Lean concept and its application in precast concrete installation to achieve sustainability

The lean concept originates from the Toyota Production System and has been applied in the construction industry for decades to reduce wastes and to increase efficiency. It is until recently that its application to achieve sustainability has been realized by the construction industry. This paper aims to examine the application of the lean concept to achieve sustainability in the precast concrete installation cycle, which has many similarities with the automobile and manufacturing industry where lean has originated. Special attention is paid to the level of carbon emissions, which contributes to global climate change. A case study approach is adopted. A large condominium project using precast concrete in Singapore is chosen as the case. The results show that the lean concept is effective in bringing down the level of carbon emissions generated in the precast concrete installation cycle. Contractors should pay attention to the lean concept and may start to implement such concept to meet the pressing pressure of being sustainable.