Bridging research and practice in circular biobased construction: a scoping review and stakeholder perspectives

Purpose The transition to a circular and biobased built environment offers major potential to reduce embodied greenhouse gas emissions, yet the extent to which environmental assessment research addresses practitioner needs remains unclear. This study examines the alignment and divergence between academic work and industry priorities in circular biobased construction. Design/methodology/approach We combined two approaches: (1) four workshops with architecture, engineering, and construction stakeholders to identify key questions and concerns, and (2) a scoping review of 189 academic papers, categorized with a multi-dimensional taxonomy and clustered using k-medoids. Findings The workshops highlighted six overarching themes: material availability, land use, supply chains, design, environmental impacts, and political and cultural shifts. The literature clustered mainly around four scales: (1) materials and products, (2) buildings, (3) building stock, and (4) regional planning. While strong alignment emerged around material availability and environmental impacts, major gaps remain in supply chains, design, land use, and societal dimensions. Addressing these gaps can guide more actionable assessments for policy and industry. These findings inform a research agenda that advances theoretical understanding of how environmental assessment research engages with circular biobased construction, while also identifying priority areas where further work is needed to support decision-making in practice. Originality/value This study systematically compares environmental assessment research on circular biobased construction with practitioner concerns. By translating research–practice misalignments into a structured research agenda, it provides an evidence-based foundation for more actionable assessments that better support policy and industry decision-making.