Advancing circular economy transition in the Nigeria construction industry through digital twin technology adoption

Despite the environmentally detrimental consequences of the prevailing traditional linear project delivery model, research on the influence of digital twinning (DT) in facilitating the transition to a circular economy (CE) within the construction sector of developing nations has garnered limited attention. This research examines the role of digital twinning (DT) in advancing the circular economy (CE) within the construction industry, with the aim of accelerating progress towards achieving sustainable development goals. A comprehensive literature assessment was conducted to ascertain the impact of digital transformation on the transition to a circular economy and the advantages of this digital twinning (DT) in the construction industry’s efforts towards circular economy transition. A survey questionnaire was developed and distributed to construction professionals utilizing convenience sample methods. The collected data, exhibiting a response rate of 57.76% and a reliability of above 0.750, were analyzed utilizing frequency and percentage, mean item score, normalization value, Kruskal–Wallis H-test and Kendall’s coefficient of concordance. This study identified seven major benefits of adopting Digital Twinning to enhance the circular economy transition efforts in Nigeria’s construction industry. These are: waste reduction and recycling, supporting circular economy transition, customer insights, asset management and efficiency, new business opportunities, advanced monitoring and prediction and boost production and profits. Also, Kendall’s W test indicated a significant statistical consensus among survey participants for the advantages of enhancing digital twins in the construction activities’ circular economy transition. Research on the incorporation of digital twinning (DT) in the circular economy transition is limited, particularly in the Nigerian setting. This study represents a pioneering investigation into the role of Digital Twinning in facilitating the transition to a Circular Economy in Nigeria, a domain where research is limited. • This study explores how Digital Twins support Circular Economy in construction. • DT adoption benefits include waste reduction and asset efficiency. • Survey-based study achieved 57.76% response rate with reliability above 0.75. • DT aids sustainability goals and digital transformation for CE transition. • Findings promote construction sustainability and Circular Economy practices.