Framing the future: how disruptive events reshape material preferences in global residential construction

Purpose Disruptive events, such as natural disasters and pandemics, can considerably reshape home buyers’ preferences in the residential construction industry. These shifts are evident in changing preferences of building materials in response to sustainability, resilience, cost and a changing regulatory environment. This study systematically evaluates how global disruptive events impact home buyers’ preferences for residential framing materials. Design/methodology/approach This study systematically evaluates how disruptive events impact home buyers’ preferences for residential framing materials by conducting a thematic literature review using the PRISMA model and analysing 86 peer-reviewed articles. Findings The analysis identified three predominant outcomes. First, how disruptive events have reshaped material preferences in residential construction is related to regional patterns and disruptive events. Second, the analysis describes shifts in building material preferences related to disruptions and resilience-driven decision-making by integrating consumer behaviour theories. Third, the analysis identifies and classifies different factors impacting material preferences after disruptive events, emphasising their interdependencies and implications. Social implications This study shows that disruptive events reshape social experiences and societal expectations related to residential construction towards safer, more resilient, sustainable framing materials. By emphasising the social drivers through different theories, this paper contributes to the discussion on the importance of social responsibility for global long-term resilient housing and wellbeing of occupants and communities recovering especially in disaster prone regions. Originality/value The outcomes emphasise a broad shift towards resilient, sustainable, improved framing materials such as green building materials, reflecting increasing consumer attention to sustainability, affordability and regulatory requirements. Previous studies assessed sustainable material adoption and consumer choices in the residential construction industry. However, despite the growing influence of the disruptions, such as natural disasters and pandemics, no systematic review has comprehensively assessed how these disruptive events reshape consumer priorities in making framing material decisions. To address this gap, this study syntheses the literature to discover how disruptions enhance sustainable material adoption and impact consumer behaviour in residential construction.