Abstract

The ongoing climate change is closely related to greenhouse gas emissions from industries. One of the contributors to these sustainability challenges is the house construction industry. Although residential and commercial construction is needed, the production practices needs to be altered in order to meet sustainability objectives. This licentiate dissertation focuses on conditions for wooden multi-storey construction (WMC) in a Swedish context. It explores the conditions for market development for residential WMC. The dissertation focuses on corporate perspectives, but it also integrates the role of end-consumers. A systematic literature review served as an orientation before conducting empirical case studies analysis. With an understanding of the industrial norm, currently reflected in materials such as concrete and steel, the empirical studies focused on wooden multi-storey construction case studies and end-consumer’s perceptions. These case studies indicate that a transition to WMC is hindered by path dependence, strong market positions for the currently used materials, and dated understandings of wood as a construction material. In the production process of residential construction, wood or other material, the end-consumer, the resident of an apartment in the house to be, is relatively anonymous. This is a reflection of a product dominant logic of the value chain where the end-consumer is a buyer or renter of an apartment. Enabling factors for further WMC market development that were verbalised by the case study respondents are captured in four factors: the properties of wood in a pre-fabrication setting, shorter erection times on site, fewer transports, and awareness of legislative sustainability demands. The case study interviewees report focusing on efficiency and technical properties in their business models - and limited concern for marketing communication and co-creation with end-consumers. The new legislation was seen as an enabling factor for the WMC market development by the case interviewees. It is clear that a sustainability transition, such as a gradual change to renewable construction materials that have carbon capture capacity, will take time. Business models that foster co-creation of value in public private partnerships may enable a WMC market development. The development of new legislation and increased awareness of sustainability aspects in construction is seen as future research areas for sustainable development.

Keywords

business development; business strategy; end-consumers; market development; public private partnership; sustainable business model; timber construction; wooden multi-storey construction

Published in

Rapport / Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet, Institutionen för skogsekonomi
2023, number: 136
ISBN: 978-91-8046-843-5, eISBN: 978-91-8046-844-2
Publisher: Department of Forest Economics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

SLU Authors

• Nagy, Emil

  • Department of Forest Economics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Business Administration


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.54612/a.4652f4rh6p

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/122001