Towards a circular economy integrated road map in achieving sustainability through passive tropical designs

Purpose The rapid growth of the global population has significantly heightened the demand for building construction in tropical regions, contributing to an increase in carbon emissions. Passive Tropical Designs (PTDs) in buildings respond to hot and humid climates by integrating unique and green architectural approaches to address the specific challenges posed by distinctive climatic conditions. Therefore, this research investigates the integration of Circular Economy (CE) principles into passive tropical building designs as a means to enhance sustainability. Design/methodology/approach The study comprehends a qualitative research approach, including three rounds of semi-structured interviews using the Delphi technique. Findings The findings revealed eleven drivers, twenty-five barriers and twenty measures for integrating CE principles with tropical building designs. The prominent drivers identified include green building design, advanced design software, resource-efficient construction and energy-efficient construction. Conversely, the most commonly found barriers are lack of client demand or priority, lack of awareness and resistance to change. To overcome these barriers, strategies such as raising public and professional awareness, exercising leadership, and integrating CE into university curricula, and appointing CE consultants to assist in designs were highlighted. Originality/value This study contributes to the theoretical understanding by being one of the few studies that integrates CE and Tropical Design (TD), providing a road map for construction professionals to ameliorate sustainability through the incorporation of CE principles in passive tropical building designs.