Lean construction is a concept of fairly recent origin. The concept of lean construction originated during the latter part of the 20th century. In fact, the term “lean construction” itself was coined in 1993 by the International Group for Lean Construction during its first meeting.
Before diving into a more complete discussion of what is lean construction, and why it matters, the concept is ubiquitous in its application to the construction industry. Lean construction impacts all elements and segments of a construction project. Consequently, lean construction involves end users, owners, architects, designers, engineering, constructors, and suppliers, like Federal Steel Supply.
Essential Definition of Lean Construction
The most commonly accepted, and utilized, definition of lean construction was formulated in “Design and Construction: Building in Value.” This settled definition was promulgated about 10 years after the term “lean construction” itself initially was coined. Specifically, lean construction is defined as a “way to design production systems to minimize waste of materials, time, and effort in order to generate the maximum possible amount of value.”
The construction system requires the involvement of all stakeholders, who previously were enumerated in this article. These stakeholders must not just play their appointed roles in the construction scheme. Rather, they most jointly collaborate on designing what is called a production system for the construction project from start to completion.
Substantive Research Into Lean Construction Principles and Practices
Since the advent of lean construction as a cohesive concept in the latter part of the 20th century and beginning of the 21st century, a growing amount of academic research has been undertaken in regard to the principles and practices associated with this system. Research has been undertaken, or currently is underway, at an array of respected academic institutions that include:
• University of California, Berkeley
• Israel Institute of Technology
• Michigan State University
• Centro de Investigación en Ingeniería y Gerencia de la Construcción
• Nottingham Trent University
• Texas A & M
• University of Colorado
• Arizona State University
• University of Edinburgh
• Indian Institute of Technology Madras
• Universidad Politecnica de Valencia
In addition to research being conducted at institutions of higher education, a steadily increasing number of colleges and universities have commenced teaching lean construction concepts in the classroom. This is also happening at colleges and universities located in different locations around the globe, a trend that is expected to continue into the future.
Last Planner System
An outgrowth of lean construction more generally is the creation of what is known as the Last Planner System. The Last Planner System was formulated by the Lean Construction Institute.
The Last Planner System has been succinctly defined by the Lean Construction Institute as:
“The collaborative, commitment-based planning system that integrates should-can-will-did planning (pull planning, make-ready, look-ahead planning) with constraint analysis, weekly work planning based upon reliable promises, and learning based upon analysis of PPC (plan percent complete) and reasons for variance.”
With the use of the Last Planner System, all stakeholders in a construction project enjoy enhanced scheduling predictability. Using traditional construction practices, one of the greatest, most significant problems for stakeholders is scheduling-related issues. Indeed, it is scheduling missteps, perhaps more than anything else, that drive cost overruns and missed deadlines in construction projects of all types.
Why Lean Construction Matters to You
Lean constructions matters to you in a number of different ways. First, through the use of a lean construction system, the costs associated with a construction project can be better contained. Analysis of projects that have applied lean construction principles reveals that costs can be contained with this systemic approach to a project. With the ever-increasing costs of commercial and residential property across the United States, and in other nations the world over, steps to contain costs associated with new construction is vital.
Second, lean construction concepts are wide-ranging in their application. Lean construction principles can be applied to any type of construction project, industrial, commercial, and residential.
Third, analysis of lean construction also reveals that this systemic approach to a project can have a positive impact on environmental issues. Through the use of a fully collaborative approach to a construction project, two primary things can happen when it comes to environmental issues.
On the one hand, a particular construction project can be commenced and completed with less of an impact on the environment. On the other hand, the construction project itself, and the final structure, can incorporate in a comprehensive and coordinated fashion, a wider array of green technologies.
As lean construction concepts and practices become more widely utilized, the benefits enumerated here will become more broadly enjoyed. This likely reality, in and of itself, is yet another reason why lean construction should matter to you today, and will become more important in the future.
Jessica Kane is a professional blogger who writes for Federal Steel Supply, Inc., a leading steel tubing suppliers of carbon, alloy and stainless steel pipe, tubes, fittings and flanges.