Relationship between Lean Construction Practices and Construction Industrialization Methods

Lean construction and construction industrialization have been the focus of the construction industry in recent decades. Lean construction has been shown to reduce waste and uncertainty, and construction industrialization has a positive effect on improving efficiency and safety. However, there is limited evidence in the industry that lean construction has sufficient potential in the context of evolving processes and methodologies. The present study identifies and quantifies the value, waste, and impact factors of lean construction practices and construction industrialization methods through a literature review, survey, and interviews. Interviews were used to validate the results of the literature review and survey. This study explores the relationship between lean construction and construction industrialization, and whether they reinforce each other to provide added benefit. The results of the study were used to assess 14 lean construction practices and four construction industrialization methods, along with their value and waste. The study findings reveal that the combination of the two methods can play a role in promoting each other in some instances. The contribution of this study to knowledge is an attempt to combine the application of lean construction practices and construction industrialization methods for better performance by demonstrating six aspects associated with construction projects.