Influencing factors of carbon productivity in construction: evidence from China

Balancing environmental protection and economic growth entails ‘carbon productivity’, which is increasingly crucial for the sustainable development of the construction industry. While significant attention has been devoted to measurement, there is limited understanding of the complexities and interactions of key factors influencing carbon productivity in construction projects. This paper aims to systematically explore the influencing factors of carbon productivity in construction projects and identify the key drivers that enable the simultaneous realisation of carbon reduction and economic growth. Drawing on a multi-dimensional multi-level systems framework, 18 influencing factors were identified and analysed through a modified fuzzy decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory method. The results indicate that ‘government environmental policy’, ‘low carbon design and planning’, and ‘climate change’ are the most critical factors affecting carbon productivity in construction. The findings underscore the importance of simultaneously emphasising and addressing the top-down paradigm initiated by the government and the bottom-up paradigm driven by industry stakeholders to enhance carbon productivity in construction projects. This paper contributes to a comprehensive understanding of the many factors influencing construction carbon productivity and should guide the practice towards a low-carbon transition in the construction industry.