The role of environmental sustainability in marketing of small architectural design practices

Abstract

Environmental sustainability in construction is a pressing concern. Despite their importance to the industry, and evident differences from large organizations in business strategy, markets and challenges, the literature has little to say about how small architectural design firms view the marketing potential of improved environmental sustainability. The aim is to address this gap by examining practitioner experience of sustainability and marketing in small architectural design practices. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 such practices. A critical interpretive stance was adopted in analysis, drawing on the theoretical framings of service-dominant logic (SDL) and relationship marketing. Sustainable design is part of the co-creation of value in architecture, enhancing the value proposition beyond a cost basis. Its inclusion contributed to business development through referrals. Taken together, co-creation of value and asymmetry of knowledge between professional and client drive the conclusion that the architectural designer has primary responsibility in guiding clients towards greater environmental sustainability. This responsibility and the role of sustainability in business development were not necessarily recognized by the designers. Insights from SDL challenge assumptions that cost and lack of client demand prevent greater sustainability in design.

Keywords:

• Architect
• environmental sustainability
• relationship marketing
• service-dominant logic
• small business

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the Editors, three anonymous reviewers, Dr Kamran Razmdoost and Dr Vedran Zerjav for their helpful comments on earlier drafts of the paper.

Notes

1. The term ‘small practices’ is used, following Royal Institute of British Architects’ usage, to indicate firms with 10 or fewer employees. The European Union defines such businesses as micro, with small firms as under 50 and medium firms from 50 to 249 employees, collectively termed SMEs.

2. Sustainability generically refers to ‘the triple bottom line’ of environment, society and economics (Elkington, 1997). Because of practical constraints, the current study focused on environment