Sustainable materials and waste management in office renovations: A Swedish case study

The construction industry generates the most waste in the European Union (EU), and each member state is responsible for implementing measures to reduce construction and demolition waste (CDW). As a result, Sweden is working to enhance the sustainability of its construction sector. This study explores the challenges and opportunities associated with sustainably managing materials and waste in an interior office renovation project, drawing insights and perspectives from various stakeholders across the value chain. This study also proposes measures that companies can adopt to improve their sustainable CDW management practices. To achieve this, the study employed thematic analysis on data collected through semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders, a review of peer-reviewed journal articles and grey literature, as well as observations from site visits. The analysis identified nine key themes that reveal both the challenges and opportunities in sustainably managing materials and waste from renovation projects. The study explores these findings and examines initiatives that promote sustainable practices in interior office renovations, concluding with recommendations for future research and guidance for property companies. • Material and waste management practices in C&D projects are assessed. • Challenges and opportunities in C&D projects value chain are identified. • Thematic analyses were conducted on semi-structured interviews’ data. • Sustainable materials and waste management methods in C&D projects are proposed.