The construction industry significantly impacts global environmental sustainability. Despite efforts towards green development, the industry still faces challenges in achieving energy conservation and emission reduction targets outlined in agreements like the Paris Agreement. The high pollution, emission, and energy consumption inherent in traditional construction practices create substantial strain on global green development efforts. Construction projects' mobility and long periodicity further complicate the transition to green practices. Existing research has examined the mechanisms of enterprise green development behavior, but there is a lack of consensus, particularly within the construction sector. Previous studies have considered factors like enterprise resources, public supervision, and environmental policies, but have often lacked a comprehensive theoretical framework. This study addresses this gap by applying the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to understand the factors influencing green development behavior in construction enterprises. The TPB, a widely accepted model in behavioral science, posits that attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control influence behavioral intentions, which in turn influence actual behavior. This study aims to test this model in the context of construction enterprises and identify any moderating factors, such as regional green development level and enterprise size. The study utilizes partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to analyze data collected through questionnaires distributed to construction enterprises across 28 provinces in China. The results are expected to provide valuable insights for both theoretical advancement and practical implications for promoting green transformation and upgrading in the construction industry.

The literature review examines existing research on enterprise green development behavior, highlighting the limitations of previous studies. It notes that while prior research has classified influencing factors into categories like enterprise resources, public supervision, and environmental policies, these classifications may not be universally applicable across all industries. Studies focusing on industrial enterprises have explored similar factors, but these often neglect the specific challenges and characteristics of the construction sector. A key gap identified is the lack of investigation into behavioral intention as a mediating factor in the relationship between antecedents (attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control) and green development behavior. This study directly addresses this gap by incorporating behavioral intention into its theoretical framework. Additionally, the existing literature lacks a thorough exploration of moderating variables influencing green development behavior. The authors propose that regional green development level and enterprise size could play significant moderating roles, and the study will explicitly test these hypotheses. Therefore, this paper employs the robust Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to understand and predict green development behavior among construction enterprises in China.

This study uses a quantitative research design employing a structured questionnaire based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and existing scales validated in prior research. The questionnaire measures five latent variables: attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, behavioral intention, and green development behavior. Each variable is measured using multiple items on a five-point Likert scale. A pre-test was conducted in two regions to refine the questionnaire, achieving a Cronbach's alpha of 0.949 and KMO of 0.738. The official questionnaire, included as Supplementary A, was then administered to a sample of construction enterprises across 28 provinces (cities) in China. A random sampling strategy was used, and 419 questionnaires were collected, with 306 deemed valid after excluding incomplete or erroneous responses. The sample includes various types of construction enterprises (contracting, installation, decoration, mechanized construction, and engineering companies) and spans diverse enterprise sizes and employee positions. Data analysis was conducted using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). PLS-SEM was chosen for its ability to handle complex models with both reflective and formative indicators, and its suitability for analyzing data with smaller sample sizes. Harman's single-factor test was employed to assess common method variance (CMV), and the results indicated that CMV was not a serious concern. Reliability and validity of the scales were assessed using Cronbach's alpha, composite reliability (CR), KMO, and average variance extracted (AVE). Discriminant validity was assessed using the heterotrait-monotrait ratio of correlations (HTMT). PLS-SEM was used to test the hypothesized relationships and their mediating and moderating effects. Multigroup analysis with PLS-MGA was performed to investigate the moderating effects of regional green development level and enterprise size. Bootstrapping was used to assess the significance of the indirect effects and mediating roles.

The study's findings support several key hypotheses. First, attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control all significantly and positively influence green development behavioral intentions. Attitudes emerged as the strongest predictor. Second, behavioral intention plays a significant mediating role in the relationship between antecedents (attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control) and green development behavior. The degree of mediation varied across the different antecedent variables, with full mediation observed for the attitude-behavior relationship and partial mediation for the subjective norms-behavior and perceived behavioral control-behavior relationships. Third, both regional green development level and enterprise size significantly moderate the relationships between antecedents, intentions, and green development behavior. Specifically, higher regional green development levels and larger enterprise sizes were associated with stronger positive relationships, highlighting the importance of supportive external contexts and organizational resources in facilitating green development. The R-squared values for the structural model were 0.614 and 0.522, indicating a good fit of the model to the data. The results of the multi-group analysis (PLS-MGA) showed that the relationship between attitude and behavioral intention was stronger for small, medium and large enterprises compared to others. Similarly, this relationship was equally strong regardless of the level of regional green development. The relationship between subjective norms and behavioral intention was significantly stronger for medium and large enterprises than for small enterprises, and was stronger in regions with a high level of green development. The relationship between perceived behavioral control and behavioral intention was stronger for small and large enterprises compared to medium-sized enterprises. The relationship was also stronger in regions with lower levels of regional green development compared to regions with higher levels. Finally, the relationship between behavioral intention and green development behavior was strongest among small enterprises and in regions with high levels of green development.

The findings support the applicability of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) in understanding green development behavior within construction enterprises. The significant mediating role of behavioral intention highlights the importance of fostering positive intentions through influencing attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. The results emphasize the need for a holistic approach that considers both internal factors (attitudes, resources within the organization) and external factors (government regulations, social norms, market pressures). The moderating effects of regional green development level and enterprise size reveal that contextual factors play a crucial role in shaping green development outcomes. The study's findings offer valuable insights into how to effectively promote environmentally friendly practices within the construction industry. The stronger influence of attitude compared to subjective norms suggests that internal factors may play a more critical role than external pressure, suggesting an emphasis on cultivating a positive green culture within construction firms. The lack of direct effect between perceived behavioral control and behavior emphasizes the importance of fostering behavioral intention.

This study provides a valuable contribution to the understanding of green development behavior within construction enterprises by applying the Theory of Planned Behavior and considering the moderating effects of both internal and external factors. The findings highlight the importance of positive attitudes, supportive social norms, perceived behavioral control, and strong intentions in promoting green behaviors. Future research could explore longitudinal studies to examine the dynamics of these relationships over time. Cross-industry and cross-national comparisons are also needed to enhance the generalizability of the findings. Further investigation into the specific mechanisms through which regional green development level and enterprise size exert their moderating effects would also enhance the understanding of the topic.

This study has several limitations. First, the cross-sectional nature of the data limits the ability to establish causal relationships definitively. Future research should employ longitudinal data to investigate the temporal dynamics between the variables. Second, the focus on Chinese construction enterprises limits the generalizability of the findings to other national contexts and industries. Future research should expand the geographical scope and include comparisons across different industries to assess the robustness of the model. Third, the study relies on self-reported data, which may be subject to biases. Utilizing multiple data sources, including objective measures of green development behavior, could help address this limitation. Finally, the study did not delve deeply into the various dimensions of subjective norms, attitudes and perceived behavioral control, which could offer richer insights into the different drivers behind green initiatives within the construction sector.