Construction is considered to be a high waste generating industry, in spite of its importance for human lives and economies. A lot of researches have been conducted to find out new ways to improve the way construction projects are managed. The main goals of these researches were to reduce the cost and time for projects as well as increase the quality of the final product.
In 1990’s Lean Construction concept has been founded as an alternative for the conventional construction project management methodologies, based on Lean manufacturing concepts focusing on value and reducing waste in the construction processes.
Building Information Modeling (BIM) is a modern tool enabling intelligent model based process. BIM implementation has a lot of benefits to the construction, for instance, making use of visualization of the final product to facilitate communication between different disciplines and team members, enable what-if analysis and analyze the constructability of a building.
During the last decade, Pioneering contractors in US have realized the synergic fit between Lean and BIM. The interaction between Lean Construction and BIM has been the topic of many researches since then.
This research introduces the term “LeanBIM”, which refers to the combination of the tools of Lean and BIM, and discuss their effects on sustainability and resource efficiency. An extensive review of literature is carried out and a survey is conducted on the Lean and BIM professionals and researchers from all over the world. The results showed the positive effect of LeanBIM implementation on sustainability of building as well as resource efficiency. LeanBIM is also expected to reduce the overall cost and time required for construction, and increase the quality. The results also showed that there is shortage in Lean/BIM professionals, lack of legal framework to enable the collaboration between all parties, lack of awareness of LeanBIM benefits. It is observed from the result that a considerable investment is required to form an IT infrastructure capable of implementing LeanBIM.
Keywords: Lean Construction, Building Information Modeling, Sustainability, LeanBIM, Resource efficiency, Construction Project Management.
Table of Contents
1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 General
1.2 Construction management and waste control
1.3 Problem statement
1.4 Objective
1.5 Thesis organization overview
2 LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 General
2.2 Waste in Construction
2.2.1 What is waste?
2.2.2 Classifications of wastes
2.3 History of Lean Construction
2.3.1 History of Lean production
2.3.2 Lean Construction (LC)
2.3.3 Lean Project Delivery System (LPDS)
2.3.4 Fundamental Lean principals
2.3.5 Lean Construction tools and techniques
2.3.6 Differences between Lean Construction and traditional construction management
2.3.7 Applications of Lean concepts in construction industry
2.4 Integrated Project Delivery (IPD)
2.5 Building information Modeling
2.5.1 Applications of BIM
2.5.2 Benefits of BIM
2.5.3 Challenges facing BIM adoption
2.6 Sustainability in construction
2.6.1 Economy of resources
2.6.2 Life cycle design
2.6.3 Humane design
2.7 LeanBIM
2.7.1 The relation between Lean Construction and BIM
2.7.2 Benefits of implementing BIM and Lean together
2.7.3 LeanBIM and sustainability
3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 General
3.2 Qualitative analysis and deductive approach
3.3 Quantitative analysis and inductive approach
3.3.1 Questionnaire design
3.3.2 Target respondents
3.3.3 Data Collection
3.3.4 Method of data analysis
4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
4.1 General
4.2 Part A - Respondents’ profiles
4.3 Part B – Causes of waste and factors affecting sustainability
4.3.1 Factors affecting resource consumption
4.3.2 Waste reduction
4.3.3 Sustainability
4.4 Part C – Embracing of LeanBIM concept
4.4.1 Perspective about Lean Construction and BIM
4.4.2 Implementing of Lean Construction
4.4.3 BIM benefits to Lean
4.4.4 The effect of contribution of different sectors on LeanBIM implementation
4.4.5 Challenges facing LeanBIM implementation
4.4.6 Perspectives about LeanBIM
4.4.7 Effects of LeanBIM on final product
4.5 Limitations
5 CONCLUSION AND RECOMENDATIONS
5.1 General
5.2 Conclusion
5.2.1 Lean and BIM Synergy
5.2.2 Implementing of LeanBIM
5.2.3 Benefits of LeanBIM
5.2.4 Challenges
5.3 Recommendations
5.4 Recommendations for further research
Research Objectives and Themes
This research aims to investigate the potential of integrating Lean Construction principles with Building Information Modeling (BIM) — termed "LeanBIM" — to improve resource efficiency and sustainability within the construction industry. By identifying current challenges and assessing industry perceptions, the study seeks to understand how this synergy can reduce waste and enhance overall project outcomes.
- The synergy between Lean Construction and BIM.
- Methods for waste reduction in construction processes.
- The impact of LeanBIM on sustainability and resource efficiency.
- Identification of barriers to implementing LeanBIM in the industry.
- Industry perspectives on future construction management paradigms.
Excerpt from the Book
2.2.1 What is waste?
Waste is defined as anything that is larger than the minimum quantity of equipment, materials, parts and labor time that is absolutely required for production of a building. Waste includes the loss in materials as well as the unnecessary work executed which generate additional costs without adding value to the final product (Koskela, 1992). “In short, waste is anything the customer is not happy to pay for” (Tommelein, 2015).
A lot of researches about waste in construction have been conducted, however the majority of these studies have focused on the waste in materials which represents only one resource of the construction process. This is considered to be the reason that the current construction processes involve huge amounts of wastes, loss of value and non-value adding activities (Formoso et al., 1999).
Summary of Chapters
1 INTRODUCTION: This chapter introduces the construction industry's challenges regarding waste and productivity, states the problem, defines the research objective, and provides an overview of the thesis organization.
2 LITERATURE REVIEW: This chapter provides an extensive study on waste in construction, the history and principles of Lean Construction, BIM applications and benefits, and the theoretical connection between Lean and BIM towards sustainability.
3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY: This chapter details the qualitative and quantitative research methods used, including the design and collection process of an online survey targeting industry professionals.
4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: This chapter presents and discusses the survey findings regarding respondents' profiles, causes of waste, LeanBIM implementation challenges, and its perceived effects on project sustainability.
5 CONCLUSION AND RECOMENDATIONS: This chapter summarizes the key findings regarding Lean and BIM synergy, offers conclusions on the implementation of LeanBIM, and provides recommendations for industry practice and future research.
Keywords
Lean Construction, Building Information Modeling, Sustainability, LeanBIM, Resource efficiency, Construction Project Management, Waste reduction, Project delivery, Lean production, Construction industry, Interoperability, Workflow improvement, Sustainable design.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
This thesis focuses on the integration of Lean Construction and Building Information Modeling (BIM) to address inefficiencies and waste in the construction industry, with a specific focus on sustainability and resource efficiency.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
The core themes include the definitions and history of Lean and BIM, the identification of various types of construction waste, the impact of these technologies on sustainable design, and the analysis of industry survey data.
What is the primary objective of the study?
The main objective is to evaluate the effects of "LeanBIM" on resource efficiency and sustainability while identifying the key challenges professionals face when attempting to implement these integrated concepts.
What scientific methodology was employed?
The research employed a mixed-methods approach: a qualitative literature review of existing academic and industry publications followed by a quantitative online survey conducted among 50 global construction professionals and researchers.
What is addressed in the main body of the work?
The main body (Chapters 2-4) covers the theoretical framework of waste classification, the synergy between Lean and BIM, the design of the research methodology, and a detailed statistical analysis of survey results concerning LeanBIM implementation.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
The work is characterized by terms such as Lean Construction, Building Information Modeling, Sustainability, LeanBIM, Resource Efficiency, and Construction Project Management.
How does BIM help in achieving Lean goals?
According to the research, BIM facilitates Lean goals by enhancing communication through visualization, enabling automated clash detection, improving schedule accuracy, and streamlining the design process to minimize non-value-added activities.
What is identified as the biggest challenge to LeanBIM implementation?
Survey results indicate that the industry's need for improved management concepts and the shortage of skilled professionals in the field are the primary challenges to the widespread adoption of LeanBIM.
What is the relationship between LeanBIM and sustainability?
The research concludes that LeanBIM reinforces sustainability by providing high-level visualization and simulation capabilities, which allow for better life cycle design, energy conservation, and efficient material usage throughout the building process.
- Quote paper
- Moataz Younes (Author), 2015, Reshaping Construction Management for Sustainability and Resource Efficiency. Implementation of LeanBIM Concept in Construction, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/307895
