Article · Business Strategy and the Environment · April 14, 2026
From Policy to Practice: A Global Review of Circular Economy Strategy Documents in Construction Using NLP
Aidana Tleuken, Hamad Hassan Awan, Aidos Kyrkynbay, Sanzhar Sanat, Hüseyin Atakan Varol, Ferhat Karaca
Abstract
ABSTRACT This study explores how circular economy (CE) principles are incorporated in construction‐related policy roadmaps worldwide, addressing the growing need for effective resource strategies in a highly material‐intensive sector. National strategic CE documents from 57 countries were analyzed using natural language processing techniques, and then their policy statements were systematically mapped to the 10R hierarchy. A constrained cluster analysis identified five distinct country groupings: preventive, downstream revalorization, upstream revalorization, downstream life extension, and upstream life extension. The results show that revalorization‐focused strategies, particularly recycling and recovery, dominate globally and represent the most accessible entry point for CE adoption in construction. Contrary to conventional assumptions, advanced circular strategies are not confined to economically developed countries in the policy documents but are shaped by institutional capacity and contextual factors. By revealing multiple policy pathways to circular construction, the study provides a cluster‐based analytical framework that supports more context‐sensitive and effective CE policy design.
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