Beneath the Green Façade: Multi‐Level Drivers of Sustainable Construction Adoption in Developing Urban Economies—Evidence From Malaysia

ABSTRACT

Achieving sustainable urban development in developing economies depends on the effective adoption of sustainable construction practices. However, progress remains uneven and is often concealed beneath a “green façade” characterized by fragmented initiatives, rapid urbanization, resource‐intensive production, and persistent financial and institutional constraints. Although numerous adoption strategies have been identified, little is known about how coordinated multi‐level interventions enable Sustainable Development transitions. This study addresses this gap using survey data from 120 Malaysian developers, contractors, and consultants. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) of 20 sustainable construction strategies identified five higher‐order strategic dimensions. The highest‐priority strategies were incentives for sustainable construction, regulatory and policy reform, low‐interest green financing, sustainability‐oriented research, and Building Information Modeling (BIM). These were synthesized into five higher‐order strategic dimensions: Capacity Building and Technology Innovation, Green Financing and Smart Delivery, Institutional Support and Leadership, Policy and Environmental Governance, and Collaboration and Market Development. Building on these findings, the study develops the Multi‐Level Integrative Model for Sustainable Construction Adoption (MIM‐SCA), an evidence‐informed conceptual framework for coordinated sustainability transitions across organizational, institutional, and governance levels. The study advances a multi‐level sustainability transition perspective and provides context‐sensitive guidance for sustainability transitions supporting SDGs 9, 11, 12, 13, 16, and 17.