Abstract
The construction industry is a major contributor to resource extraction, greenhouse gas emissions, waste generation and ecosystem degradation. Scholars argue that conventional sustainability and green building approaches are insufficient because they focus on reducing negative impacts rather than creating net-positive environmental and social outcomes. This paper reviews 18 peer-reviewed publications on regenerative construction, published between 2020 and 2025, drawing mainly on indexed journal repositories, including ScienceDirect/Elsevier, Emerald Insight, and Taylor & Francis Online. The review synthesises evidence on the economic, social, environmental and technological benefits of regenerative construction, while also identifying limitations that hinder implementation in contemporary construction practice using a systematic narrative literature review. The findings show that regenerative construction can improve whole-life asset value, reduce operational and material costs, create new circular-economy markets, enhance occupant health and social inclusion, restore ecological systems, reduce embodied carbon and stimulate innovation through digital technologies, bio-based materials, material passports, building information modelling and life-cycle assessment tools. However, the adoption of regenerative construction practices is constrained by high initial costs, fragmented supply chains, immature markets for reused and regenerative materials, limited professional capacity, the absence of standardised indicators/metrics, weak procurement incentives, regulatory uncertainty, and insufficient post-occupancy evidence. The paper proposes a Regenerative Construction Implementation Framework structured around seven stages: place-based assessment, regenerative briefing, integrated design, circular and bio-based procurement, regenerative construction management, operational stewardship, and end-of-life reintegration. The study concludes that regenerative construction requires a shift from project-based efficiency to long-term stewardship, collaborative governance and measurable net-positive performance across the entire building life cycle
Abstract as published.
Cite this article
Windapo AO, Chinasamy D, Alade K (2026). Promoting Regenerative Construction in the Building Industry. Journal of the Association of Professional Women Builders of Nigeria. https://doi.org/10.36108/japwbn/6202.10.0110
