Architects’ Behaviour Towards Implementing Construction and Demolition Waste Minimisation Strategies: The Case of Australia

Construction waste produced from rapid urbanisation and population growth has substantial environmental, social, and economic consequences. Although numerous studies have focused on construction waste management strategies and technologies, they have mainly addressed the attitudes and behaviour of the construction site workforce towards waste management mostly during the construction and/or demolition phase. In addition, the number of studies on the architects’ perception and their practical waste minimisation strategies during the planning and design phase is limited. This study developed a model to empirically explore the architects’ real behaviour in implementing waste minimisation strategies which has been justified by the correlation of three theories of planned behaviour, value-belief-norms and institutional theory. Results indicated that architects’ attitude would greatly impact the behavioural intention toward implementing waste minimisation strategies. Also, the behavioural intention was proven influential in explaining architects’ real behaviour in implementing waste minimisation strategies. Conversely, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control, personal norm, and institutional pressures were revealed ineffective on architects’ behavioural intention. The research provides worthwhile insights for the governments and organisations involved in construction waste management from a design perspective and contributes to practice in design and construction industry.