34th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC 34) - Singapore, Singapore - 2026

https://doi.org/10.24928/2026/0314

Lean construction building capability program: an Australian experience

Shang Gao1

11Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia, [email protected], orcid.org/0000-0002-4161-5592

Abstract

Lean construction has matured significantly over the past decades. Deployment of lean tools remains common, while systematic capability development across the industry is rare. Although individual competencies and isolated training initiatives have been widely discussed, there is limited evidence on how industry-level organisations intentionally design and operationalise lean capability-building programmes. This paper addresses this gap through a reflective case study of the Lean Construction Building Capability Programme led by Lean Construction Australia and New Zealand (LCANZ). Drawing on two years of programme development, stakeholder engagement, and pilot delivery, the study examines how LCANZ conceptualised lean capability, navigated the distinction between competency and capability, and responded to debates surrounding certification, particularly in relation to ISO 18404. The findings illustrate how LCANZ adopted a balanced push–pull approach, combining structured knowledge provision with demand-driven industry engagement, while deliberately postponing formal certification due to market maturity and assessor constraints. The paper contributes to lean construction theory by extending discussions of capability building beyond the organisational level and offering a model for industry-led capability development. Practically, it provides insights for industry bodies, professional associations, and policymakers seeking to strengthen lean adoption through scalable and context-appropriate capability-building initiatives.

Keywords

Lean construction, capability, case study, Australia, ISO18404, training.

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Reference in APA 7th edition format:

Gao, S.. (2026). Lean construction building capability program: an Australian experience. In Hamzeh, F., Poshdar, M., & Garcia-Lopez,, N. P. (Eds.), Proceedings of the 34th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC 34) (pp. 715–726). https://doi.org/10.24928/2026/0314

Shortened reference for use in IGLC papers:

Gao, S.. (2026). Lean construction building capability program: an Australian experience. IGLC34. https://doi.org/10.24928/2026/0314

 

Founded in 1993, the IGLC is an international network of researchers from practice and academia in architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) who feel that the practice, education, and research of the AEC industry have to be radically renewed in order to respond to the global challenges ahead.

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