Circular Economy Implementation in the Australian Construction Industry: A SWOT-Oriented Content Analysis

The construction sector plays a pivotal role in Australia; however, it is also a significant contributor to construction and demolition (C&D) waste generation. This dual impact underscores the urgent need to adopt more sustainable approaches, such as the circular economy (CE). This study aims to systematically examine CE implementation for C&D waste management in the Australian construction industry. A SWOT-oriented content analysis is conducted to identify key strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats influencing CE adoption. An integrated qualitative and semi-quantitative approach is adopted, including frequency analysis, SWOT-based intensity measurement, and mechanism-based strategic interaction analysis. The results identify nine strengths, twelve weaknesses, nine opportunities, and fourteen threats. Key strengths include resource efficiency, waste reduction, and technological innovation, while major barriers include limited industry awareness, high initial costs, and policy constraints. Despite external challenges such as regulatory barriers and conservative industry culture, emerging opportunities from policy development, market demand, and sustainability imperatives support CE advancement. Accordingly, ten targeted strategies are recommended, such as voluntary CE certification and recognition schemes, capacity-building measures, policy improvements, and aggressive strategies leveraging dominant strengths. Overall, the study provides a comprehensive and systematic framework to support effective CE implementation, offering practical and policy-relevant insights for advancing sustainable construction.