Owner
In very broad terms, an 'owner' is a person or organisation who has the rightful title to something such as property, i.e. the property belongs to them.
In the construction industry, the term 'owner' typically refers to the person or organisation that owns a built asset (such as a building, bridge, tunnel, etc.) or land. But it may also refer to ownership of the components of a project. This can be important, for example, in determining whether a ownership of a component lies with a supplier or whether it has transferred to the client.
Project 13, an Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) - led initiative to boost certainty and productivity in the delivery of infrastructure, defines an infrastructure owner as:
| The organisation that owns and operates the infrastructure, promotes the investment in the infrastructure programme, receives the completed facilities and puts them into operation. In the case of creating a completely new network the owner role can be created in parallel with the development of the programme. For example, in large infrastructure programmes such as the Olympic and Paralympic Games the London Legacy Development Corporation was created. The role of the owner will include the individual or organisation called the ‘Sponsor’. |
The term may also refer to a person or organisation that 'owns' (or is responsible for) a project or part of a project.
For example, on publicly-funded projects, the senior responsible owner (SRO) (sometimes referred to as the 'project owner') is the individual responsible for the success of the project:
| ...responsible for ensuring that a programme of change or a project meets its objectives and delivers the projected benefits. The SRO should be the owner of the overall business change that is being supported by the project and should ensure that the change maintains its business focus, has clear authority and that the context, including risks, is actively managed. This individual must be senior and must take personal responsibility for successful delivery of the project. They should be recognised as the owner throughout the organisation. |
(Ref. Achieving Excellence Guide 2 - Project Organisation.)
When the owner of a building also resides in it, they are referred to as the ‘owner occupier’.
A homeowner is a person who owns a home, whether an apartment or house.
NB the English Heritage, Heritage at Risk Register list the following ownership categories:
- Charity
- Commercial company
- Commercial company, multiple owners
- Crown
- Local authority
- Local authority, multiple owners
- Mixed, multiple owners
- Other not for profit group
- Private
- Educational (independent)
- Educational (state sector)
- English Heritage
- Government or agency
- Health authority
- Historic England
- Private, multiple owners
- Religious organisation
- Trust
- Unknown
- Utility
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- Certificate of ownership
- Client.
- Customer.
- Forest ownership
- Home owner.
- Home ownership
- Infrastructure investor.
- Integrator.
- Land registry.
- Off site materials.
- Owner occupier.
- Potential owner.
- Privity of title.
- Project 13.
- Project sponsor.
- Property ownership
- Property.
- Retention of title in construction.
- Senior responsible owner.
- Shared ownership
- Stamp duty land tax.
- The rise of multiple property ownership in Britain.
- Title.
- Vesting certificate.
Featured articles and news
Extended reality in a post-pandemic world.
Can XR technology be leveraged in design & construction?
Or are you capping.
STEM ambassadors needed for ICE CityZen award.
Digital gaming competition for UK students aged 16 to 18.
Heritage protection in England vs Australia.
Fire doors and the Fire Door Inspection Scheme.
Three-quarters of fire doors fail inspections
UN International Day for Biological Diversity, May 22.
The role of geoparks, biospheres and world heritage sites.
BSRIA conference 2022, June 23.
Just one month to go ! Find out more here.
Restoring Broadbent’s Bath House
A new gallery for the University of Huddersfield.
Corruption in the construction industry.
What will it take to stop it ?
To celebrate world bee day 2022 !
Just one month until the changes to part L come into effect.
Not forgetting part F and the new part overheating part O.
Heat Pump demand rises by one quarter.
As energy prices jump up in cost.
With people in the UK from Ukraine.
Industry leader Steve Murray takes on role.
An abundant and versatile building material.
How overheating complicates ending gas in the UK.
600,000 heat pump installations targeted per year by 2028.
Cost planning, control and related articles on DB.
Helping prevent those unwanted outcomes.
ICE debate Public transport - post pandemic.
How has transport changed due to Covid-19 ?
Cross-ventilation in buildings. Do you have it ?
Will you need it ? after June 15 and the new Part O ?
Share your knowledge with the industry.
Create an account and write the first of many articles.
The green jobs delivery group.
CIAT commentary after the first meeting.
Liverpool's world heritage site status
Who is to blame?
Research recommends focussing on portfolio success rather than project success.