Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore how demolition contractors coordinate project activities for buildings at their end-of-life. The organizations are thereby conceptualized as information processing systems facing uncertainty.
Design/methodology/approach: A multiple-case study methodology was selected to gain in-depth insights from three projects with different end-of-life strategies: a faculty building (material recycling), a nursing home (component reuse) and a psychiatric hospital (element reuse). Using a theory elaboration approach, the authors sought to explain how and why demolition contractors process information for end-of-life coordination.
Findings: End-of-life strategies differ in the degree of building, workflow and environmental uncertainty posed to the demolition contractor. Whether or not a strategy is effective depends on the (mis)match between the specific levels of uncertainty and the adopted coordination mechanisms.
Research limitations/implications: The explanatory account on end-of-life coordination refines information processing theory for the context of (selective) demolition projects. Practical implications: The detailed case descriptions and information processing perspective enable practitioners to select, implement and reflect on coordination mechanisms for demolition/deconstruction projects at hand.
Originality/value: Reflecting its dual conceptual-empirical and inductive-deductive focus, this study contributes with new opportunities to explain building end-of-life coordination with a refined theory.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 647-671 |
Number of pages | 25 |
Journal | Construction innovation |
Volume | 20 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 29 May 2020 |
Keywords
- 2020 OA procedure
- Circular economy
- Demolition
- Information systems/management
- Materials
- Whole life cycle
- Building