Towards understanding the contractor's response to carbon reduction policies in the construction projects

Policies like the carbon tax and tightened building regulations have been advocated as the effective drivers of carbon reduction strategy adoption. Few however, have acknowledged that project environment strategy adoption is a matter of organisational culture (OC). This paper reports a study that aims to examine the effect of some key drivers on the contractors' adoption of carbon reduction strategies in OC perspective. A conceptual model which depicts the hypothesised relationship among OC, carbon reduction drivers and strategy adoption is presented. The model is tested with data collected by a survey conducted in New South Wales, Australia. To test the conceptual model, Pearson correlation analysis and multiple moderated regression (MMR) analysis were employed. The results suggest that the respondents may not adjust their attitudes in carbon reduction strategy adoption for the sake of avoiding ‘penalty’. The findings may be thought provoking for those who believe that levies on carbon emissions would lead to a behavioural drift.

► The role of organizational culture (OC) on carbon reduction behaviours is studied.
► Levies on carbon emissions may not lead to contractors' behavioural change.
► Stringent standards and Rewards are more effective drivers of carbon reduction.
► OC is conducive to contractor's behavioural change in carbon reduction in projects.