LEAN CONSTRUCTION
Paulina Wawryca, Paweł Bilski, Piotr Mazur
Lean Construction

is a production management-based approach to
project delivery - a new way to design and build
capital facilities. Lean production management has
caused a revolution in manufacturing design, supply
and assembly.
Lean Construction

Applied to construction, Lean changes the way work
is done throughout the delivery process. Lean
Construction extends from the objectives of a lean
production system - maximize value and minimize
waste - to specific techniques and applies them in a
new project delivery process.
As a result:

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The facility and its delivery process are designed
together to better reveal and support customer
purposes. Positive iteration within the process is
supported and negative iteration reduced.
Work is structured throughout the process to
maximize value and to reduce waste at the project
delivery level.

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Efforts to manage and improve performance are
aimed at improving total project performance
because it is more important than reducing the cost
or increasing the speed of any activity.
"Control" is redefined from "monitoring results" to
"making things happen." The performance of the
planning and control systems are measured and
improved.
Usage

The reliable release of work between specialists in
design, supply and assembly assures value is
delivered to the customer and waste is reduced.
Lean Construction is particularly useful on complex,
uncertain and quick projects. It challenges the belief
that there must always be a trade between time,
cost, and quality.
Applying lean thinking to construction
The lean principles can only be applied fully and
effectively in construction by focusing on improving the
whole process. This means all parties have to be
committed, involved, and work to overcome obstacles
that may arise from traditional contractual
arrangements.
Design


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Use of visualisation techniques such as Virtual Reality
and 3D CAD to fully define the product requirements
from the customer’s perspective.
„Value Management to achieve more understanding and
focus on client value.
„Use of integrated design and build arrangements
(including partnering) to encourage close cooperation
between designers, constructors and specialist suppliers.
„Design for Standardisation and Pre-assembly - both of
components and processes to achieve higher quality
and cost and time savings.
Procurement
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„ upply chain management and rationalisation of the supply
S
chain to integrate all parties who contribute to the overall
customer value into a seamless integrated process.
„Transparency of costs - the elimination of waste in both
processes and activities requires a clear and complete
understanding of costs to ensure decisions on customer value
can be taken.
Confidentiality of cost and cash flows must be addressed.
„The concept of partnering, all involved parties contributing
to a common goal with the boundaries between companies
becoming less critical.
Production Planning

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Benchmarking to establish ‘best in class’ production
methods and outputs.
„Establishment of a stable project programme, with
clear identification of critical path.
„Risk management - to manage risks throughout the
project.
Logistics

Just-in-time delivery of materials to the point of use
eliminates the need for on-site storage and doublehandling.
Construction


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Clear communication of project plans.
Training, teamwork, multi-skilling.
Daily progress reporting and improvement
meetings.
A well motivated, well trained, flexible and fully
engaged workforce.
Classical Lean Tools:
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6S- workplace design + safety (sort, stabilize, shine,
standardize, sustain, safety)
Kanban- pull vs push
Kaizen- continuous improvement
Value Stream Mapping- document and streamline flow
Mistake Proofing- focus on rework elimination and
improved quality
Visual Control- enhanced communication through visual
media
Traditional Workflow
Material in
bulk quantities
and tooling
delivered to
point of use
when available
WORK
Imbalance of
what you
need when
you need it
Inefficient Construction
WAIT
WORK
WAIT
WORK
LEAN Workflow
Suppliers in
close
communication
with job site
Lean Construction
WORK
WORK
Material and
tooling delivered
to point of use as
required and in
sufficient quantities
Pulling
proper
quantities as
required
creates
material flow
WORK
-Pull as opposed to Push
-Modified Kanban
References
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www.leanconstruction.org
www.constructingexcellence.org.uk