Knowledge Spillover of Green Innovation in Construction: Carbon Emission Responses to Exploitation and Exploration

Green innovation is recognized as a viable strategy to address the tension between industrial transformation and pollutant emissions. However, the construction industry has historically shown lower demand and acceptance of innovation compared to other technology-intensive sectors. It remains unclear whether the recent surge in green innovation within the construction sector has led to significant reductions in carbon emissions. This study investigates how green innovation influences carbon emissions by distinguishing between exploratory and exploitative innovation activities and by analyzing associated knowledge spillover effects. The spatial econometric modeling method and shared value index are adopted to reflect the carbon emission data of different regions and green innovation quality. The carbon emission data of 171 Chinese cities from 2013 to 2021 are collected and analyzed. The findings suggest a negative correlation between carbon emissions and the exploitation of green innovation knowledge and also highlight a positive correlation between the knowledge spillover efficiency of green innovation and innovation quality in the construction industry. The results clarify the positive relationship between green innovation and carbon emission by emphasizing knowledge spillover or patent quality of green innovation. This study helps effectively formulate and implement green policies, thus promoting green innovation for reducing carbon emissions in the construction industry through high-quality technologies. It also contributes to the domain knowledge of the analytical framework and methodology for the carbon emission management issue.