A building faces several challenges across its lifecycle stages. Challenges such as production inefficiency and inadequate waste management hinder advancement in the construction industry. Furthermore, the sector has emerged as one of the largest producers of waste in the world, which can lead to detrimental impacts on the economy and the environment. Conventional approaches are insufficient to eradicate these concerns. Thus, practitioners have sought to implement novel methods to ameliorate the construction process. In this regard, design for manufacturing and assembly (DfMA) and design for deconstruction (DfD) have gained prominence, as studies have elucidated the methods’ unprecedented potential to wholly transform the construction process and mitigate the unwanted impacts brought about by the industry. This study identified the applications and benefits of DfMA and DfD in construction, as well as recent developments and research gaps, through a literature review, using Scopus as the primary database and MATLAB for conducting data text analytics. The current body of knowledge necessitates a further assessment of the following research gaps: (1) development of standard construction-oriented DfMA guidelines; (2) corroboration of the developed DfMA tools through practical application; (3) integration of these holistic design approaches with emerging technologies, such as additive manufacturing and digital fabrication; (4) comparison of structures constructed using DfMA and DfD with structures built with conventional approaches; (5) comprehensive application of DfD guidelines to structural systems; (6) integration of DfMA and DfD; (7) execution of sustainability assessment studies to evaluate the impact of DfMA and DfD; and (8) identification of solutions to the barriers to DfMA and DfD uptake in construction.

It is estimated that in the construction industry, cement production contributes to 7% of global CO₂ emissions. Because of this, alternative materials, including biological resources and wastes, are being explored to determine their viability as substitutes for conventional concrete aggregates. This study investigates the feasibility of using green mussel shells (GMSs) as a partial cement replacement and chitosan derived from milkfish scales as an additive in concrete. Addressing environmental concerns tied to cement production, the research evaluates the potential of GMSs and chitosan to enhance mortar and concrete properties. This study was conducted in two phases: phase one focused on mortar with varying percentages of GMSs (0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20%) and chitosan (0%, 0.25%, 0.50%, 0.75%, and 1%), while phase two applied the phase one results that resulted in the highest compressive strength of concrete. The results indicate that 10% GMS and 0.25% chitosan improved mortar strength by 38.74%, although high GMS levels reduced workability. In concrete, 10% GMS without chitosan decreased compressive strength by up to 47% due to magnesium impurities in GMSs, verified by FTIR analysis. This study highlights GMSs’ and chitosan’s potential but emphasizes impurity management for its application feasibility.