Supplementary information files for "Quantitative sustainability and circularity-coupled multi-criteria assessment framework for modern methods of construction"

Supplementary files for article "Quantitative sustainability and circularity-coupled multi-criteria assessment framework for modern methods of construction"<br><br>The construction industry's transition to a circular economy (CE) is hindered by a lack of robust tools to evaluate innovative practices, such as Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), at a product level. To address this gap, this study develops and validates a multi-criteria assessment framework that hypothesises that circularity metrics align with broader sustainability indicators, offering a more holistic evaluation of MMC products. Qualitatively, the study establishes that a comprehensive assessment of MMC requires four dimensions: economic, social, environmental, and a technical dimension that is often overlooked, thereby challenging the sufficiency of the traditional three-pillar sustainability model for industrialised construction. Quantitatively, by applying the Fuzzy Delphi Method and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) with data from 85 industry experts, the findings reveal a notable perceptual divide: stakeholders regard sustainability as an outcome-focused concept, whereas circularity is perceived as an input-focused systems approach. The research significance lies in providing the first empirically validated, comprehensive methodology that moves beyond traditional, material- or environmental-focused assessments to incorporate the unique technical attributes of MMC (e.g., adaptability, design for disassembly). This offers a new, more comprehensive framework for evaluating circularity in advanced construction. Its practical significance is its function as a transparent decision-support tool that helps diverse stakeholders navigate complex trade-offs between competing priorities, enabling more informed circular design and procurement decisions.<br><br>© The Author(s), CC BY-NC-ND 4.0