LEAN.Construction is about making construction projects more efficient, minimising waste of materials, time and labor. We think in terms of process steps and therefore our findings are not limited to a single project but are transferable.
LEAN.Construction is about making construction projects more efficient, minimising waste of materials, time and labor. We think in terms of process steps and therefore our findings are not limited to a single project but are transferable.
Anna
Anna is a Process Consultant in the LEAN.Construction team at STRABAG. In this interview, she talks about how teams can work together to design optimal construction processes using LEAN methods and thus contribute to sustainability and CO2 reduction.
Measure:
Process optimization with LEAN.Construction
CO2 saved:
3,640 kilograms in one project
Unlike some other testimonials, I can't present the one spectacular lighthouse project. LEAN.Construction is not like a lighthouse, but like many, many small torches - but taken together, they shine at least as brightly throughout the Group as the great fire of a lighthouse.
LEAN.Construction is about making construction projects more efficient and thus minimising waste of materials, time and labour. We think in terms of process steps and therefore our findings are not limited to a single project, but are transferable. So, taking all the construction sites in the Group together, there is huge potential. The goal is to avoid waste and to involve all stakeholders in the process.
Can you give us an actual example?
A building construction project is scheduled by applying LEAN methods and the process is optimised with all those involved. This saves around five weeks of construction time. During these five weeks, there are no trips by employees or suppliers to and from the construction site, no site electricity is required, and the construction machines do not consume any diesel. Added to this are the savings we have already achieved during this time thanks to the detailed cycle, such as no unnecessary standing times, reduced truck journeys, fewer energy-intensive crane and machine movements, and no waste of materials and resources. All of this saves time, money and CO2.
What excites you most about your job?
Before studying civil engineering, I completed a social training program. As a LEAN process consultant, I can combine both aspects: my technical expertise and the human-social level. I love working with the construction teams! What we work out together in the workshops can be implemented immediately and brings a noticeable effect in the daily work of the construction team.
How would you describe your time at STRABAG in three words?
Versatile. Motivating. Challenging.
The beginning in particular was like jumping into cold water: lots of new challenges, the unfamiliar life on the construction site. You really need stamina. But I come from Lake Traunsee (note: at 191 m, the deepest lake in Austria with an average temperature of 20 degrees in summer (June to August)) - cold water has never put me off.
