Information Needs and Barriers in the Construction Reuse Market; Developing a Framework for Information Structuring

Abstract

The construction industry is one of the largest contributors to waste and greenhouse gas emissions, making the transition towards circular strategies such as material reuse increasingly important. However, the implementation of reuse in Swedish construction projects remains underdeveloped, in part due to the lack of standardized information structures and workflows for reused materials. This study investigates the information needs of key actors in the Swedish construction industry to enable efficient handling of reused construction materials in digitalized projects. A qualitative approach was adopted, combining a literature review, a semi-structured interview study with 16 participants across 14 interviews, and a case study of the Kaj 16 project in Gothenburg. The findings confirm that contractors, reuse suppliers, designers and clients each have distinct information needs that must be met at different stages and points in time. Several barriers were identified as hindering efficient information flows, including inconsistent inventory practices, the absence of mandatory information criteria on reuse platforms, late involvement of key actors, and a fragmented market structure based on informal networks. Based on the empirical findings and identified barriers, a supplier information framework is proposed, structured around four process stages: inventory, condition assessment, market communication and integration. The framework specifies minimum information requirements per stage, distinguishes between baseline and complex element requirements, assigns role responsibility and emphasizes timing as a critical dimension. The study concludes that the primary challenge for digitalization of reuse processes is adoption rather than technological availability, and that establishing clear information expectations at the procurement stage is essential for enabling more structured and systematic reuse in Swedish construction.