Supply chain management was originally proposed to improve construction sites performances, nonetheless this simultaneously presents a potential solution for reducing the carbon footprint of the construction sector. Therefore, both environmental and cost impacts must be considered in order to raise the sector's awareness and foster change towards more sustainable practices. The purpose of this research is to evaluate the applicability of such a model for the supply chain by implementing Just-in-Time deliveries using kitting and a Construction Consolidation Centre managed by a Third-Party Logistics operator on a real-life construction project. Data was collected on actual tasks durations, time losses for site's workers and deliveries, and used as input to estimate the corresponding values with a traditional logistics and to model impact on both direct and indirect costs for comparison and discussion. Findings indicate that this new logistics paradigm can lead to productivity improvements and overall reduction in transportation needs. These have an implicit positive impact on both the environment and cost savings, which are calculated and discussed. Based on these results, it is argued that the adoption of this model contributes to a lean-green deal by demonstrating the positive impact of Lean Construction techniques towards better supply chain integration.
The construction industry generates more waste than any other industry. Waste management is getting more and more attention as the policies and mentalities evolve to face the challenges ahead: climate change, materials shortage, circular economy. Most of the waste management activities consist in waste sorting and is carried out downstream of the construction execution, resulting in lower material recovery performance. This paper proposes a method to segregate waste (separate waste based on how it is created) to enhance the reuse, recovery, and recycling of construction waste. Therefore, it investigates the applicability of Lean Construction methods and Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools and their potential synergy. Directly applying classical waste management AI tools (as used in recycling centers) was tested based on real case data. It required an excessive need for data and training. Alternatively, a Lean Construction framework based on a combination of the 5S method, and the Takt Time Planning method was proposed. It enables the streamlining of flows in order to mitigate the impact of on-site constraints on AI training. We instrumented this Lean Construction approach with an AI tool that checks the quality of the construction waste segregation process by detecting mixed materials in dumpsters.
The traditional construction logistics is managed in silos, which leads to time losses on sites and increased project costs due to repeated handling/moving of materials. Moreover, these uncontrolled flows of deliveries also have a proved environmental impact. Alternative approaches intend to centralize these flows using a Construction Consolidation Centre (CCC), which allows to deliver material just-in-time as a kit, directly at the workplace. The purpose of this research is to evaluate if this supply chain management methods can drive the construction sectors towards more efficient and sustainable practices. Therefore, this paper describes, from the General Contractor’s perspective, the implementation of a CCC between 2019 and 2020 for a Residential Tower project, for the first time in Luxembourg. Increased productivity, reduced costs, and reduced carbon footprint of the transportation flows were observed based on measures throughout the entire project. Beyond these evidences that more sustainable practices are achievable in construction, the paper discusses adherence of workers and subcontractors as well as organisational and technological prerequisites and perspectives. Accordingly, this collaborative model appears as a relevant way to build and strengthen partnerships between the construction stakeholders by improving day-to-day work. Therefore, CCC and kitting appear as a practical solution for the current economic and environmental challenges and more awareness should be put on this topic to allow its diffusion to the whole sector.
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