A construction site at dusk with a crane lifting a large rectangular object. The silhouette of the crane and scaffolding structures are visible against the gradient sky, which transitions from light pink to purple. A worker stands on a platform, overseeing the operation.

Systems Mapping of Scotland’s Built Environment and Energy Infrastructure Sectors

20 Oct 25 7

Zero Waste Scotland have published interactive systems maps of Scotland's built environment and energy infrastructure sectors to illustrate the factors influencing circular economy principles and practices.

Circular economy practices can deliver wide-ranging benefits to the built environment and energy infrastructure sectors. These include:

  1. Lower emissions from how we design, build and operate infrastructure 

  2. Stronger local supply chains by keeping materials and components in use at their highest value for as long as possible

  3. Less reliance on international sources for essential materials like critical raw materials

Developing sector-specific roadmaps

Zero Waste Scotland are developing sector-specific roadmaps, and we want to engage with industry and local government to ensure relevance, ownership, and long-term impact.  A system thinking approach has been taken, which includes the development of systems maps for each sector.  

Systems mapping allows us to understand the factors that are influencing circular economy practice adoption, the relative strength of different factors and the relationships between them. This allows prioritisation of areas where intervention is required to influence the conditions in the system and a greater understanding of how intervention in one area may impact other factors across the system.

The next stage is engaging stakeholders across the economy who influence these conditions, to identify what the correct interventions are to support achieving this change. 

Female worker walking towards car in wind power field

Introducing systems maps

Zero Waste Scotland commissioned Resource Futures to review the literature on existing circular practice potential across the built environment and energy infrastructure sectors, followed up with stakeholder engagement. When combined, this creates the ‘root causes and key factors’ systems maps.  

The systems maps not only highlight where barriers and opportunities lie for enabling change, but how connected they are to understand influencing consequence. They focus on four strategies: circular design, lifetime extension, alternative business models, and recycled materials. 

View the interactive systems maps on the links below and listen to the audio explainer to learn more about the systems maps. 

Upcoming events

We are hosting in-person workshops to build on the evidence of Scotland’s circular practices. These workshops are part of a series of online and in-person stakeholder engagement events taking place. Register your attendance now.

Roadmap to Circularity: Energy Infrastructure 

  • Venue: The Social Hub, Glasgow  
  • Date: Tuesday 18 November 2025  
Register now

Roadmap to Circularity: the Built Environment

  • Venue: The Social Hub, Glasgow  
  • Date: Wednesday 19 November 2025  
Register now

Key findings

The following causes and factors have become apparent as influencing circular economy practice adoption across the built environment and energy infrastructure sectors:

  • Policy Leadership & Alignment    
  • Circular Economy Performance & Material Assessments    
  • Infrastructure for Enabling Circular Economy Practices    
  • Integration into Project Planning & Design    
  • Market Demand for Circular Economy Practices    
  • Organisational Risk & Innovation Culture    

These six factors are arguably the most influential wider system factors because they consistently appear in the top rankings across each sector maps.  

Further, the following key connections have been identified between all factors across both the built environment and energy infrastructure systems maps:  

  • CE Knowledge and Literacy – CE Performance and Material Assessments    
  • Industry Leadership – Information Sharing Across Supply Chains    
  • Availability of Investment – Policy Leadership and Alignment    
  • CE Knowledge and Literacy - Information Sharing Across Supply Chains    
  • Policy Leadership and Alignment - Regulatory Strength & Enforcement  

Using these insights, we can better target action and influence or partner with stakeholders on the roadmap journey to deliver interventions that produce meaningful change.