Abstract
The construction sector is one of the most distinct economic sectors in both developed and developing nations worldwide. Energy and raw material usage in emerging countries is rapidly increasing. Sri Lanka is coping with major environmental issues because of the continued development of the construction industry. Sri Lankan construction industry issues have occurred with the unsustainable construction practices due to the linear economy. As a result, Sri Lanka is focusing on sustainability by incorporating circular economy principles into the construction and built environment sectors. Therefore, the aim of the study is to evaluate the current application of the circular economy principle for sustainable building performance in the Sri Lankan construction industry and to provide recommendations for developing circular economy strategies to improve sustainable building performance in the Sri Lankan construction industry. The research used a quantitative research approach. The questionnaire survey was targeted to identify the prevailing issues and the level of applicability of circular economy principles and the sustainability of the Sri Lankan construction industry. Based on the findings, it can be concluded that the lack of awareness, education, and training in sustainable practices during construction projects, the absence of a proper legal framework and enforcement, and the generation of high waste volumes and carbon dioxide emissions are the most prevalent issues in the Sri Lankan construction industry. A sustainable building industry in Sri Lanka can be achieved through promoting green building technologies, improving the legal framework to strengthen the circular economy implementation, recycling of waste, and utilisation of locally sourced eco-friendly materials.