Implementation of Sustainable Construction Practices: A Socio-Psychological Micro-Level Analysis in an Emerging Economy

The implementation of sustainable practices in the construction sector of emerging economies is a critical yet underexplored challenge. In light of the behavioural management literature, researchers and policymakers have collaborated to bridge the implementation gap through organisational drivers for over three decades, ranging from the development of sustainable construction (SC) knowledge-base, Sustainable Development (SD) frameworks, policy, regulatory and governance frameworks, professional development support, organisational support, research and development initiatives and sustainable design strategies. However, SC literature indicates a persistent gap in translating these sustainable efforts into actionable, sustainable practices at the micro level, due to a limited understanding of individual factors, specifically socio-psychological factors. Therefore, this research attempted to bridge this implementation gap by investigating the socio-psychological beliefs influencing Pakistani Construction Professionals' (PCPs) behaviour towards implementing SC through the socio-psychological lens of the ‘Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB)’. A qualitative narrative inquiry has been adopted to explore ‘how’ thirty PCPs implement sustainability, ‘why’ they are willing to implement it and ‘what’ socio-psychological factors influence the translation of their behavioural intention into sustainable decisions about construction practices. The narrations revealed a complex interplay of mixed behavioural beliefs, inconsistent encouraging normative beliefs and powerful non-facilitating controlling beliefs that influenced the translation of sustainable intentions of PCPs into sustainable decisions. The research implications suggest that these socio-psychological factors arise from different understandings of implementing sustainability, perception of ‘Architects as an agency’, the absence of a local standardised approach, and several contextual barriers. However, few contextual drivers motivated and empowered PCPs to implement sustainability through their actions. Overall, by fulfilling the research aim and objectives, this study proposes behavioural support strategies informed by a uniquely identified set of theoretical, policy, practical, epistemological, and infrastructural implications to foster sociopsychological sustainable change among PCPs towards implementing sustainability.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

Ph.D.

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

PhD thesis

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

University of Westminster

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• Chairman, Nida

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Dania, A.
• Georgiadou, M.
• Michielsens, E.

• Sustainability/Sustainable Practices
• Construction Professionals
• SocioPsychological
• Behavioural
• Normative
• Controlling
• Beliefs

Identifier

oai:westminsterresearch.westminster.ac.uk:x577y

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:westminsterresearch.westminster.ac.uk:x577y