Research Article

Wood-Based Hybrid Construction and Circular Economy: A Three-Level Framework for Component, System, and Building Design

Volume: 10 Number: 4 October 16, 2026

Wood-Based Hybrid Construction and Circular Economy: A Three-Level Framework for Component, System, and Building Design

Abstract

Hybrid construction is a key strategy for increasing the use of wood in contemporary buildings while meeting structural and regulatory requirements, particularly as building-level carbon reporting and embodied-carbon requirements are becoming increasingly important in Finland and other regulatory contexts. This study aims to examine how wood-based hybrid construction can be systematically structured to support low-carbon and circular building practice, distinguishing single component level, system level, and building level strategies. This research builds on a research, development, and education learning materials project at Tampere University and adopts a qualitative, non-experimental methodology based on a structured synthesis of peer-reviewed literature, technical sources, and documented application examples. The main contribution of this study is a three-level decision-support framework that clarifies how wood-based hybridization can be evaluated across different design scales in relation to structural performance, circular economy mechanisms, and early-stage design decision-making. The results suggest that hybridization effectiveness is scale-dependent, that higher hybridization levels may provide broader strategic opportunities for regulatory alignment and lifecycle-oriented design when supported by appropriate system configuration, and that circular economy performance depends on connection logic, adaptability, and material separability rather than material choice alone. The findings provide a practical reference for architectural design, professional practice, and education.

Keywords

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Construction Materials

Journal Section

Research Article

Publication Date

October 16, 2026

Submission Date

June 10, 2026

Acceptance Date

July 20, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 10 Number: 4

APA
Karjalainen, M., Ilgın, H. E., Hirvilammi, T., & Pajunen, S. (2026). Wood-Based Hybrid Construction and Circular Economy: A Three-Level Framework for Component, System, and Building Design. Turkish Journal of Engineering, 10(4), 1251-1264. https://doi.org/10.31127/tuje.1963744
AMA
1.Karjalainen M, Ilgın HE, Hirvilammi T, Pajunen S. Wood-Based Hybrid Construction and Circular Economy: A Three-Level Framework for Component, System, and Building Design. TUJE. 2026;10(4):1251-1264. doi:10.31127/tuje.1963744
Chicago
Karjalainen, Markku, Hüseyin Emre Ilgın, Teemu Hirvilammi, and Sami Pajunen. 2026. “Wood-Based Hybrid Construction and Circular Economy: A Three-Level Framework for Component, System, and Building Design”. Turkish Journal of Engineering 10 (4): 1251-64. https://doi.org/10.31127/tuje.1963744.
EndNote
Karjalainen M, Ilgın HE, Hirvilammi T, Pajunen S (October 1, 2026) Wood-Based Hybrid Construction and Circular Economy: A Three-Level Framework for Component, System, and Building Design. Turkish Journal of Engineering 10 4 1251–1264.
IEEE
[1]M. Karjalainen, H. E. Ilgın, T. Hirvilammi, and S. Pajunen, “Wood-Based Hybrid Construction and Circular Economy: A Three-Level Framework for Component, System, and Building Design”, TUJE, vol. 10, no. 4, pp. 1251–1264, Oct. 2026, doi: 10.31127/tuje.1963744.
ISNAD
Karjalainen, Markku - Ilgın, Hüseyin Emre - Hirvilammi, Teemu - Pajunen, Sami. “Wood-Based Hybrid Construction and Circular Economy: A Three-Level Framework for Component, System, and Building Design”. Turkish Journal of Engineering 10/4 (October 1, 2026): 1251-1264. https://doi.org/10.31127/tuje.1963744.
JAMA
1.Karjalainen M, Ilgın HE, Hirvilammi T, Pajunen S. Wood-Based Hybrid Construction and Circular Economy: A Three-Level Framework for Component, System, and Building Design. TUJE. 2026;10:1251–1264.
MLA
Karjalainen, Markku, et al. “Wood-Based Hybrid Construction and Circular Economy: A Three-Level Framework for Component, System, and Building Design”. Turkish Journal of Engineering, vol. 10, no. 4, Oct. 2026, pp. 1251-64, doi:10.31127/tuje.1963744.
Vancouver
1.Markku Karjalainen, Hüseyin Emre Ilgın, Teemu Hirvilammi, Sami Pajunen. Wood-Based Hybrid Construction and Circular Economy: A Three-Level Framework for Component, System, and Building Design. TUJE. 2026 Oct. 1;10(4):1251-64. doi:10.31127/tuje.1963744
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