Improving Construction Processes Using Lean Management Methodologies – Cost Case Study

Abstract

Construction sector is in general characterized by frequent deadlines delays, budget overruns and problems in maintaining proper quality. To prevent such problems, a common practice is to transfer the management methods used successfully in production industry. Article presents the idea of introducing Lean Management methodologies in chosen construction processes and the purpose of the study is to show how Lean Management can influence the total cost of selected process of managing storage area on the construction site. Article is based on the study conducted by authors on the construction of office building in Poznan (Poland) city center, where proposed new approach to management was introduced and tested. Authors performed deeper analysis on introducing proposed methodology into 3 processes: column concreting, storage area management and scaffolding ordering. In the article authors focused their attention on economic aspects of introduced changes into one of them: storage area management, showing how proposed different style of management can influence costs of analyzed processes. Lean methodologies are used to assess the risk problems and find suitable solution which will influence on reduction of the total time and cost of analyzed works. Proposed idea of Lean Management in this paper as construction management solution can be remedy for many different problems in the construction industry not limited to analyzed example.