Linking lean construction to the low-carbon economy

Completed

Energy Efficiency(Residential and commercial)

Final stage Development and Demonstration

SOCIAL SCIENCES (Education)

Not Cross-cutting

Dr U Ma
Greenfile Developments Ltd

3

Carbon Trust

01 September 2003

30 December 2004

16 months

£27,000

London

Dr U Ma, Greenfile Developments Ltd

Project Contact, London Business Link
Project Contact, Bovis Lend Lease
Project Contact, Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians (UCATT)

To link energy efficiency to "Lean Construction" on construction sites through provision of case studies demonstrating energy efficient practices and skills development via national vocational qualifications.

Between 10 and 20% of all the raw materials delivered to a construction site ends up in skips. This has a significant impact on CO2 emissions as those skip loads also represent a waste of the embedded energy in the construction materials. The construction industry is aware of the issues of waste and sustainable development, and is adopting a new approach, "Lean Construction", to reduce waste in construction supply processes. This project is designed to address the issue of energy and materials use on construction sites (including embedded energy) and link this to Lean Construction and waste reduction. It will develop a suitable knowledge package for supervisors to use in regular Toolbox Talks with their teams, improve practice through updated Method Statements, as well as helping construction operatives to develop the necessary skills. These activities will address the current situation where little guidance is available for site-based supervisors and construction operatives. Without guidance and examples of better practice in the right context, there is little likelihood of sustainable changes in behaviour towards better site practices. The project begins with research into current construction practices, linking these to the requirements of "Lean Construction. These are all linked to energy efficiency in order to develop relevant worksheets, posters, pocketbooks and presentations (the knowledge package) linking lean construction techniques with energyefficient operations. The draft knowledge package is then piloted and later disseminated through construction site seminars. The knowledge pack is linked to relevant qualifications such that there is a clearly defined skills development path for supervisors and teams. The results of the project are expected to include: case studies that can be further disseminated as exemplars for the construction industry to improve site practices throughout the UK; guidance for construction teams to developskills in lean construction/sustainable development via an N/SVQ route

01/01/07