transition of the building and construction industry towards a circular economy (CE) increasingly relies on the integration of secondary materials. This integration can disrupt the traditional cost, time and quality metrics of project success. While research has extensively examined the technical feasibility (quality) and economic viability (cost) of secondary materials, time implications remain underexplored. This study employs a systematic literature review approach to identify key time‐intensive activities associated with the use of secondary materials in construction, their underlying causes and potential mitigation strategies. Through a review of 41 relevant publications, the study found that time‐intensive activities occur across the project life cycle, including planning, design, predemolition, demolition, waste collection and processing, procurement and construction. These time demands largely arise from misalignments between conventional construction workflows and the requirements of circular practices, coupled with a lack of enabling digital, regulatory, logistical and contractual infrastructures, which increase uncertainty. Accordingly, this study provides recommendations for seven key stakeholder groups, namely, clients, architects and design consultants, builders, demolishers, project managers, procurement managers and policymakers, to help reduce or strategically invest time in ways that better support the integration of secondary materials in construction.