Cent Savings Research Articles

Application of lean in construction using value stream mapping

PurposeLean construction is a technique that aims at reducing waste in construction and maximizing productivity. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the effectiveness of Lean technique in managing construction projects.Design/methodology/approachA case study of structural steel erection project was chosen where the value stream mapping lean tool is applied and the possible improvement in productivity was observed. The current state of the activities in the erection process was mapped first which was followed by preparing the Future State Map of the activities after eliminating the non-value adding tasks.FindingsThe modifications from Future State Map were carried out at the project and the results exhibited a substantial increase in productivity by reducing the project duration by 13 days which is about 30 per cent savings from the expected completion time after the implementation of Lean technique.Originality/valueTraditionally lean concept has been widely used in process-oriented manufacturing industry whereas it is relatively new to the project-oriented construction industry. This current research has focused on applying lean tool to a real time construction project at the site level and measuring its outcome practically. The results of this study are real and affirm the effectiveness of applying lean concept to construction projects. It will be major paradigm shift in terms of managing construction projects.

Economic sustainability of green buildings: a comparative analysis of green vs non-green

Purpose In Sri Lanka, a limited number of buildings have been certified for incorporation of green features and the reasons are attributed to green building investors who continue to perceive that green buildings are expensive. Further, the green building investors fail to appreciate the subsequent benefits received by those buildings during the operational phase. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to compare the life cycle cost (LCC) of green certified industrial manufacturing buildings with a similar form of the conventional buildings to establish the economic sustainability of green buildings. Design/methodology/approach The study involved a comparative case study analysis of two green buildings and a similar natured conventional building. The data required to perform the LCC analysis were extracted through documentary analysis. Findings The comparative analysis shows that the construction cost of a green industrial manufacturing building is 37 per cent higher than that of a similar natured conventional building while operation, maintenance and the end life cost of green buildings result in 28, 22 and 11 per cent savings, respectively. This results in an overall cost saving of 21 per cent in green buildings. Originality/value The current study provides an assessment of the total LCC of green industrial manufacturing buildings. In Sri Lanka, green industrial manufacturing buildings offer LCC saving of 21 per cent over its lifetime compared to similar natured conventional buildings. Thus, comparative analyses would enable green investors to make informed decisions before commissioning their investment in green facilities and thereby promote sustainable construction in Sri Lanka.

Sustainability in university campus: options for achieving nearly zero energy goals

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to design a renovation plan for a university campus building (Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering) with the aim to achieve nearly zero energy performance, ensuring a low specific demand (lower than 44 kWh/m2) and a high level of on-site renewable generation (equivalent to more than 20 per cent of the energy demand).Design/methodology/approachThe baseline demand was characterized based on energy audits, on smart metering data and on the existing building management system data, showing a recent reduction of the electricity demand owing to some implemented measures. The renovation plan was then designed with two main measures, the total replacement of the actual lighting by LEDs and the installation of a photovoltaic system (PV) with 78.8 kWp coupled with an energy storage system with 100 kWh of lithium-ion batteries.FindingsThe designed renovation achieved energy savings of 20 per cent, with 27.5 per cent of the consumed energy supplied by the PV system. This will ensure a reduction of the specific energy of the building to only 30 kWh/m2, with 42.4 per cent savings on the net-energy demand.Practical implicationsThe designed renovation proves that it is possible to achieve nearly zero energy goals with cost-effective solutions, presenting the lighting renovation and the solar PV generation system a payback of 2.3 and 6.9 years, respectively.Originality/valueThis study innovated by defining ambitious goals to achieve nearly zero energy levels and presenting a design based on a comprehensive lighting retrofit and PV generation, whereas other studies are mostly based on envelope refurbishment and behaviour changes.

The delivery and communication challenges of retrofit

The need for more energy efficient homes to reduce carbon, reduce fuel bills and ensure the quality of our housing stock has long been established, both to reach carbon reduction targets and alleviate fuel poverty. Energy used in homes accounts for 27 per cent of the carbon produced in this country1 and so to achieve the 80 per cent savings required by the Climate Change Act 2008 by 2050, housing must be addressed. This immediately poses two challenges. The first, as often cited, is that it is not the homes themselves that consume energy, it is the people who live in them and therefore control the amount of energy used. Secondly, it is someone's home, not an unoccupied building or even a place of work, which brings further sensitivities when it comes to making any changes to that home. This article covers the experience of one of the largest providers of affordable housing in the country, Affinity Sutton, in delivering retrofit and interacting with residents before, during and after the process, the challenges faced and how the organisation has been working to overcome these.

Co-phenylcaine Forte spray: innovative ways of minimising cost

To investigate whether multiple-use Co-phenylcaine Forte® spray was more cost-effective than single-use vials. A literature review was conducted to determine the risk of cross-contamination associated with multiple-use topical nasal anaesthetic spray. The costs of multiple-use Co-phenylcaine Forte and single-use co-phenylcaine were compared, and potential savings were calculated. The cost of procuring these drugs from other sources was also examined. Switching to multiple-use Co-phenylcaine Forte spray would lead to at least 40 per cent savings if bought from our local retailer. Potential savings of more than 70 per cent could be made if the drugs were procured from sources other than our local distributor. Multiple-use Co-phenylcaine Forte spray is safe to use and more cost-effective than single-use vials. This paper illustrates how money can be saved within the National Health Service through changes in drug procurement. Similar cost savings to those calculated for our department could be made in other ENT departments nationally, depending on their annual consumption of co-phenylcaine.

Safety, Efficacy, and Cost Savings of Single Parathyroid Hormone Measurement for Risk Stratification after Total Thyroidectomy

The management of hypocalcemia (HC) after total thyroidectomy (TTx) is a challenge as TTx is transitioned into a same-day surgery. Measurement of parathyroid hormone (PTH) level after TTx may allow for prediction of postoperative HC and lead to shorter hospital stays. A prospective database was queried between January 2010 and June 2012 with 95 patients who had undergone TTx identified. Patient demographics; preoperative diagnosis; laboratory values and cost; complications; intravenous calcium supplementation; and length of stay (LOS) were analyzed. A PTH-based algorithm was retrospectively applied and theoretical cost savings were analyzed in terms of laboratory cost, LOS, and total cost. Ninety-five patients underwent TTx: 37 patients (38.9%) had cancer, whereas 27 (28.4%) had Graves' disease and the remaining 31 (32.6%) had a benign multinodular goiter. Postoperative PTH was recorded in 72 patients (74.4%); 46 (63.8%) had PTH greater than 10 pg/mL and 26 (36.9%) had PTH less than 10 pg/mL. Transient HC occurred in 10 patients (38.4%) with PTH less than 10 pg/mL (relative risk, 17.69; P = 0.0001). Patients with PTH less than 10 pg/mL incurred a 14.9 per cent higher hospital cost compared with those with PTH greater than 10 pg/mL. With retrospective implementation of the algorithm, there is a potential 46.4 per cent cost savings for the PTH less than 10 pg/mL group, 67.3 per cent savings for the PTH greater than 10 pg/mL group, and 46.7 per cent savings when taken altogether. Algorithmic risk stratification based on postoperative PTH less than 10 pg/mL serves as both a sensitive (100%) and specific (76.7%) predictor of postoperative HC. Such risk stratification may allow for same-day discharge in a number of patients, and even in patients requiring an overnight stay, result in cost savings as a result of a reduction in laboratory expenditures.

G Whizz: Clouding the aims of ICT consolidation?

Strange things seem to be happening around the UK government's grand G-cloud project to condense IT costs and build a competitive infrastructure for the future. The omens seem sound the promised savings would contribute nicely to the government's spending cuts over the next few years, and the scheme dovetails neatly with Prime Minister David Cameron's avowed intention to plant deep sustainable roots within the UK economy. Yet in other ways the fizz seems to have gone out of the project, following a series of setbacks which threaten to delav and water-down G-cloud's ambits. The change of government may be part of the problem, as the incoming coalition seems not as committed to the cloud concept as its Labour predecessor. Then came the spending review aimed at achieving 40 per cent cuts, but this would seem to favour G-cloud, given its promise to cut public sector IT costs by some 30 per cent. One problem was that the G-cloud plan as initially formulated did not yield jam soon enough for the Treasury the full 30 per cent savings would not come home until 2020 far too late to do much for the immediate budgetary crisis, or to assist the coalition at the next general election. This led the Treasury to urge the Cabinet Office, which runs the project, to come up with a way of bringing the savings forward, leading to a new option to maximise cost reductions within the next three years up until 2014, while minimising the investment needed during that period. The Cabinet Office reckoned that this seemingly short-term and politically motivated option would yield extra savings of £70m in the coming financial year, rising to £399m for 2012/13, and £430m for financial year ending April 2014. These are relatively modest amounts and raise the question whether it is worth compromising the strategy to achieve them.

PIN75 ECONOMIC IMPACT OF NEW MALARIA DIAGNOSTIC DEVICES ON THE MALARIA CONTROL PROGRAM IN BRAZIL

OBJECTIVES: This study focuses on the health economical impact of new malaria diagnostic devices on the Malaria control processes in Brazil. Current diagnostic tools have disadvantages which prevent the total coverage of malaria risk regions. As a consequence, there is a high demand for diagnostic devices that can be used in remote settings. The objective of this research is to study the cost-effectiveness of new diagnostic devices. METHODS: Markov modeling and Monte Carlo simulation are used to compare the expected cost-effectiveness of the new devices Magneto-Optic Technology (MOT), Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDT), and Software Aided Microscopy (SAM), with the golden standard of microscopy. Outcome measures are the diagnostic and treatment costs as well as deaths avoided. Scenario analysis is used to compare different implementation strategies of the devices that are expected to be or become most cost-effective. RESULTS: Microscopy has the highest cost-effectiveness ratio (1.78), followed by SAM (4.02). The access of Microscopy to remote risk regions is however limited. The implementation scenario with the highest health economic impact is to apply microscopy and to use in addition SAM in remote risk regions. At a total of 80 per cent access to diagnosis, microscopy combined with SAM saves in Brazil up to 36.000 lives (30 % improvement) with a cost-saving of 6 M (26 per cent savings). CONCLUSIONS: The outcomes provide clear guidelines for the investment in new devices. Accordingly, Markov modeling is a valuable tool for medical industry facing decisions concerning technology development and implementation.

A case study of fuel savings through optimisation of MSW transportation routes

Purpose – The high costs of collection and transportation of municipal solid waste (MSW) on the overall waste management budget (sometimes more than 75 per cent) makes it an issue to be urgently addressed for improvement. The paper aims to focus on the optimisation of routing networks for waste collection/transportation.Design/methodology/approach – The paper proposes herein the application of geographic information system (GIS) 3D route modelling for waste collection/transportation to optimise the route according to the minimum fuel consumption criterion to different municipalities of the island of Santo Antao of Cape Verde.Findings – The optimisation for the lowest fuel consumption yields 52 per cent savings in fuel, when compared to that for the shortest distance, even travelling a 34 percent longer distance, which shows the importance of considering simultaneously the relief of the territory and the lowest fuel consumption criterion when optimising vehicle routes.Practical implications – With such a s...

Mathematical model for water quality (portable water): a case study

A water quality model for water-use-goal is proposed. The model is tested with a treatment schedule at a water works for portable water. It was observed that at least a 25 per cent savings can be achieved if the model is employed. Mathematics Connection Vol. 4 2004: 27-30

Solar heated and daylit offices: Design study

A design study has been undertaken to determine the perfomance of solar heated and daylit office buildings under the climate of the United Kingdom. The simulation study used data from three years which consisted of hourly horizontal global and diffuse irradiation, ambient temperature and wind speed for four sites. The sites considered were Easthampstead (England), Aberporth (Wales), Eskdalemuir (Scotland) and Aldergrove (Northern Ireland). The simulation procedure utilises the latest available models for vertical surface solar irradiation, daylight, wind-conductance, comfort, energy-exchange and energy-saving measures. The study shows that 50-60 per cent savings may be achieved in the primary electrical consumption by exploiting daylight potential. The solar gains in conjunction with the occupancy and equipment gains were found to be adequate for most of the space heating requirements. The study also quantifies the significant reductions in electric lighting consumption by proper design and the use of dimming controls over simple time-based controls.

The Use of Redox Potential to Control Ferric Sulphate Dosing during Phosphate Removal

ABSTRACTIn recent years, the Norfolk Broads have been enriched with sewage effluent and runoff from heavily fertilized land. Nitrogen and phosphorus compounds from these sources can cause ecological problems by stimulating increase in algal biomass in the water, so part of Anglian Water's programme of research in Broadland has been to remove phosphate from major sewage effluents discharged to the Rivers Ant and Bure. This is achieved by dosing ferric sulphate to secondary effluent and settling the resultant insoluble complex.At three sites on the River Bure, the performance of timeclock‐ and redox‐based dose control systems was evaluated. Redox control, by restricting dosing when phosphate load was low, increased the efficiency of phosphate removal and produced up to 19 per cent savings in chemical costs. Modifications are described which made the system self‐regulating and ensured that savings were not eroded by maintenance costs. The system now operates efficiently and routinely at major sites on the Rivers Ant and Bure.

New development in high speed copper plating for printed wiring board applications

SummaryThe driving force for high speed acid copper systems is improved productivity. Using electrochemical engineering principles, processes have been developed which address this need. Model cost analysis demonstrates a 40 per cent savings from these systems. Production data has confirmed both the technical and economic benefits. This paper summarises the development of high speed acid copper processes with emphasis on process chemistry, theoretical electrochemical engineering, system development and field data.

Latent heat storage applied to horticulture

A new concept of solar heat storage applied to horticulture has been tested through a full heating season in a professional greenhouse. This experiment is run in a 500 m 2 multi-span, single-glazed greenhouse of traditional geometry devoted to rose production. The solar heat available inside the greenhouse is transferred and stored by recycling the air through an underground network of flat heat exchangers filled with a phase change material. In an attempt to reach quasi autonomy in a mild climate, the glass is doubled on the inside with an insulating polyethylene Air-Cap ( R) film. The solar greenhouse compartment is compared with a traditional greenhouse compartment of identical geometry bearing the same plantation. The cover of this control compartment is single glazed. Thermal and cultural performances were analysed from December 1979 to April 1980. The solar compartment achieved 80 per cent savings in propane gaz, compared with the control compartment run at the same temperature. Compared with a control compartment doubled with Air-Cap polyethylene, the savings would reduce to 60 per cent. The electrical consumption of the fans of the solar system amount to less than 10 per cent of the basic heating loads. The solar prototype cost twice as much as the control compartment which compares favorably with other solar prototypes known at this time.

A new method of reinforcing a hole effecting large weight savings

A new method of reinforcing a hole in a flat plate under uniaxial tension is proposed in which the reinforcing material is present on the boundary of the hole only in the regions containing high stresses. Since the reinforcement is discontinuous, its amount, which varies along the arcs of the hole, is represented by a Fourier series in the analysis of the stresses. The stresses are determined by the use of two complex potential functions in series form. The series are truncated at the point whereafter any additional terms do not produce any significant change in the magnitude of the stresses. Numerical values are given for the case of a circular hole with various types of reinforcements. Finally, it is shown that this type of reinforcement can effect approximately 60 to 70 per cent savings in weight along with a 30 to 35 per cent savings in the welding and about 10 per cent reduction in the maximum stress as compared to the conventional all around reinforcement.

Interior Painting of Steel Water Storage Tanks

This article discusses a three‐way cooperative test that was instrumental in the Ambridge Water Authority adopting a more effective paint system (SSPC‐Paint System No. 4.00, vinyl paint system over sand‐blasted steel). It has been conservatively estimated that this system has increased the average trouble‐free life of paint on the interior of water tanks from 3 to more than 8 years, with a 50 per cent savings in annual painting costs.

A Water Shut-Off Method for Sand-Type Porosity in Air Drilling

Published in Petroleum Transactions, AIME, Volume 216, 1959, pages 163–167. Abstract A new type water shut-off for use in air drilling has been developed. The method has been 99 to 100 per cent effective in several different formations of intergranular-type porosity. Since costs for materials, time and equipment used are relatively small, the process should extend economies of air drilling to many new areas. The treatment involves a new technique for forming a water-insoluble precipitate within the pores of a rock. Advantage is taken of the difference in mobility of a liquid and a gas in porous media to achieve the greatest volume of precipitate in a given pore. Reactants selected for the laboratory and field tests were aluminum sulfate solution and gaseous ammonia. This process has been tested in both intergranular and fractured-type porosities. It has consistently shut-off between 99 and 100 per cent of the water flowing from formations having intergranular-type porosity and permeabilities ranging from a few millidarcies to over a darcy. The treatment is not particularly suitable for shutting-off water from fractured formations although plugging of the order of 50 per cent or greater has been achieved in all such applications. Among advantages of the treatment are:no reaction waiting time after a relatively short placement time,a low materials' cost of about $3/ ft of hole treated,use of common service-type equipment for treatment, andno unusual requirements for mixing and placement. Introduction In rotary drilling with air or gas it has been possible to increase bit life by tenfold and more than double rate of penetration over corresponding performance when drilling with mud. These factors have amounted to as much as 22 per cent savings on total cost of drilling a well. However, these advantages are rapidly lost when water is encountered in an air- or gas-drilled well because water interferes with the removal of cuttings from the hole and also gives rise to other difficulties. In attempting to combat water troubles, operators have commonly resorted to such measures as mist drilling, treatment with cement or chemicals, converting to conventional mud drilling, or setting casing. In many cases these measures have either been costly or ineffective.