Influence of Supply Chain Stakeholders on Low Carbon Modular Construction

The construction industry plays a pivotal role in carbon emissions. Modular construction (MC), an innovative construction method, has gained widespread adoption within the Hong Kong construction industry due to its potential to enhance productivity and sustainability. However, MC presents a more intricate supply chain than conventional construction, as its components are predominantly manufactured in external locations. Consequently, traditional carbon assessments focusing solely on individual project levels fail to address the carbon across the entire supply chain comprehensively. In addition, the ambiguity in carbon responsibility among supply chain entities, which stems from a limited understanding of stakeholder roles and relationships, hinders coordinated efforts to reduce carbon emissions. This study aims to address this gap by identifying the critical stakeholder within the entire MC supply chain and examining their impacts and capabilities in carbon reduction. A theoretical framework for carbon source identification from the stakeholder’s perspective will be established, followed by the carbon flow to identify critical stakeholders. The application of this analysis is demonstrated through a real case study conducted in Hong Kong. The findings reveal that the client and supplier emerge as pivotal stakeholders with both high impact and substantial capabilities to reduce carbon emissions throughout the entire supply chain. The research provides a novel direction for enhancing carbon emissions management across the entire supply chain in the context of MC.