This thesis addresses the practical implementation of component-level Material Passports (MPs) in the construction sector to support circularity. While MPs offer potential for material reuse and lifecycle transparency, they face persistent barriers, including lack of standardization (Kedir, 2021) and the need for coordinated stakeholder involvement (Honic et al., 2019).
The objective of this research is to develop and evaluate a structured MP workflow applicable to new buildings from early design to manufacturing phases (RIBA Stages 1–5). A Design Science Research method was used across two iterations. In the first, literature reviews and expert interviews identified workflow objectives and stakeholder responsibilities, resulting in an initial workflow. The second iteration involved improving the workflow and testing it through a template-based data collection exercise within the Stanford AEC Global Teamwork course, where feedback was gathered from multidisciplinary participants.

Best practices observed include workflow clarity, ease of use, alignment with existing carbon accounting practices, and stakeholder agreement on responsibilities. Key challenges include difficulty in disassembly data interpretation, time-consuming manual data extraction, and hesitance from subcontractors accustomed to conventional practices. The workflow currently lacks automation and has limited real-world validation.

The scope focuses on component-level MPs, omits product-level inputs, and is limited to academic testing within a European policy framework. The full lifecycle impact of MPs remains theoretical, and applicability may be limited in regions without supportive reuse markets or regulatory incentives. Despite these limitations, the proposed workflow lays a foundation for future real-world MP adoption and suggests areas for expansion, including AI-assisted data extraction and integration across all lifecycle stages.