2018BookofCases

7 L EAN C ONSTRUCTION I RELAND A NNUAL B OOK OF C ASES 2018 to a better design, and ultimately reducing the amount of design changes and variations, which in turn reduces the associated costs and schedule impacts. The BIM design model can also be linked to a corresponding digital cost model allowing real time assessment of the cost of design changes. As well as the use of BIM on major private sector projects, Ireland has seen a relatively high level of adoption on large scale public projects without any Government mandate (usage on high-profi le projects, such as the National Children’s Hospital at the St James’s Hospital campus, on the Dublin Institute of Technology’s Grangegorman Campus, and across the Public Private Partnership programme), although one is expected in the coming years for public sector and infrastructure projects. Lean Construction Lean Construction can be a significant factor and enabler in supporting the construction sector. The McKinsey Global Inst i tute’s ‘Re- invent ing Construction: a Route to Higher Productivity’ report (February 2017) has identified seven ways to tackle the root causes that underlie the poor productivity growth within the construction industry on a global scale: i. Reshape regulation and raise transparency ii. Rewire the contractual framework iii. Rethink design and engineering processes iv. Improve procurement and supply chain management v. Improve on-site execution vi. Infuse digital technology, new materials and advanced automation vii. Reskill the workforce These approaches can reduce cost , improve the predictabi l i ty of schedules/programmes , and rai se productivity. All seven areas for action are significant, but three – reshaping regulation, rewiring contractual frameworks to develop a genuine and col laborat ive approach to construction projects, and rethinking design and engineering processes to leverage advantages of scale – are particularly important because they enable change in the other four areas. The McKinsey report goes on to note that action in all seven areas could radically improve the productivity of projects by an estimated 50-60%. However, a transformative five- to ten-fold increase in productivity would be possible if construction were to move to a manufacturing-like system of mass production, with a greater degree of standardisation and the bulk of construction work taking place in factories off- site. This would mean far greater use of repeatable design, prefabrication of many components, and only assembly and minimal finishes on-site. Currently in Ireland, a number of contractors are using Lean Construction techniques to enable them to manage projects far more efficiently and to eliminate waste. To date, however, many of these projects have been focused predominantly in the High-tech Industrial, Data Centre, and Biopharmaceutical sectors, whereas there still appears to be a dearth of Lean Construction projects within the Residential sector. In this regard, there are significant opportunities to advance Lean Construction techniques within this sector (such as OSM mentioned above). This in turn would realise an improvement and an increase in productivity, and, as such, better place the industry to not only meet the challenges of housing in Ireland, but also similar ventures such as those in student accommodation and the wider commercial market. One key enabler in expanding Lean Construction into these sectors would be to ensure that it is considered as a key driver in the tendering process in the selection of contractors. As a result, and to drive further success, contractors would be encouraged to become more informed and ultimately expert in Lean Construct ion techniques . There are al ready significant infrastructural projects (some in excess of € 0.5 billion) being carried out in Finland, where the use of Lean techniques, such as integrated project delivery (IPD), is being employed to effectively deliver significantly large capital projects. However, many would be surprised to learn that these Lean techniques can also be used on relatively small projects, such as minor housing developments. As the industry moves forward, it is apparent that more education on the benefits of Lean Construction for clients and project technical teams will result in a wider use of the associated techniques in the construction industry in its entirety. This book of Lean Construction case studies aims to assist contractors, clients and design teams, in both learning more about Lean and reaping the benefits of applying it to their future projects. Lines ight i s a mul t inat ional construction consultancy firm with over 40 years' experience, founded and headquartered in Ireland, with 20 offices around the world. Linesight provides profess ional services , management support and strategic advice to Tier One clients across a mul t i tude of sectors , including Commercial , Data Centres , Li fe Sciences , High-Tech Industr ial , Residential, Hospitality, Healthcare and Retail. Linesight’s specialist project teams, each with specific skills and exper ience, provide faster project delivery, greater cost efficiency and maximum value for money for their clients. For further information, please visit www.linesight.com. C O M P A N Y W E B S I T E www.linesight.com COMPANY OVERVIEW