The adoption of mass-engineered timber (MET) in the Singapore construction industry: Barriers and drivers

Abstract The immense consumption of energy and quantities of carbon emissions produced by the built environment have garnered considerable attention globally. As concrete currently dominates the materials used in building construction, it has become an ever-pressing issue if the emissions of the construction industry are to be reduced. One approach to minimizing the environmental impact of construction is to use building materials whose production and implementation have smaller environmental footprints. One example of such a material is mass-engineered timber. To enhance the comprehension of the market potential of wood-based materials in Singapore, this study focuses on identifying the barriers to and drivers of the adoption of innovative wood-based construction materials in the Singapore construction industry. This overall objective is achieved by developing an institutional framework that provides a linking mechanism between the barriers, drivers, and mass-engineered timber. This was done through a questionnaire survey followed by case studies that further justify the findings in this study. The results of the survey for construction and engineering companies shows that cost is one of the central factors influencing the adoption and usage of MET. Most top-ranked drivers and most bottom-ranked barriers fall under the normative pillar of the Institutional framework which is used to underpin the study. It is also interesting to note that the cultural and cognitive pillars consist of the majority of bottom-ranked drivers and highly ranked barriers. As with the rational pillar, this is where the cost-related factors appear. The discoveries of this study will provide insightful information to assist and enable these different stakeholders to accelerate the adoption of mass-engineered timber through publishing success stories, reducing costs, and designing education programs.