Introduction to secondary research methods in the built environment

The use of secondary research methods can offer benefits, particularly when limited time and resources are available for conducting research using primary methods. Researchers are increasingly recognising the immense opportunities in applying secondary methods across various built environment disciplines. However, the lack of systematic guidance and case examples of the application of secondary research methods across various fields can pose a challenge for the inexperienced secondary researcher. In this introductory chapter, an overview of what constitutes secondary research is discussed before reflecting on the secondary research process, secondary research designs, and the potential for applying secondary research methods to research in the built environment. The benefits and drawbacks of applying secondary research methods have also been discussed. This chapter ends with an overview of all the chapter contributions by various authors in this book.