Unlocking Sustainability Transitions in Construction Materials in Europe: A Multi-Level Perspective on the Adoption of Rice Straw Ash

Farideh Gheitasi (), Tejasi Shah and Krushna Mahapatra
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Farideh Gheitasi: Department of Built Environment and Energy Technology, Linnaeus University, 351 95 Växjö, Sweden
Tejasi Shah: Department of Regional Water Studies, TERI School of Advanced Studies, Delhi 110070, India
Krushna Mahapatra: Department of Built Environment and Energy Technology, Linnaeus University, 351 95 Växjö, Sweden

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 21, 1-21

Abstract: The construction industry is one of the largest consumers of resources and a significant contributor to environmental degradation in Europe, accounting for 50% of natural resource use, 34% of waste generation, and 5–12% of greenhouse gas emissions. In response to growing environmental pressures and regulatory demands, the sector needs to adopt sustainable material alternatives. This study examines the potential adoption of rice straw ash in the European construction sector. The research applies a PRISMA-based systematic literature review, integrated with the Multi-Level Perspective (MLP) framework, PESTLE, and SWOT analyses to provide a comprehensive assessment of the socio-technical dynamics influencing its adoption. The findings identify barriers including the absence of standards, fragmented supply chains, and inconsistent material quality. However, it highlights strategic opportunities such as the declining availability of conventional SCMs, alignment with the EU’s regulations and circular economy principles, and growing public awareness of sustainable materials. The study concludes that advancing the transition to RSA will require regulatory support, the development of standards, and coordinated collaboration among stakeholders to achieve large-scale implementation. By integrating multi-dimensional transition factors, this research contributes actionable insights for advancing sustainable material adoption.

Keywords: sustainable; construction; rice straw ash; supplementary cementitious materials; circular economy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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