Development and validation of an effectiveness evaluation scale for low-carbon construction technologies in building engineering based on multi-stage empirical evidence

To address the lack of systematic evaluation instruments for assessing the "practical effectiveness" of low-carbon construction technologies (LCCTs) in the construction engineering sector, this study aims to develop a comprehensive evaluation scale. Based on the anomaly-seeking approach, a theoretical framework encompassing four dimensions-technology, organization, environment, and society-was developed through the extensive observation of research phenomena, the examination of underlying patterns within these phenomena, and their reinterpretation through alternative theoretical lenses. Subsequently, the scale was subjected to multi-stage empirical testing using content validity assessment, exploratory factor analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis. The results demonstrate that the proposed scale exhibits strong reliability, validity, and structural stability, and is capable of effectively characterizing the effectiveness of LCCTs in construction engineering. By approaching low-carbon construction from an "effectiveness" perspective, this study expands the scope of low-carbon construction research and provides quantitative tool support for project-level low-carbon performance diagnosis, optimization of management decision-making, and policy formulation.