Short answer
Incorporate Lean Construction principles to systematically identify and eliminate waste, thereby improving efficiency and sustainability in construction projects.
- Field
- Resource Management
- Source
- Journal of Infrastructure Preservation and Resilience (2025)
- Method
- Systematic Literature Review and Bibliometric Analysis
- Sample
- 36 documents
- Evidence
- Strong effect
Adopting Lean Construction methodologies can significantly improve efficiency in construction projects by focusing on value streams, minimizing waste, and reducing lead times. This resource management research insight is drawn from a 2025 study published in Journal of Infrastructure Preservation and Resilience. Using Systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis with 36 documents, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Incorporate Lean Construction principles to systematically identify and eliminate waste, thereby improving efficiency and sustainability in construction projects.
Lean Construction principles reduce project waste and delivery times by optimizing flow.
Adopting Lean Construction methodologies can significantly improve efficiency in construction projects by focusing on value streams, minimizing waste, and reducing lead times.
Journal of Infrastructure Preservation and Resilience · 2025
Key Findings
- 01Lean Construction focuses on optimizing and sustaining construction projects.
- 02Lean Construction leverages the potential benefits of Building Information Modeling (BIM) through methodical and intelligent management.
- 03Emerging tools offer a promising future for Lean Construction in project management.
Application
Design takeaway
Incorporate Lean Construction principles to systematically identify and eliminate waste, thereby improving efficiency and sustainability in construction projects.
How to apply
Implement a Last Planner System or similar pull-planning techniques to improve workflow predictability and reduce work-in-progress.
Project actions
- 01When planning a construction project, think about how to reduce waste at every step.
- 02Consider how tools like BIM can help you manage your project more efficiently.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Comprehensive systematic review methodology.
- +Focus on both efficiency and sustainability aspects.
Limitations
The effectiveness of Lean Construction can depend heavily on the team's commitment and the specific context of the project.
Reliability & validity
The systematic review approach enhances reliability by synthesizing multiple studies. Validity is supported by the focus on established Lean principles and their documented impacts.
Think critically
How might the principles of Lean Construction be adapted for design processes that are less about physical production and more about conceptualization and digital creation?
Design Principles
"Optimize the value stream by minimizing waste and maximizing flow."
This approach offers a structured framework for enhancing project delivery, which is crucial for managing resources effectively and meeting client expectations. By identifying and eliminating non-value-adding activities, design and construction teams can achieve substantial cost savings and improve overall project outcomes.
What This Means for Your Design
Using Lean Construction ideas helps construction projects run smoother, waste less material and time, and be more environmentally friendly.
How to use in your project
- 1.Reference this study when discussing strategies for improving efficiency and reducing waste in your design project.
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Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
The systematic review by Garcés et al. (2025) highlights the significant potential of Lean Construction principles to enhance efficiency and sustainability in construction management by optimizing production flow and minimizing waste, particularly when integrated with technologies like BIM.
Source
Journal of Infrastructure Preservation and Resilience
Systematic review of Lean Construction: an approach to sustainability and efficiency in construction management
journal · 2025
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about lean construction principles reduce project waste and delivery times by optimizing flow?
- Incorporate Lean Construction principles to systematically identify and eliminate waste, thereby improving efficiency and sustainability in construction projects. Evidence: Journal of Infrastructure Preservation and Resilience (2025).
- Why does "Lean Construction principles reduce project waste and delivery times by optimizing flow." matter for design?
- This approach offers a structured framework for enhancing project delivery, which is crucial for managing resources effectively and meeting client expectations. By identifying and eliminating non-value-adding activities, design and construction teams can achieve substantial cost savings and improve overall project outcomes.
- How can designers apply this research?
- Incorporate Lean Construction principles to systematically identify and eliminate waste, thereby improving efficiency and sustainability in construction projects.
- What were the main findings?
- Lean Construction focuses on optimizing and sustaining construction projects.. Lean Construction leverages the potential benefits of Building Information Modeling (BIM) through methodical and intelligent management.. Emerging tools offer a promising future for Lean Construction in project management.
- What research method was used?
- Systematic Literature Review and Bibliometric Analysis with 36 documents.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Strong effect, based on a 2025 journal from Journal of Infrastructure Preservation and Resilience.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- Implement a Last Planner System or similar pull-planning techniques to improve workflow predictability and reduce work-in-progress.
- What are the limitations?
- The review is based on a limited number of documents, and the understanding of Lean Construction's advantages, limitations, and synergies with sustainability is still evolving.