Factors Affecting Architecture Students’ Intention to Use Wood as a Building Material

Amid rising global concerns about climate change and the urgent goal of carbon neutrality, wood has gained attention as a sustainable building material due to its low carbon emissions, renewability, and psychological benefits. This study examines the factors influencing the intention to use wood as a construction material among university students in architectural design and related fields, applying the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) as the guiding framework. A structured questionnaire was designed to evaluate the three core TPB components: attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control. The survey also measured participants’ knowledge, educational background, and previous experience using wood. A total of 121 valid responses were collected and analyzed through descriptive statistics and multiple regression. The findings showed that the overall intention to use wood was relatively high. Among the TPB variables, only subjective norm had a statistically significant effect on intention. Attitude, perceived behavioral control, knowledge, and educational background did not show meaningful influence. These findings suggest that perceived social expectations from peers, instructors, or the professional community may shape behavioral intention more strongly than personal attitudes or knowledge. The study highlights the importance of fostering an educational environment that encourages the use of sustainable building materials such as wood.