“From Waste to Worth”: The Mediating Role of Resource Efficiency in the Relationship Between Circular Interior Design and Environmental Performance

Abstract

The transition from linear consumption to circular resource management is increasingly important for reducing environmental impacts in the built environment. However, limited empirical research has examined circularity at the interior-design level and the mechanisms linking circular design with environmental outcomes. This study examined the relationship between Circular Interior Design (CID) and Environmental Performance (EP), with Resource Efficiency (RE) as a mediating mechanism. Grounded in Circular Economy Theory and the Resource-Based View, the study employed a quantitative, cross-sectional, and deductive design. Data were collected from 300 architects, interior designers, construction professionals, consultants, and other built-environment practitioners using a 30-item, five-point Likert-scale questionnaire and analysed through PLS-SEM using SmartPLS 4. The findings showed that CID significantly and positively influenced RE and EP, while RE also positively influenced EP. RE further significantly mediated the relationship between CID and EP, demonstrating that efficient resource utilisation is an important pathway through which circular interior design improves environmental outcomes. The study contributes to circular built-environment research by linking interior design practices with resource efficiency and environmental performance and provides practical implications for circular material selection, reuse, refurbishment, and lifecycle management.