Purpose Low profit margins, high turnover and heavily transaction-oriented nature of the construction industry hinder the opportunities for innovations in low-carbon mechanisms. The complex and lengthy supply chains created by the involvement of multiple stakeholders make carbon emissions tracking complicated. The construction industry lacks a mature carbon ecosystem, even if there are inevitable inherent carbon emissions in material use that require carbon offset. Meanwhile, carbon trading allows such offsets, yet its adoption is markedly limited in the construction industry. In contrast, other industries engage in advanced carbon trading practices, supported by technologies such as blockchain, enabling greater transparency, efficiency and governance. This study aims to examine the potential of blockchain technology in enhancing carbon trading practices in the construction industry through cross-sectoral insights. Design/methodology/approach Using a preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) framework, a total of 260 publications were examined to extract quantitative trends, while 72 were reviewed for thematic insights. Findings The findings revealed that blockchain-integrated carbon trading research is a growing research domain. Several industries have researched improving transparency, efficiency and governance of carbon trading through blockchain integrations. A framework is developed to enhance carbon trading practices in construction, offering practical pathways for strengthening its carbon ecosystem and accelerating decarbonisation goals. Originality/value This study bridges the gap in existing theories on how cross-sectoral insights can be used to enhance carbon trading in construction. This study holds practical significance for the construction industry, since blockchain-enabled carbon trading offers data-driven solutions to accelerate the transition to a decarbonised construction industry.
Rodrigo et al. (Thu,) studied this question.