Purpose: Global megatrends such as urbanization and ageing of the population result in fast-paced demographic changes, which pose different types of challenges for different regions. While many rural municipalities bear the burden of under-used buildings, cities are in a hurry to develop new ones to meet new space demands. The purpose of this paper is to assess the potential of relocatable modular buildings to address these challenges, following the principles of circular economy, while at the same time offering usability.Design/methodology/approach: This multiple case study explores existing relocatable modular health-care buildings in Finland. The case buildings host hospital support functions, imaging services, a health-care centre and a care home. The primary data comprise 21 semi-structured interviews and observation during factory and site visits.Findings: Based on the findings, relocatable modular buildings have many benefits and provide a viable option for cities and municipalities struggling to meet their fluctuating space demands. Some challenges were also identified, mainly derived from the dimensional restrictions of the modules.Originality/value: This research contributes to the emerging body of knowledge on circular economy in the built environment. More specifically, the research provides a very concrete example of circularity and details a framework for usable and relocatable modular buildings. In conclusion, relocatable modular buildings could solve the challenges posed by quickly changing demographics in different types of regions and deliver both usability and circularity.

Purpose: Hospital construction projects often suffer from relatively late changes in the project lifecycle, which disrupt the project execution and impact project productivity. The purpose of this paper is to explore the root causes of changes in hospital construction projects. The paper aims to propose ways to prepare for the changes. Design/methodology/approach: The study focuses on changes during the construction of new hospital facilities. An explorative, case study research design is utilised. Five case projects from Finland, Sweden and the USA were selected for in-depth analysis. The primary data comprise semi-structured interviews, supported by secondary evidence such as change order documents. Findings: The findings reveal eight categories for change sources: contracts, and equipment and systems are reflective of the fast-paced healthcare technology and changing user requirements, while external environment comprises changes caused by both regulatory and physical environment. Changes in operations are reflected in the continuous development of treatment methods and processes. The user, owner, designer and contractor initiated changes represent the stakeholder influence. The paper makes a connection between these change sources and project complexity dimension. A framework for change dynamics is introduced, and product and process flexibility is suggested as a suitable method to prepare for and manage changes. Originality/value: The paper is the first to link construction changes to project complexity factors. The paper argues that changes, when managed appropriately, are not only necessary but also beneficial to large construction projects in a quickly changing environment. The findings guide project stakeholders in implementing project flexibility, in the product and process dimensions, which is a balancing force to project complexity.

The increasing awareness of the urban environment's contribution to climate change and other environmental problems has brought about a myriad of commercially available schemes that aim to mitigate detrimental impacts on the environment. These schemes, or rating tools, provide a convenient way to benchmark the eco-efficiency of buildings and, more recently, neighbourhood developments. Furthermore, acting beyond regulatory requirements has become a business strategy for many stakeholders within the construction industry. In general, these tools assess the eco-efficiency of neighbourhoods based on different criteria including urban density, connectivity, site ecology, energy efficiency and water management. The rating tools are often marketed globally. However, different regions of the world vary greatly in terms of climate, legislative, cultural, or ecological conditions, to name but a few examples. For the sake of consistency, factoring in regional variations when implementing the rating tools would be essential. In Finland, some of the criteria included in the tools are already accounted for at the regulatory level, and do not therefore lead to additional eco-efficiency. Meanwhile, other criteria may be impossible to meet due to local conditions. The purpose of this research is to pinpoint prospective issues in implementing international environmental sustainability rating systems in Finland in the context of new residential developments. The results of the study show that some of the mandatory requirements of the referenced international certifications may be unfeasible in Finland. In addition, it may not always be possible to meet some evaluation criteria due to local conditions and irrelevance to local environmental goals.