Bowen Zhang: Enabling a circular construction industry

Bowen Zhang’s research explores how the construction industry can advance its green and circular transition through business model innovation and data-driven decision-making. It focuses on how companies can integrate circular material flows and align economic incentives with sustainability goals.

Where do you come from? Where have you been?

I was born in Harbin, a renowned city in northern China where Eastern and Western cultures intersect. As the only child in my family, my parents placed great emphasis on my education. During my formative years, China’s urbanization progressed at an astonishing pace, sparking my interest in the construction industry. After completing the national college entrance examination, I was admitted to the Civil Engineering program at South China University of Technology, spending four years of my undergraduate studies in a major city Guang Zhou. During my third year at university, I had the opportunity to participate in an exchange program in the United States, which inspired me to pursue a master’s degree abroad. I aspired to broaden my horizons while I was still young. After graduating from university, I pursued a master’s degree in design and construction project management at Chalmers.

What brought you to Luleå university of Technology?

Northern Sweden's development strategy is truly exciting, as it represents new efforts in green industrial transformation, with the construction industry's upgrade playing a crucial role in this transition. The close collaboration among Swedish universities is also impressive, and Luleå University of Technology is a key member of the Swedish University of the Built Environment network. Therefore, Luleå University of Technology provides an excellent platform for further research on the green and sustainable transformation of the construction industry.

What is your research contribution to Creaternity?

The transformation of the construction industry is not an easy task, as it involves more than just technological advancements. These include design for disassembly, the development of construction materials made from waste, and material tracking systems. It also requires collaboration and coordination among various stakeholders, such as restructuring supply chains, strengthening connections, and obtaining economic incentives from the market.

To facilitate the implementation of circular construction, a systematic approach to business model research is necessary to gain comprehensive insights. By studying how construction companies adapt their business models to achieve sustainability-driven innovation, we can better understand the challenges encountered in this transition, how new technologies can be integrated to provide support, how circularity and sustainability can be embedded in design and construction processes, and how to collaborate effectively with clients. These insights can help businesses integrate sustainability values more effectively into their operations."

Why is Creaternity important?

Creaternity is an important platform where many PhD students with similar goals come together to contribute to the green transformation of industries and the improvement of resource efficiency. This environment fosters the exchange of ideas and inspires interdisciplinary research. My research focuses on designing business models for companies adopting circular material flows. More specifically, it aims to identify which aspects of a company's business model need to be adjusted to align with sustainability goals and support better decision-making. However, data may also play a crucial role in this process. For instance, existing material data can be used to assess the sustainability of projects. Creaternity therefore provides a valuable platform for me to connect with fellow PhD students working on related topics, facilitating discussions and knowledge sharing.

Where are you going?

I feel that I am beginning to gain inspiration for my research topic, and I would like to divide it into two parts. One focuses on the business aspect, such as the development and innovation of business models, while the other relates to data-driven automation in business decision-making. If possible, I hope to continue my research after completing my PhD. As for where that will be, I am not certain—it could be at our university, another Swedish university, or in my home country. However, regardless of where we end up, I believe our network will remain strong, as we share common goals.

• Contact: Bowen Zhang