Diffusion Of Innovation In Sustainable Building Practices In Construction Projects And The Role Of Major Stakeholders

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the adoption of sustainable building practices and understand stakeholder relationships that may influence the adoption of sustainable building practices. The study proposes a conceptual framework based on an extensive review of literature in the following areas: 1) the nature of construction practice and particular challenges for sustainability, 2) stakeholder interactions and information flows in construction projects, and 3) diffusion of innovation in the building context. A set of factors that may influence the adoption of sustainable building practices by stakeholders in construction projects are included in this conceptual framework. The study then tests some key components of the framework using empirical data, to shed new light on the mechanism of achieving sustainable building practices. This study includes buildings that both have and have not adopted sustainable building practices (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and Energy Star certifications) in the New York metropolitan area, and identifies organizations involved in projects in order to understand the trajectory of the adoption process and the diffusion among project stakeholders. Findings indicate that stakeholders' previous exposure to sustainable practices increased the likelihood of projects adopting sustainable practices; and having an architect and a general contractor who had worked on sustainable building practices increased the likelihood of adopting sustainable building programs. On the other hand, stakeholders' previous work collaboration is not associated with the adoption of sustainable building practices and it may not necessarily strengthen the relationships among stakeholders. The study makes theoretical, methodological, and practical contributions. The proposed conceptual framework integrates theories in diffusion of innovation and stakeholder theories in the building industry to understand the elements of the adoption process of new practices for better sustainability outcomes. The methodology developed to utilize multiple secondary datasets contribute to future research methods by enabling the accumulation of knowledge. It is important to point out that the small sample size included in the data analysis limits the internal and external validities of the findings above. Therefore, it is hard to claim these findings without further research, which is suggested at the end of this study.