Perceived Benefits of Circular Economy Adoption in the South African Construction Sector

The heavy reliance of the construction sector on the environment for the supply of materials drives environmental pollution and degradation. This has led to the need for an approach that could lead to environmentally sustainable development. The circular economy (CE) concept has been identified as the approach that conserves resources. Hence, the need to examine the benefits of the CE concept to the construction sector since no study has been conducted in this regard in the South African (SA) context. The study adopted a survey design, with construction professionals in Guateng Province, SA, as the respondents. One hundred and forty-five (145) questionnaires were sent out, of which ninety-seven (97) were returned and used for analysis. Mean item score, percentage, one-sample t-test, standard deviation, and Kruskal–Wallis. The findings reveal the benefits of adopting CE in the SA construction sector, which are greenhouse gas reduction, energy cost reduction, decreased waste generation, mitigation of resource depletion, conservation of natural resources, fostering collaboration, and creation of job opportunities, amongst others. Based on the study’s findings, it is evident that by adopting CE, dangerous and unsafe products and materials will be kept out of landfills and the seas, where they pose a significant threat to ecosystem life. Reusing waste products and resources also promotes the creation of regional business networks that increase economic performance and provide new job possibilities. Furthermore, it is suggested that the government establishes a framework for CE adoption nationwide and demonstrates its commitment to CE adoption by enacting legislation and providing incentives. To guarantee the application of rules, the government should promote collaboration with different professional bodies.