The pressure for businesses to respond and contribute to sustainability is increasing and organizations are expected to actively address these issues (Joyce & Paquin, 2016). However, achieving circularity in real estate development poses significant challenges and barriers. Previous studies have primarily focused on the drivers and barriers influencing frontrunner’s uptake of circular solutions, particularly within the supply side. Meanwhile, the perspective of non-frontrunner clients and the demand side of circularity has gotten limited attention.
This study aims to enhance circularity in the built environment by exploring how corporate real estate clients who are not early adopters can implement circular ambitions and solutions. The thesis research focuses on the demand side of corporate real estate within the Dutch context, utilizing a mixed-approach that combines theoretical research and on-field investigation. The study identifies two groups of interest: early adopters and next adopters. Then, through qualitative field interviews with representatives from 12 organizations it sheds light on the experiences of both groups. The findings reveal that the main drivers for next adopters of circularity are the organization's core business and personal motivation, while the primary barriers include uncertainty regarding circularity benefits and a general lack of circularity awareness. Based on these findings, the study concludes by providing circularity adoption recommendations tailored to corporate real estate clients who are new to the field.
By addressing the demand side and considering the experiences of non-frontrunner clients, this research contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of circularity in real estate development and offers practical guidance for organizations seeking to embrace circular solutions in their operations.