Doing More with Less
Doing More With Less
Cars are a microcosm of human technology. We pour millions of dollars and hours into extracting more and more from arguably the same stuff: gas and metal. And efficiency isn’t just gas mileage, either. Take the Ford Mustang, for instance. The new V8 model puts out 435 horsepower with nearly the same size engine as a 90s model…which boasted a mere 236 ponies.
The fundamentals of the engine haven’t changed: gas, metal, air. What has changed is how those materials are used. The construction industry follows the same paradigm, in that ultimately we build things. But the journey there? The road can be bumpy, include detours and (at times) be long and winding.
Efficiency is more important now than ever. You have to do more with less.
How Lean Construction Principles Create Efficiencies and Cost Savings
The construction business is not always one for subtlety.
When you’re building something huge – say a factory – brute force can seem like an effective way to power through the complexities of workforce coordination, materials management and other hurdles. And sometimes it works… but at a cost.
A big one, as it turns out. In fact, researchers have estimated that anywhere from 25 to 50 percent of construction resources are wasted on each project. Those resources range from tangible materials to abstracts like labor and morale.
Lean construction philosophy is focused on closing that gap. It challenges the notion that speed and quality are disparate ideas. It is the belief that you can reduce waste and increase productivity, safety performance and project value through advance planning, strategic thinking, proactive management, communication and artful leadership.