Key influence factors of carbon dioxide emissions in Malaysian construction operations

Abstract

The urgency to mitigate carbon dioxide emissions (‘carbon emissions’) has gained significant societal attention as the consequences of climate change continue to unfold. There is a notable scarcity of studies conducted on carbon emissions for construction operations. Hence, the aim is to identify the key influence factor of carbon emissions to develop a carbon dioxide reduction framework for construction operations. A survey was conducted with 297 Malaysian construction stakeholders to analyse 18 factors. Descriptive and Rasch analyses were used. The results revealed the reliability and validity of the model, which could help explore ways to reduce carbon emissions during the construction phase. The findings indicate that a gradual transformation process is necessary to expedite the transition towards low carbon dioxide construction. The research enhances the existing literature by emphasising the key factors for stakeholders who aim to manage carbon emissions efficiently during a construction project. There are different ideas on how to estimate and manage carbon emissions in construction projects, but there are no standardised ways. This study looks into the main factors that contribute to the generation of carbon emissions in construction, to identify ways to reduce them, evaluating these factors from the perspective of different stakeholders.