Whether Behavioral Guidance Policies of Construction Waste Resource Utilization Are Effective for Construction Contractors: Evidence from China

This research endeavors to delve comprehensively into the ramifications of behavioral guidance policies pertaining to construction waste resource utilization (CWRU) on the behavioral awareness and attitudes of Chinese construction contractors. The implicit attitudes of 98 construction contractor workers toward construction waste collection, sorting, and reuse were quantitatively assessed by simulating different types of behavior-guided policies using the External Affective Simon Task (EAST) method with unconscious reaction time as an indicator. At the same time, the questionnaire survey was combined to collect and analyze the scores of these workers’ exogenous attitudes toward CWRU, with a view to revealing the contractors’ intrinsic behavioral awareness and exogenous attitudinal tendencies. The study reveals that economic incentive behavioral guidance policies are pivotal in fostering the collection, sorting, and reuse of construction waste. Furthermore, it novelly uncovers the distinct advantages of laws and regulations frameworks in safeguarding the fundamental aspects of construction waste collection. Notably, publicity and education behavioral policies emerge as a cornerstone in elevating the significance of construction waste collection and sorting, highlighting the cruciality of enhancing public awareness and knowledge to propel CWRU. The results of the study not only provide empirical evidence to understand the inherent attitudes of construction contractor workers toward CWRU behavior but also provide practical support for future policymakers. By advocating for economic incentives, strengthening regulations, and leading education, the multi-pronged approach promotes China’s CWRU accelerates the green transformation of the construction industry.