Blockchain-digital twin integration in construction material passports: preparing for digital product passport implementation

Purpose — Poor material lifecycle data management is a major barrier to circular economy transformation in the construction industry. Stakeholders cannot reliably verify the quality of secondary materials despite the vast embedded material stock in existing buildings. Current material passport (MP) frameworks operate in isolation: blockchain provides verification but lacks real-time monitoring, while digital twins enable dynamic tracking without cryptographic security. This study systematically reviews blockchain–digital twin integration in MP research to inform digital product passport (DPP) implementation strategies for construction material lifecycle management.

Design/methodology/approach — This systematic literature review follows the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework. A bibliometric analysis was conducted on 62 publications and a content analysis on 29 studies sourced from Scopus and Web of Science. The methodology is limited by database selection and English-language publication criteria, which may have excluded relevant studies.

Findings — Integration produces synergistic benefits: blockchain ensures data integrity while digital twins provide dynamic material intelligence, transforming static documentation into intelligent, responsive systems. However, major barriers persist, including technical interoperability challenges, data storage conflicts, performance limitations, and lack of standardization. Current isolated deployments fail to meet the comprehensive requirements of dynamic material lifecycle management. Future research should prioritize standardized integration frameworks, real-time synchronization solutions, and comprehensive performance evaluations across diverse construction contexts to support DPP regulatory compliance.