Digital transformation of construction enterprises and carbon emission reduction: evidence from listed companies

As a key sector for energy consumption and carbon emissions, the construction industry’s carbon reduction measures have important strategic significance for achieving the “dual carbon” goals. Based on data from Chinese listed construction companies from 2000 to 2021, this study empirically explores...

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Main Authors: Sanglin Zhao, Hao Deng, Jikang Cao, Måns Gustaf
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-06-01
Series:Frontiers in Environmental Science
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2025.1570182/full
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author Sanglin Zhao
Hao Deng
Jikang Cao
Måns Gustaf
author_facet Sanglin Zhao
Hao Deng
Jikang Cao
Måns Gustaf
author_sort Sanglin Zhao
collection DOAJ
description As a key sector for energy consumption and carbon emissions, the construction industry’s carbon reduction measures have important strategic significance for achieving the “dual carbon” goals. Based on data from Chinese listed construction companies from 2000 to 2021, this study empirically explores the effects and pathways of digital transformation on carbon reduction. The results indicate that digital transformation can significantly reduce the carbon emission intensity of enterprises, mainly through promoting green technology innovation, improving total factor productivity, and optimizing production processes and business structures. Heterogeneity analysis shows that digital technology has a more significant emission reduction effect on highly competitive enterprises in the industry, and there are significant differences in carbon emission reduction between regions. This study provides a reference for carbon neutrality pathways in the field of architecture.
format Article
id doaj-art-f72d36fe80b043cea7d0ca248a84e038
institution Kabale University
issn 2296-665X
language English
publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Environmental Science
spelling doaj-art-f72d36fe80b043cea7d0ca248a84e0382025-08-20T03:32:23ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Environmental Science2296-665X2025-06-011310.3389/fenvs.2025.15701821570182Digital transformation of construction enterprises and carbon emission reduction: evidence from listed companiesSanglin Zhao0Hao Deng1Jikang Cao2Måns Gustaf3School of Engineering Management, Hunan University of Finance and Economics, Changsha, ChinaSchool of Engineering Management, Hunan University of Finance and Economics, Changsha, ChinaSchool of Engineering Management, Hunan University of Finance and Economics, Changsha, ChinaSchool of Business, Society and Engineering, Mälardalens University, Västerås, SwedenAs a key sector for energy consumption and carbon emissions, the construction industry’s carbon reduction measures have important strategic significance for achieving the “dual carbon” goals. Based on data from Chinese listed construction companies from 2000 to 2021, this study empirically explores the effects and pathways of digital transformation on carbon reduction. The results indicate that digital transformation can significantly reduce the carbon emission intensity of enterprises, mainly through promoting green technology innovation, improving total factor productivity, and optimizing production processes and business structures. Heterogeneity analysis shows that digital technology has a more significant emission reduction effect on highly competitive enterprises in the industry, and there are significant differences in carbon emission reduction between regions. This study provides a reference for carbon neutrality pathways in the field of architecture.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2025.1570182/fulldigital transformation of enterprisescarbon emission reductioncarbon emission of construction enterpriseslisted companydual carbon targets
spellingShingle Sanglin Zhao
Hao Deng
Jikang Cao
Måns Gustaf
Digital transformation of construction enterprises and carbon emission reduction: evidence from listed companies
Frontiers in Environmental Science
digital transformation of enterprises
carbon emission reduction
carbon emission of construction enterprises
listed company
dual carbon targets
title Digital transformation of construction enterprises and carbon emission reduction: evidence from listed companies
title_full Digital transformation of construction enterprises and carbon emission reduction: evidence from listed companies
title_fullStr Digital transformation of construction enterprises and carbon emission reduction: evidence from listed companies
title_full_unstemmed Digital transformation of construction enterprises and carbon emission reduction: evidence from listed companies
title_short Digital transformation of construction enterprises and carbon emission reduction: evidence from listed companies
title_sort digital transformation of construction enterprises and carbon emission reduction evidence from listed companies
topic digital transformation of enterprises
carbon emission reduction
carbon emission of construction enterprises
listed company
dual carbon targets
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2025.1570182/full
work_keys_str_mv AT sanglinzhao digitaltransformationofconstructionenterprisesandcarbonemissionreductionevidencefromlistedcompanies
AT haodeng digitaltransformationofconstructionenterprisesandcarbonemissionreductionevidencefromlistedcompanies
AT jikangcao digitaltransformationofconstructionenterprisesandcarbonemissionreductionevidencefromlistedcompanies
AT mansgustaf digitaltransformationofconstructionenterprisesandcarbonemissionreductionevidencefromlistedcompanies