A modular framework for integrating circularity in supply chains

Abstract

Managing building supply chains is significantly challenging due to its temporary nature, design to order, fragmentation and overall complexity of processes. As the built environment strives to achieve a circular domain, there is an increasing need for solutions that close product and organisational systems together with the material and information flow running through them. These flows currently ‘leak’ and waste materials due to classic linear approaches they have been based on for decades. Furthermore, the context of a circular supply chain is still under research, and it mainly consists of fragmented information over various topics. Therefore, this thesis explores how circular economy principles could be implemented and enhanced within the whole construction supply chain
by investigating also its control environment. This thesis’s scope is the circular supply chains and the information/ material flows needed throughout the process and the respective actors involved in such flows.

The modelling of a supply chain was observed as an appropriate approach to the representation of a circular supply chain environment, as it visualises in a simplified way the complex nature of supply chains. The proposed model provided insights within three levels of analysis: process, organisations and product. The process level identified the additional process phases that are needed in the reverse loops of information and materials. The organisation level elaborated on the traditional stakeholders and new circular specific stakeholders that could be introduced into these processes. Within this level
traditional stakeholders were observed to adapt their operations by introducing some of the circular specific stakeholder activities internally. The third product level, investigated the control environment and the data residing within it, both provided and required data information. Identifying the data, processes and the involved actors facilitated into the design of a Modular Circular Supply Chain Model (MCSCM). In addition, the modular structure of the model enables the adaptability of any of the modules, whether this be adding or modifying modules and functionalities to suit a wide range of circular supply chain situations. The MCSCM is expected to introduce a general image of a circular supply chain environment by making this concept more tangible into nowadays society.