Facilitating circularity through sharing economy practices in the construction industry: potential shareable resources

Abstract

Purpose The sharing economy (SE) presents a promising avenue for achieving circular economy (CE) objectives by facilitating the identification of underused resources and supporting resource optimisation. The SE practices are well established in sectors such as transportation and accommodation; however, scholarly literature reveals a notable gap in research related to the construction industry (CI). Therefore, this paper aims to explore construction-related shareable resources while promoting the SE practices in the industry. Design/methodology/approach A multimethod qualitative approach was used, including a literature review, qualitative website analysis of construction-related digital platforms and semi-structured interviews. The collected data were subjected to thematic analysis, using MS Excel and NVivo 14 software. Findings Out of ten types of shareable resources identified in the literature, the website analysis recognised only seven types of resources (human resources, space/storage, mobility, equipment/ tools/material/machinery/ devices, data and information, energy and goods) that are currently being shared in the industry. Further, expert interviews recognised three additional resources (robots, financial capital and Wi-Fi) as potential shareable resources in the CI. Research limitations/implications The study introduced a novel perspective on the current SE research domain by investigating SE practices in the CI. The study’s findings contributed to reframing traditional perspectives within the resource-based view theory. Practical implications The findings provide actionable insights related to the identification and optimisation of underused resources in the CI. Furthermore, the study established a pathway for integrating SE practices into construction, contributing to the realisation of sustainability and CE goals. Originality/value This research presents one of the first attempts to investigate the SE concept in the CI.