Integration of Circular Economy Principles into Industrialised Construction: A Design Typology for Reusable Infrastructure (Ref: ABCE-EBE-AS3)

About the Project

Political attention and concerns are growing around the decreasing resources and the low tendency to reuse, repair, refurbish, recycle, or recover existing infrastructure in the United Kingdom. Increased uses and successful applications of industrialised construction (IC) within factory production environments open opportunities for broader Circular Economy (CE) approaches, which can help redefine end-of-life of infrastructure as opposed to the traditional linear approach that focuses on disposal and demolition. Considerable proportion of infrastructure being built is believed to be disjointed from CE, and the provision of the same would transform the ways we interact with infrastructure in its physical end-of-life. An industry-wide transition in offsite/industrialised construction depends to a large extent on the degree to which systems being used can be standardised in line with established CE principles. The aim of this project is to explore existing CE practices that can support production systems in creating quality factory-built reusable infrastructure. The project is expected to provide insight into our extant knowledge of the intersection between industrialised and circular economy approaches in construction. The PhD aims to develop and implement an IC CE design typology that can enable manufacturers, suppliers, contractors, and/or integrators to better evidence CE principles in their industrialised infrastructure solutions.

Name of primary supervisor/CDT lead:
Dr. Ali M. Saad a.saad@lboro.ac.uk

Name of secondary supervisor:
Professor Mohamed Osmani https://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/abce/staff/mohamed-osmani/

Entry requirements:
Applicants should have, or expect to achieve, at least a 2:1 honours degree (or equivalent) in a relevant subject. A relevant master’s degree and/or experience is desirable.

English language requirements:
Applicants must meet the minimum English language requirements. Further details are available on the International website (http://www.lboro.ac.uk/international/applicants/english/).

Bench fees required: No

Closing date of advert: 30 June 2026

Start date: October 2026

Full-time/part-time availability: Full-time 3 years

Fee band: 2025/26 Band RB (UK £5,006, International £28,600)

Project search terms:
built environment, construction management, environmental health, industrialised construction, modern methods of construction (MMC), modular construction, volumetric, prefabrication, digital technologies, digitalisation, circular economy, sustainability

Email Address ABCE:
abce.pgr@mailbox.lboro.ac.uk