You sure are well acquainted with the clichè; less is more, yeah? Of course, with every sector finding a way to incorporate the theme, from fashion, to art, to food, it sure has become a mantra. Well, maybe you’d be surprised to realize the phrase has its roots in the building industry, coined by a minimalist architect, Ludwig Van Mies der Rohe in 1947 to reflect the modern simplistic style of architecture.

Obviously, the concept didn’t just end with architecture as lean construction also accommodates the same concept.

What Is Lean Construction?

Simply put, Lean Construction(LC) projects a methodology of construction that focuses on reducing building costs, time, materials and effort. The end goal of this philosophy is to minimize waste and focus on maximazing value. It constitutes the ideologies and processes from a project’s inception that help guide the project through a minimalist outcome, eliminating anything that is not necessary but superfluous.

The Lean Construction Institute defines it as : the application of lean thinking to the design and construction process, creating improved project delivery to meet client needs and improved efficiency for construction.

Lean construction is not a concrete methodology with a specific plan of action or set of tools and materials, but rather encompasses a philosophy with principles and ideals that could be achieved in a vast number of ways. However, the principles surrounding the concept are the same everywhere. The concept is realized when fundamental construction approaches are merged with a clear cut understanding of the project materials needed, as well as proper planning and coordination of the entire building project to ensure that only what is needed is gotten.

History of Lean Construction

The term ‘Lean Construction’ is an offshoot of Lean Production, a concept popularized by Japanese automobile manufacturing company, Toyota after the second world war. The company developed a method for their production system that promoted fewer in ventures, less waste and improved customer satisfaction.

By the 1990’s, a ‘lean movement’ erupted as the idea spread to other business ventures outside the automobile industry. Obviously, the building and construction industry was not left behind.

Where lean production focuses on reduced turnover time by eliminating waste, LC achieved waste reduction by focusing on providing value and meeting the customer needs. However the two worlds differ, because whereas production focuses on mass volume, construction focuses on actual construction and not production of construction.

In 1993, the International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC) was created engendering the spread of the concept of lean construction, which aims at reducing wastage on building projects and encourages whatever maximizes value.

Principles Of Lean Construction

If lean construction is to be achieved, then the clients, designers, architects, contractors and suppliers need to properly communicate with each other and be well-integrated beginning from the design, to the procurement of materials and down to the construction process.

Some of the underlying principles of lean construction include:

● Improved communication among key players

● Error and waste reduction

● Improved project planning and forward scheduling

● Elimination of unnecessary activities and elements

● Specifity of customer needs and results

● Identification of value-delivering processes

● Direct intervention to drive immediate change

● Improved and efficient workflow and environment

● Value management approaches

● Use of modeling and visualization technologies for planning and communication

● Right-on-time deliveries

● Benchmarking techniques and the use of KPIs

● Techniques of risk management

● Prefabrication and use of building models to eliminate errors.

Advantages Of Lean Construction

Obviously there are hordes of benefits that accrue from maximizing value and minimizing wastage, which lean construction preaches. A few of them include:

1. Reduction of costs:

When construction is strictly tailored to meet the needs of the client, fewer materials will be used and there won’t be need to spend resources on those little ‘extras’

2. Less Occurrence of Accidents:

Safety increases automatically when focus and carefulness increases as a result of adhering to the principles of lean construction.

3. Decrease In Mistakes

The number of occurrence of mistakes and errors in lean construction sites definitely is drastically lower than that in average sites. Stress level is also relatively lower.

4. Time Management

Due to the heightened planning and order that lean construction features, time is effectively managed to ensure that things are done quickly and properly.

5. Increase in Profits and Turnovers

When the customer need becomes the focus, the result will be customer satisfaction, which in turn means higher returns and profits.

Downsides of Lean Construction

Everything has a flip side, and LC is not exempted. In fact, there are strong influences in the building industry who greatly oppose and criticse the concept as riddled with many loopholes and discrepancies.

Some of their arguments will now be examined.

1. Due to the high demand for cohesion and integration of all workers and key players in a project to ensure that LC is possible, any break in the chain can greatly hamper the results.

2. Lean Construction focuses more on how well management officials can communicate and interact with team members to achieve the desired outcome, and therefore such management officials’ personalities could frustrate the achievement of the goal, despite how good the workers and materials may be.

3. It takes so much time and effort to train workers on the principles and procedures of lean construction.

4. It could be really difficult for some managers to remain on course with a new operation system.

5. Critics claim the philosophy is focused on short term results as against long-term sustainability, and this could pose serious challenges in the future.

Lean Construction Vs. Other Construction Methods

Are there vast differences between the approaches of lean construction and other Construction techniques? Absolutely. The differences are indeed magnificent.

From the inception of the project till its completion, every aspect of the construction project is altered in lean construction. The most glaring difference is the rigorous and precise planning of the lean construction philosophy. As you may well know, the main drawback of the standard construction process is the lack of predictability, something lean construction cannot relate with since every outcome in the latter is planned and prepared for.

Hence you realize that where in LC, there is little to no room for material and time wastage, in standard construction these issues arise frequently.

Another disparity between the two is that while lean construction places premium on cohesive work and interaction between all players and workers in the project, standard construction models take the opposite approach.

Thus, tasks are divided among teams and each group or team is supposed to perform their tasks with minimal or no interaction with other groups or units.

You can speak with our professionals at JPC Design Consortium to get you started on your Design and Engineering project today. We also give consultation services just in case you need some advice on your project. Contact us right away.