Policy implications for factors of steel reuse in circular construction supply chains: a system thinking perspective

The construction industry consumed over half of the steel manufactured. Steel has strong credentials for circular economy for being recyclable and reusable. However, steel reuse at its end of life has been a rare practice in construction due to various barriers, compared with its recycling. This study aims to investigate causal relationships between factors influencing stakeholders' considerations for steel reuse initiatives through the lens of system thinking. It draws upon secondary data provided by the ‘Delivering Innovative Steel ReUse ProjecT’ database. Twenty-one factors were identified and classified into four groups with four types of intervention policies proposed. Findings showed the significance of early supply chain engagement, cost, time, and technical capability in stakeholders' decision-making. The interplay among the factors and stakeholders exhibited reinforcing feedback loops revealing that the leverage point for promoting steel reuse resides at the integration of the supply chain. Future studies may consider collecting primary data to validate the factors and the associated causal relationships, and undertaking quantitative analysis using system dynamics simulation to inform policy decision-making.