Barriers to Sustainable Construction: A Quantitative Analysis of Technological, Economic, and Policy Challenges in Southwest China

Abstract

Sustainable construction (SC) is vital in addressing the construction sector’s environmental footprint, yet SC adoption remains limited in developing countries. In China, national policies such as the Green Building Evaluation Standard and the 14th Five Year Plan have been introduced to anchor SC. Nevertheless, SC adoption remains inconsistent particularly in less developed regions like Southwest China. This study investigates the barriers to SC adoption in Southwest China, using Institutional Theory to categorize SC barriers across regulative, normative, and cultural cognitive dimensions. A structured questionnaire was distributed to 400 construction professionals, yielding 269 valid responses. Exploratory Factor Analysis and Confirmatory Factor Analysis were applied to validate the dimensional structure of SC barriers. The results highlight economic and cost factors especially high upfront capital investment and limited access to financing, as the most critical impediments. Factor analysis confirmed that barriers align with the three institutional pillars, providing strong empirical support for the theoretical framework. The findings underscore the interdependence of financial, regulatory, technological, and awareness related challenges, emphasizing the need for integrated strategies involving policy enforcement, capacity building, and stakeholder’s engagement.