Value integration through social innovation in blue-green infrastructure projects

Lizet Kuitert*, Jannes J. Willems, Leentje Volker

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionAcademicpeer-review

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Abstract

Blue and green infrastructure (BGI) projects such as rain gardens, green roofs and water squares, embody a variety of values such as technical (drainage), environmental (biodiversity), economic (property development) and social (health and wellbeing). Because these values have proven to be challenging to integrate, local governments are increasingly experimenting with social innovation (SI) as a bottom-up form of value integration. Because we lack knowledge about different ways of how value integration is achieved, we compare four BGI city projects in North-Western Europe that share the ambition to realise BGI through SI. The findings reveal that social innovation leads to four ways of value integration: materialistic, human, organisational and process. These value integration arrangements unfortunately seem to mainly contribute to greater alignment between values rather than true value integration. Our research helps to better detect where and when public values are dealt with in BGI projects.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationProceedings of the 37th Annual Conference, ARCOM 2021
Pages704-713
Number of pages10
ISBN (Electronic)978-0-9955463-5-6
Publication statusPublished - 2021
Event37th Annual Association of Researchers in Construction Management Conference, ARCOM 2021 - Virtual, Glasgow, United Kingdom
Duration: 6 Sept 20217 Sept 2021
Conference number: 37

Conference

Conference37th Annual Association of Researchers in Construction Management Conference, ARCOM 2021
Abbreviated titleARCOM 2021
Country/TerritoryUnited Kingdom
CityVirtual, Glasgow
Period6/09/217/09/21

Keywords

  • Adaptation
  • Blue-green infrastructure
  • Social innovation
  • Value integration

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