https://doi.org/10.24928/2023/0119

A Framework for Design Waste Mitigation in Off-Site Construction

Danial Gholinezhad Dazmiri¹ & Farook Hamzeh²

¹MSc graduate, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, [email protected], orcid.org/0000-0003-1196-7340
²Associate Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, [email protected], orcid.org/0000-0002-3986-9534

Abstract

The recent global pandemic has presented unprecedented challenges to the construction industry's survival. Therefore, even minor improvements and the elimination of small sources of waste are crucial. Although they constitute a small percentage of total construction costs, hasty designs and design errors have the potential to be one of the most significant sources of waste within the industry. Also, offsite construction involves a high degree of precision and efficiency. Any waste during the design process can result in time delays, cost overruns, and suboptimal final product performance. The design process should aim for minimal waste to avoid potential delays or errors during construction or manufacturing that could lead to wasted resources and money. To address this challenge, a framework based on lean principles has been developed to minimize waste during the design process for offsite construction. The primary objective is to incorporate lean principles and tools to address waste reduction quantitatively and measurably. Proposed solutions aim to eliminate or reduce these activities, and a framework is presented to guide organizations in mapping out the necessary steps. To assess the recommended interventions, statistical analysis and simulation methods are introduced. The framework is intended to help evaluate processes and increase efficiency during the design phase for off-site construction and built-to-order companies. The innovation of this framework lies in its precise procedures and guidance for improving these phases using Lean tools, which could provide significant benefits for off-site construction and built-to-order companies.

Keywords

Off-site construction, waste, value stream, design science, simulation.

Files

Reference

Dazmiri, D. G. & Hamzeh, F. 2023. A Framework for Design Waste Mitigation in Off-Site Construction , Proceedings of the 31st Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC31) , 1025-1036. doi.org/10.24928/2023/0119

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