Institutional work for green building: capacity development in Hong Kong’s construction industry

Abstract To promote sustainability at the industry level, key actors need to work proactively and collectively by transforming existing practices and institutional structures. This paper explores the role of business actors in institutional change and examines the effectiveness of their actions for the green transition. Taking an interdisciplinary approach, it draws upon the theoretical framework of “institutional work” in view of three dimensions of institutional capacity as an analytical lens. Using a qualitative, expert-interview method, the study investigates the green building movement in Hong Kong’s construction industry. It analyses how key actors’ institutional work interacts across the different dimensions of institutional capacity development and identifies constraints to the green transition in the industry.