Additive manufacturing for circular construction — a review of design strategies and their assessment

Existing research suggests that additive manufacturing (AM) can facilitate the circular economy in construction, but most studies focus on reducing up-front embodied impacts of new components rather than improving whole-life-cycle sustainability. This mapping review synthesises how AM has contributed to circularity in construction, and how this contribution has been assessed. A total of 216 unique AM case studies were analysed in terms of circularity strategies, environmental assessments, component types, materials, and technological readiness levels (TRLs). AM shows the clearest contribution to reducing material use, particularly for horizontal structures, and interest is growing in strategies to increase material circulation. In this regard, AM seems especially promising for adapting existing components to new uses. Evidence for environmental benefits remains limited across circularity strategies because assessments are few, often narrow in life-cycle coverage and metrics, and lacking in comparisons to conventional manufacturing. Future AM research should explore reuse and repair of existing components, combine multiple strategies, assess whole-life-cycle impacts, and validate performance under real-world constraints. These insights support researchers and practitioners in advancing AM and circularity in construction. • Mapping review of 216 AM case studies for circular construction. • Material reduction is AM’s most widely pursued circularity strategy. • AM has emerging potential for reuse and lifespan extension of existing components. • Environmental assessments are often limited to the production phase (LCA Module A) and material quantity as a metric. • Research gaps include combining strategies and conducting comparative life cycle assessments.