Factors influencing the market for branded mass customised buildings

Despite the ongoing promotion of the change agenda within UK construction, the majority of non-residential buildings are still designed and constructed in the same way that they have been for decades. Independently designing on every occasion what are sometimes relatively repetitive designs each time a similar building is ordered is wasteful and inefficient. Substantial savings could potentially be made in both time and resource if the majority of the building could be pre-designed and if the supply chain was already in place. The relatively small part of the building which had not been pre-designed could then be customised to suit both the customer's individual requirements and the environment in which the building will be located, thus offering the potential for mass customised construction. This paper outlines the current non-residential market and the potential for mass customisation. Existing solutions are examined and issues relating to product and process development reviewed. This leads to an appraisal of the potential importance of branding in mass customisation as an aid to developing the market. The impact of the existing reputation of system buildings is also considered in relation to product branding.