Understanding sustainability consciousness and construction sustainable behaviours of preservice teachers of Building Technology Education programme: the moderating role of subjective norms

The urgent global call for sustainable development in all sectors necessitates the integration of sustainability consciousness into teacher training, particularly within construction-related disciplines. This study investigates the relationship between Sustainability Consciousness (SC) and Construction Sustainable Behaviours (CSBs), and further explores the moderating role of Subjective Norms (SN) among preservice teachers in Building Technology Education (BTE) across 11 universities in Nigeria’s South-East and South-South regions. Anchored on an integrated theoretical framework comprising the Sustainability Consciousness Framework, the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), and Social Cognitive Theory (SCT), the study employed a cross-sectional survey design. A total of 171 participants were selected through a combination of purposeful and convenience sampling. A questionnaire measuring SC, CSB, and SN was adapted and validated for the context. Hierarchical multiple regression and moderation analysis, using the PROCESS macro in SPSS, revealed a significant positive relationship between SC and CSB. Moreover, SN significantly moderated this relationship (β = 0.4903, p = .0014, LLCI = 0.1913, ULCI = 0.7892), with a Cohen’s f² value of 0.09, indicating that higher subjective norms amplify the effect of sustainability consciousness on behaviour. These findings underscore the vital role of social referents, such as lecturers, instructors, site supervisors, and peers, in shaping and reinforcing sustainability behaviours among preservice BTE teachers. This has practical implications for the development of teacher education curricula, emphasizing the integration of sustainability content and the cultivation of supportive social environments that model and encourage pro-environmental actions. The study also implies the need for educational institutions and policymakers to embed explicit sustainability goals and normative reinforcement strategies in BTE programmes to shape future educators who can effectively practice and teach sustainability. In alignment with the research objectives, this study highlights the transformative potential of preservice teachers in driving sustainable practices within the construction and education sectors. Thus, this study is distinctive in its emphasis on the importance of sustainable behaviours required in the building construction industry and the influence of preservice teachers, who can impact sustainability consciousness in education and the industry. It contributes to the broader literature on sustainability consciousness, behaviour, and subjective norms, offering implications for educational policies, teaching strategies, and future research directions.