A Framework to Assess the Circular Economy Knowledge Proficiency of Designers in the Construction Industry
Buddha Koralage Malsha Nadeetharu1, Nilupa Udawatta1, Gayani Karunasena1
- Deakin University
Published in Proceedings of the International Conference on Smart and Sustainable Built Environment (SASBE 2024), edited by Ali GhaffarianHoseini, Amirhosein GhaffarianHoseini, Farzad Rahimian and Mahesh Babu Purushothaman. Springer Nature, Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering, volume 591, 2025, pages 65 to 74. DOI 10.1007/978-981-96-4051-5_7.
Abstract
Enhancing stakeholders’ knowledge of circular economy (CE) is critical to applying CE principles in construction industry practices. However, researchers have highlighted the gap between “knowledge” and “confidence in the knowledge”, which is commonly referred to as the Dunning-Kruger effect, hinders CE adoption and knowledge proficiency (KP) can be used to overcome it. Designers play a crucial role in implementing CE practices in construction projects, and their knowledge needs to be sharpened for proper CE implementation in the construction industry. Thus, this research aims to develop a conceptual framework to propose how KP can be applied to designers to overcome the Dunning-Kruger effect in the implementation of CE in the construction industry. An extensive literature review was conducted using the content analysis technique to achieve this aim. The findings revealed the phenomenon of the Dunning-Kruger effect, seven key factors influencing it, features of five KP levels (fundamental awareness, novice, intermediate, advanced, and expert) and the theoretical criteria for understanding CE knowledge in the KP levels. Furthermore, eight key areas of information required, and 15 CE design skills have been identified with key CE values. Finally, a conceptual framework for assessing the CE KP of designers has been proposed to overcome the Dunning-Kruger effect. These findings will be beneficial for construction project stakeholders to initiate the required actions to ensure proper CE implementation in construction projects.
Keywords
Session
Presented in Track F, Friday 8 November 2024, 16:30 to 18:30, room WA 224 B, Auckland University of Technology. Session chair Dr Mani Poshdar.
How to Cite
Nadeetharu, B. K. M., Udawatta, N., & Karunasena, G. (2025). A Framework to Assess the Circular Economy Knowledge Proficiency of Designers in the Construction Industry. In A. GhaffarianHoseini, A. GhaffarianHoseini, F. Rahimian, & M. B. Purushothaman (Eds.), Proceedings of the International Conference on Smart and Sustainable Built Environment (SASBE 2024) (Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering, Vol. 591, pp. 65–74). Springer Nature Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-96-4051-5_7
About the Conference
Presented at SASBE 2024, the International Conference on Smart and Sustainable Built Environment, held in Auckland from 7 to 9 November 2024 and chaired by Professors Ali and Amirhosein GhaffarianHoseini, founders of GDI Academy. The version of record is published by Springer Nature; this page is the conference archive record kept by GDI Academy.