Advancing Sustainable Engineering Practices: An Extension of MOA Theory on Consumer Intentions to Adopt Sustainable and Green Building Materials

The aim of this research is to find customer intentions towards using green and sustainable building materials (STAGBM) in Bangalore, India, residential buildings. Combining an extra concept, ‘attitude’, taken from the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA), with an enlarged Motivation-Opportunity-Ability (MOA) framework helps to grasp customer motivation in the adoption process. The study utilised a structured online survey to reach potential consumers of STAGBM who are involved in residential construction. The study analysed responses from 203 participants using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM), validating measurement and structural models via confirmatory factor analysis, discriminant validity, and path analysis. The results confirmed motivation (p < 0.001) as a significant mediator between both attitude and ability and the intention to adopt STAGBM. However, the insignificant effect of opportunity on motivation highlights contextual constraints in Bangalore’s emerging sustainable building materials market. These findings highlight that targeted awareness, financial incentives, and market development can enhance consumer ability and eco-conscious attitudes, underscoring the need for policy interventions like subsidies and education to overcome adoption barriers. The study extends the MOA framework by integrating attitude and uniquely positioning motivation as a mediator, providing deeper insights into sustainable engineering practices in rapidly urbanising regions.