Conditions shaping circular construction and demolition waste market readiness: evidence from stakeholder practice in the UAE

Abstract

Construction and demolition waste (CDW) remains one of the largest waste streams globally, yet the uptake of circular practices in construction remains limited. This study examines stakeholder perceptions of the conditions shaping circular CDW market readiness in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a high-growth construction context characterized by fragmented governance and uneven implementation. Drawing on 30 semi-structured interviews across the construction value chain, the study applies the Circular Market Strategic Framework for CDW (CMSF-CDW) to analyze how policy, market, infrastructure, and operational conditions influence circular market development. The findings identify policy alignment, procurement practices, and on-site material segregation as foundational conditions shaping circular CDW market readiness. In contrast, certification systems, financial incentives, and diversion regulations operate as context-dependent mechanisms, varying in effectiveness across stakeholder groups. Additional conditions—including regulatory harmonization, stakeholder gatekeeping, digitalization, decentralized recovery infrastructure, and informal exchange networks—further shape market feasibility. The results show that circular CDW markets are constrained less by technical capacity than by misalignment across governance, procurement, and market structures. By empirically refining the CMSF-CDW and translating these conditions into a structured diagnostic framework, the study provides practical insight for construction stakeholders seeking to improve material recovery, strengthen secondary material demand, and support circular market development in rapidly developing contexts.