Innovation opportunities from made-to-order gypsum boards in renovation projects: a case study in Denmark

To reduce embodied emissions and waste in renovation projects, new resource efficient and low waste construction processes are needed. One possible solution to reduce waste at the construction can be made-to-order (MTO) customisation of standard products that are delivered in the right size and quantity. A key construction process in renovation projects is the installation of gypsum for partition wall construction. Today, gypsum boards are cut to the right size at the construction site, resulting in 15-30% of waste. In several countries, pilots for delivering MTO gypsum boards in the right length for the building dimension have shown significant potential to reduce waste and increase productivity. This study aims to help the material manufacturer Saint-Gobain Denmark explore innovation opportunities from MTO gypsum boards for the Danish market. Work sampling at a renovation project is conducted to identify the activities of the current installation process and potential time savings from MTO. Interviews are used to identify actors and their roles in the current value chain for partition wall construction in Denmark and possible scenarios to offer MTO. Results show that a rise in the production time from 31% to 36% could be achieved by avoiding measuring and cutting of boards at the construction side. Two value chain scenarios for delivering MTO in the Danish market are presented. Based on the results, potential drivers and barriers for MTO in the Danish market are discussed.