Drivers of innovation towards sustainable construction: A study in a developing country

Abstract

Innovation has become one of the most effective solutions for sustainable development in the construction sector. This research aims to determine and prioritize the drivers that foster innovation adoption, performance, and upscaling toward sustainable construction in a typical developing country context. A review of the literature and discussions with construction professionals identified 12 significant drivers of innovation toward sustainable construction. These drivers were then grouped into three categories, project, firm, and industry. A combination of the Fuzzy Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) and Analytic Network Process (ANP), DANP, was used to aid in the evaluation and prioritization of the drivers of innovation within the construction industry. The analysis showed that project-related drivers significantly lead to innovation performance, followed by firm-related and industry-related drivers. Specifically, client requirements and improving project performance were the most critical driver of innovation toward sustainable construction. On the other hand, regulation and innovation policy concerns ranked the lowest importance compared with the other drivers. This study implies that focusing on enhancing project performance and meeting client requirements can significantly promote innovation in construction firms. While regulations and policies shape the overall innovation landscape, the study suggests that they may not be the primary drivers for promoting innovation toward sustainable construction. This research is noteworthy for being among the initial studies to explore the interconnectedness of innovation drivers.