Circular Economy in the Indian Construction Sector: Strategies for Resource Efficiency and Economic Sustainability
Keywords:
Circular economy, Indian construction sector, resource efficiency, economic sustainability, construction and demolition waste, recycling, life-cycle thinking, sustainable construction, material recovery, industrial symbiosis.Abstract
The construction sector is among the most resource-intensive industries in the world and plays a decisive role in shaping patterns of economic development, urban transformation, and environmental sustainability. In India, rapid urbanization, population growth, and large-scale infrastructure investments have accelerated the expansion of construction activities. Although this growth has generated substantial employment opportunities and contributed significantly to national economic output, it has simultaneously intensified concerns relating to excessive resource extraction, construction and demolition waste generation, energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and ecological degradation. Against this backdrop, the circular economy has emerged as a transformative framework capable of reconciling economic development with environmental stewardship.
The present study examines the potential of circular economy principles within the Indian construction sector and investigates strategies for enhancing resource efficiency and economic sustainability. The research critically evaluates how practices such as material reuse, recycling, remanufacturing, adaptive reuse of buildings, industrial symbiosis, and life-cycle thinking can reduce environmental burdens while generating economic value. The study also identifies institutional, technological, financial, and behavioural barriers that constrain the implementation of circular practices in the Indian context.
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