Sebastiano Lombardo

Proceedings of the 31st Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC31) p. 445-453 Doi: https://doi.org/10.24928/2023/0127

Our time is characterized by climate changes that impose sustainability in every industrial activity, an additional objective to our design and construction processes. The classic Lean Construction approach needs to be further developed to take sufficient care of the sustainability issue. The design of modern buildings is a work process that can be set up and run with tools that secure a more sustainable final product. This study proposes to extend the classic range of objectives pursued by the Lean construction approach, as to include sustainability in the design process, in a systematic and structured way. The case of a building project is analyzed. In the early design stages, advanced structural design tools are used to explore various alternative designs of the bearing structure. The structural design tools are combined with tools used to calculate embodied carbon in the construction. The levels of embodied carbon following each of the many possible, alternative, structural solutions are estimated. These insights are provided to the owner in a very early stage of the design process. Through these design practices owners and investors can add sustainability targets to the classical project targets (cost, quality, time), and include sustainability as a part of the fulfillment of the client’s functional needs.

Proceedings of the 31st Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC31) p. 521-530 Doi: https://doi.org/10.24928/2023/0228

The study made an account for in this paper is based on the hypothesis that introducing a climate-friendly building material to construction production may fundamentally impact project performance. In the paper, evidence is given for a prolonged, costlier process of erecting the building structure if an extremely low-carbon concrete combined with a 100 percent recycled aggregate is applied. Findings suggest various measures to be taken, to accelerate the hardening of the concrete. Otherwise, a positive environmental effect may easily diminish the overall project performance. The paper is based on a First Run Study (FRS) including a full-scale mock-up of a part of the building structure, including ground floor, wall, columns, and slab. As part of the study, data was collected about the temperature, firmness, and relative moisture of the concrete, and the effects of different actions applied to accelerate the hardening process. The impact of this study is an estimated risk reduction of 1,5 percent in the context of the project it was intended to support. The paper concludes that this type of experimentation should happen prior to actual performance to prevent construction projects from falling short of time and finances caused by unexpected results.

Journal of Service Research Doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/1094670519835311

Service research and marketing theory have found value co-creation to be a key element in the business-to-business (B2B) context. Value can also be co-destroyed by the same actors who interact to create it. However, very few studies have examined service provider-customer work practices when value co-destruction (VCD) occurs. In this qualitative study, we approach VCD by combining social interactions and resource integration practices with a notion of value that reveals its multiform nature. We adopt a value definition that enables us to show that the notion of co-creation and co-destruction should be viewed conceptually as representing a value variation space rather than as being dichotomous or mutually exclusive. Our research allows practitioners to recognize and contrast VCD, as it emerges and impacts their B2B relations.

Proceedings of The 26th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction p. 358-369 Doi: https://doi.org/10.24928/2018/0397

Lean is about solving problems related to reducing waste while maximizing value. The project team of the construction project Bispevika in Norway is working on how creative collaborative practices can be performed in problem-solving processes. This paper considers following research questions: Which creative collaborative practices are implemented in Bispevika? What are the experiences of these practices? How to improve these practices in future projects? In addition to observations on site within design and procurement, interviews of the project managers as well as a document study based on received project material is carried out to identify creative collaborative practices. A literature study on trust in collaboration, creative processes and creativity and innovation in lean is also presented. The engagement of an innovation manager as a facilitator combined with his own research on creative practices contributes to the overall vision of being an innovative project. The executed method is based on a four-phased process leading to the choice of best solution to a case. By using a strategy of creating winning teams and focusing on trust in these collaborations, the project is aiming at innovating the way projects are managed in the future. Identified creative collaborative practices with proposed adjustments are presented.

Proceedings of The 26th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction p. 658-668 Doi: https://doi.org/10.24928/2018/0218

The Last Planner System (LPS) is a tool for project planning and control, and is an important contribution from Lean Construction. LPS focuses on scheduling, task coordination and time management. Uncertainty Management (UM) is a key element in Project Management, where uncertainty is the totality of opportunities (potential upsides) and risks (potential downsides). UM addresses all types of uncertainty (related to cost, time, quality, scope, safety, customer satisfaction, company reputation, etc.). The aim of UM is to exploit the opportunities and reduce the risks. Two construction companies involved in this research are working with both LPS and UM. One has extensive experience with LPS, but less experience with UM. The other has extensive experience with UM, but less experience with LPS. Two questions are raised and discussed in the paper: 1. Could project planning and control be improved by an integration of LPS and UM? 2. If yes, how could LPS and UM be integrated to improve project planning and control? The paper proposes a conceptual model where UM tools are integrated in the plan and meeting structure of LPS. The model is to be tested in forthcoming case studies.