| dc.description.abstract | The aim of this master thesis is to identify and discuss green strategies and various measures taken in the building industry. The study is limited to the use of resources, including green building materials, and it is approached from the perspective of the production circuit of the building project. The conceptual framework considers the circular economy as an approach to sustainable resource management. Moreover, this framework includes theories that address the question of how actors and certification schemes can contribute to a sustainable development. Different methods of data collection contribute to the empirical evidence, including semi-structured interviews, document analysis and observation. A major finding in the study is that the builders contribute to parts of the circular economy, without necessarily labelling their measures as environmental improvements. Further, key drivers for green strategies include green branding as an important market strategy. Another interesting finding is that green ambitions are partly driven by individuals in the non-commercial building projects. In addition, the certification scheme BREEAM-NOR is considered to be an important tool in order to increase the environmental awareness and to trigger best practice competition in the building industry. | en_US |
