Lean construction

Construction industries are known for working in projects, and those projects are today complex, uncertain and quick (Koskela, 2002). They are also known for having lower productivity than other industries (Forbes and Ahmed, 2011). Lean production is well known within manufacturing industries to increase productivity, but the lean production thinking cannot directly be applied to the construction industry. The reason is that there is a list of factors that differentiates the construction industry from manufacturing industries, e.g. duration of projects, ((Shang and Low, 2014)).

There are two different interpretations of lean construction. (1) Lean Construction is about how Lean Production methods can be applied to construction, and (2) Lean Construction is a new, theory-based methodology for construction inspired of Lean Production (Koskela, 2002). The second theory is the most common interpretation and also mayor interpretation used within the International Group for Lean Construction.

Lean Construction is based on three views in production theory, Transformation, Flow and Value (TFV). These three views do not compete with each other but rather are complementary. All systems that pursue the TFV goals are in a way lean systems, but some are systems are better than others (Koskela, 2002).

Background

Application context

• Construction industries, the 4 different types

Development history

• Origin from Toyota
• Developed in the three forms (Lean construction pdf page 59 (real 40))
• Acceptance and use
  • "Lean Design and Construction is particularly useful on complex, uncertain and quick projects" http://www.leanconstruction.org/about-us/what-is-lean-construction/
  • Conservative industry

What is Lean Construction?

Major concepts

• Different views on lean construction

Target Value Design

• Kanban and production smoothing

Related material

• Comparable standards / recommendations
• Additional related material

Discussion

Strength and weaknesses/criticism

• Controversial points==

Integration / relationship to other material

• Sustainable development

Implementation advice

• How can it be implemented in construction industries