A framework for circular facade design: Systematic review of design strategies and performance indicators

In the construction industry, efforts to enhance energy efficiency and reduce operational carbon have contributed to a rise in embodied carbon, especially in façades. With shorter service lives than building structures, façades often require multiple interventions or replacements. Under the traditional “cradle-to-grave” model, they also generate significant waste with limited recovery potential. Circular economy (CE) principles offer a pathway to reduce waste, improve material efficiency, and promote reuse and recycling. However, implementing CE principles requires consistent methods for designing, assessing, and tracking circularity. Despite growing interest in CE, existing frameworks for circular façades lack standardisation, particularly in design strategies and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), making evaluation difficult for complex façade systems. To address this gap, this study conducts a systematic literature review of 122 studies, identifying 13 strategies and 24 KPIs for façades. These findings underpin a novel Circular Façade Design Framework (CFD-F), which structures strategies and KPIs across five façade lifecycle stages. The framework is aligned with CE principles at material, part, and component levels, drawing upon elements of previously published methods and frameworks. It also introduces a refined definition of circular façades to address conceptual gaps. The framework is demonstrated in a unitised curtain wall case study, showing its potential to guide design, evaluate circularity, and support early decisions. While limited by the absence of practitioner and empirical validation, future research should expand its application and integrate environmental and economic assessments. For practice and policy, the CFD-F provides architects, façade engineers, sustainability consultants, and decision-makers with a practical tool to embed circular design strategies into projects from the earliest stages.