Abstract
Transition to a sustainable built environment requires balancing decarbonisation and Circular Economy (CE) principles at the building level. Decarbonisation efforts primarily focus on reducing operational carbon emissions through thermal efficiency. CE aims to reduce resource consumption and extend the elements’ life cycle. However, there is a lack of understanding of how to balance embodied and operational emissions in buildings while also considering CE principles. Embodied emissions are associated with the production, construction, and end of life of elements. Operational emissions arise from the energy consumed over a life cycle. Although there has been an increase of CE principles, such as deconstruction and disassembly, in the academic literature, the practical application is still limited. This study aims to address these gaps by identifying the barriers and drivers to integrating CE principles with decarbonisation efforts through a systematic literature review. This study aims to contribute to a holistic understanding of sustainable building.