Samenvatting

Circular, biobased, and modular construction practices are gaining traction as cities seek to reduce the environmental impact of the built environment. However, little is known about how these strategies affect construction logistics and their associated emissions. We develop an agent-based model to assess the environmental and spatial impacts of construction logistics in the Amsterdam Metropolitan Region (AMA) under six future scenarios. These scenarios vary in transport modes, construction practices, and logistics hub configurations. Results show that modular construction significantly reduces emissions through delivery consolidation, while circular and biobased approaches present trade-offs. Circular logistics reduce total emissions by sourcing materials locally but increase local emissions and congestion due to more frequent, short-distance trips in case of fossil transport. Biobased construction reduces transport emissions because of lower weight but may increase emissions when materials are sourced from distant suppliers, often located abroad, e.g. in Austria. The study also reveals that water transport lowers CO₂ but often raises NOₓ and PM emissions in case of use of ships with older engines. Also, decentralized logistics networks may perform worse than centralized ones without advanced coordination. These findings emphasize that sustainability benefits depend not just on what is built, but how and where materials are transported. Policymakers and urban planners must weigh both global and local trade-offs when designing logistics systems for sustainable construction. Our model offers a data-driven framework to support such decisions, highlighting the need for integrated, spatially grounded planning approaches in the circular transition.