Perspective of Construction Building Professionals on Low-Carbon Materials in the Northern Region of Malaysia

Abstract

Low-carbon (LC) materials and alternative technology must frequently overcome various institutional policy and market constraints to gain greater acceptance in the construction sector. The primary impediments that must be addressed in order to build a viable and sustainable local construction sector are awareness and knowledge. To analyse the perspective on LC materials in the northern states of Malaysia, 93 companies were surveyed via their construction building professionals (CBPs) on the awareness, usage frequency, user experience, drivers for material selection, and barriers to LC material adoption in projects. To establish an understanding of CBPs and LC materials, survey data were analysed using semi structured qualitative-quantitative approaches and Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, influenced by basic theory. The findings of 79.57% valid responses indicate that the majority of participants had a low degree of awareness, with 95% confidence that there is no difference in the score levels of the overall viewpoints between architects, civil, and structural engineers. Unfired bricks (16.2%) are commonly and widely employed in construction projects, while structural insulated panels (40.9%) are the most favourable LC materials for future projects. Client requirements, regulatory requirements, and expectations of a shorter completion time are the most important factors driving CBPs to select LC materials, accounting for 44.6%, 37.8%, and 37.8%, respectively. According to the CBPs, the main constraint factor to market acceptability is a “lack of sustainable material information” (44.9%). The proposed recommendations include “training on designing a building with LC material,” “clear regulation on limiting carbon emission in a project,” and “increased demonstration of projects and case studies” at a rate ranging from 36.5% to 43.2% to improve client and CBPs acceptance of LC materials for a more sustainable building sector.