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Assessing Key CE Strategies to Advance UAE Construction Circular Economy Practices
Wasef, Mark Moheb
Wasef, Mark Moheb
Description
A Master of Science thesis in Construction Management by Mark Moheb Wasef entitled, “Exploring the Transformative Potential of Generative AI in Mechanical Engineering Education”, submitted in April 2025. Thesis advisor is Dr. Sameh El-Sayegh and thesis co-advisor is Dr. Sherif Yehia. Soft copy is available (Thesis, Completion Certificate, Approval Signatures, and AUS Archives Consent Form).
Abstract
Concrete being the most utilized material in the world will face many issues in the future and overcoming them will need the implementation of circular economy strategies. Though research interest in creating Circular Economy (CE) strategies for concrete is growing quickly, much of it has concentrated on technical and environmental problems at the material and product scale. However, there has not been clear strategies identified and their method of implementation in various stages of a construction project. Furthermore, there has not been holistic approaches on how CE will contribute towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The main objective of this study is to identify and rate the relative importance of CE strategies, contributing towards achieving CE in the UAE construction sector. This could be achieved by identifying and assessing the CE strategies that shape how these CE strategies can be achieved and integrating them into construction practices. After an extensive literature review, 17 CE strategies were identified that can be utilized by construction leaders to adopt CE in construction projects. Furthermore, a cross-sectional survey was conducted among various local and international construction firms and 60 responses from experienced professionals in the industry were obtained. Relative importance index and principal component factor analysis (PCFA) were adopted to evaluate the obtained data. Key significant CE strategies for construction professionals to propel circular construction were identified such as specification writing for components and materials, designing for multiple-use cycles, and designing for near-zero energy buildings, among others. Three components were extracted from the PCFA which served as guidelines for enhancing the CE strategies of construction professionals, namely, Effective Collaboration and Coordination Techniques, Sustainable Project and Operations Management, and Sustainable Design Practice. In addition, to enhance its practical implications, a competency implementation framework was also developed for construction professionals of developing economies to propel the adoption and evaluation of their competency skills toward circular construction.