Applying the self-determination theory (SDT) to explain the levels of motivation for adopting green building

Adopting green building requires a lot of motivation due to the litany of challenges involved. Consequently, many previous studies have investigated the motivation for adopting green building. Insights from motivation theories from the field of psychology such as goal-setting theory and expectancy theory suggest that the previous studies emphasized only on the goal or intention of motivation. While this is correct, the motivation for adopting green building also encompasses ‘levels of motivation’ based on another theory from the field of psychology – the self-determination theory (SDT) of motivation. Hence, what are the levels of motivation for adopting green building? What is the implication of the levels of motivation for the design of policy for motivating the adoption of green building? Through extensive literature review, this study uses insights from the SDT of motivation to answer these questions. By doing so, this study helps to form a newer understanding of the motivation for adopting green building. Specifically, this study provides the knowledge of the levels of motivation for adopting green building to individual and organizational level building stakeholders in the building sector, and how the public authorities can design policies to influence the respective levels of motivation