Co-construction of clients, concepts and companies: Exploring the role of clients in innovation related to industrialized single-family housing

Public development programmes have played a significant role in Danish endeavours to stimulate innovation in the building industry through industrialisation. In recent years, the policy and research efforts in both Denmark and abroad has emphasised the role of the client as a driver for change in construction. It is worth noting that the primary focus of public development programmes has been on social housing and multi-storey buildings whereas our knowledge on innovation within small, privately owned dwellings is rather limited despite the huge economic impact of this segment of construction. Single-family housing is one of the few segments of construction, where the client, the owner and the end-user is one and the same person both legally and physically. Thus, single-family housing offers a unique opportunity to explore the role of clients in shaping the concepts and innovative strategies of companies and vice versa.