Analysis of the Adoption of Sustainable Construction Practices Among South African Construction SMMEs: A PLS-SEM Approach

Abstract

This study explored how knowledge of sustainable construction, client demand, incentives to adopt, and regulations and standards predict both the intention to adopt and the actual implementation of sustainable construction practices among professionally affiliated South African construction SMMEs. The study was grounded in the Technology Acceptance Model 3 (TAM3). Data were collected through a cross-sectional quantitative approach. Responses were gathered from 181 SMMEs via a structured online questionnaire distributed through South African professional construction associations. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling was employed to evaluate both measurement and structural models. The measurement model demonstrated high reliability and validity across all eight constructs. Four of nine hypothesised paths were supported. Knowledge of sustainable construction was the dominant predictor, showing a strong positive association with perceived ease of use, which in turn was the strongest predictor of behavioural intention. Behavioural intention, in turn, was the principal predictor of actual usage. These results suggest that awareness campaigns, financial incentives, and regulatory pressure alone may be insufficient to drive adoption in this context. The findings suggest that practical implementation capability may be a more decisive predictor of sustainable construction adoption than awareness or motivation.