Towards circularity in timber use in Sri Lankan construction industry : way forward for sustainable timber governance

Abstract

Timber is widely recognised as a sustainable construction material due to its regenerative nature, low embodied energy and carbon, strong carbon sequestration capacity, and favourable strength‑to‑weight ratio. Despite these advantages, its use in the Sri Lankan construction industry remains limited. This underutilisation is driven by factors such as restrictive legislation introduced to curb forest degradation, durability concerns in tropical climates, inconsistent supply, and relatively high costs. Although Circular Economy (CE) strategies offer considerable potential to enhance sustainable timber use, their application in Sri Lanka is still largely unexplored. To address this gap, the study sought to develop a framework for CE implementation in sustainable timber governance within the Sri Lankan construction sector. A qualitative approach was adopted, combining a comprehensive literature review with semi‑structured expert interviews. The review examined timber use in construction, relevant CE strategies, implementation challenges, and associated governance instruments. Insights from both literature and interviews were analysed through content analysis to identify and validate key themes. In total, twelve CE strategies were identified to support the sustainable use of timber in the Sri Lankan construction industry. Of these, five strategies, such as “Design for disassembly” and “Industrial symbiosis” were directly adapted from existing literature. Four additional strategies, including the “Use of reclaimed timber,” were adopted with modifications to suit the local context. Furthermore, three entirely new strategies emerged from expert interviews: “Commercial plantation for regeneration,” “Preservation and treatment for prolonged use,” and “Encouragement of Engineered timber”. The study further revealed 22 challenges hindering the implementation of these strategies, including “Fragmented governance”, “Lack of CE-specific clauses”, “No legal recognition or standards for reclaimed timber”, “Negative attitudes toward reclaimed timber and aesthetic imperfections”, and “Public mistrust in commercial plantations”, Furthermore, 20 enablers, including “Traceability mechanism combined with material passport”, “Procurement guideline integrated with CE provisions”, “Regulatory mechanism for commercial timber plantation”, “Grading and classification of the reclaimed timber”, and “Product stewardship”, were proposed to support effective CE integration and address the challenges identified. These enablers are embedded with the proposed modifications or amendment of governance instruments clustered under three categories namely “Legislations”, “Regulation / Circular” and “Guideline”. These findings collectively informed the development of the proposed framework. The study demonstrates how Circular Economy strategies can strengthen the sustainable utilisation of timber in the Sri Lankan construction industry, addressing a key research gap, offering a benchmark for future work, and supporting a broader shift toward increased local material sourcing and reduced dependence on imports.