A product-level framework for prioritizing circular and sustainable construction in building design

The construction sector is a major contributor to climate change, driven largely by its design and construction processes. Early-stage decisions are critical for achieving sustainability, yet these considerations are often introduced too late in projects. While existing tools such as multi-criteria decision-making methods and LCA-BIM integration support material selection, they typically operate at building scale or require complete datasets, limiting their applicability when product-specific information is incomplete and decisions have the greatest impact on circularity outcomes. This paper addresses this gap by developing a decision-support framework for evaluation of sustainable construction products during early design phases. The framework enables contextual comparisons across key indicators of circularity, environmental performance, material integrity, biodiversity, economic value, and social impact through standardized performance evaluation. It integrates data from Environmental Product Declarations, Declarations of Performance, manufacturers' technical sheets, Bills of Quantities, and Building Information Modelling outputs. Calculation methods are formulated for each indicator based on available information, promoting transparency and comparability. This differentiates the framework from black-box optimization tools, allowing stakeholders to understand and verify how products are evaluated. The framework aligns with current regulations and emerging research while adapting to both data availability and stakeholder priorities. Without such a tool, the lack of a comprehensive approach risks misinterpretations of sustainability, potentially overlooking healthier alternatives. The framework empowers stakeholders to make informed choices from the outset, fostering more circular, sustainable buildings with enhanced traceability.