oa Future vision: Going lean in a green environment

The improvement of efficiency, quality and profitability has been recently the major goal for the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry. The future of the construction industry requires the combination and integration of the four key functions: process, technology, organization and knowledge. New processes, such as lean construction, bring a solution to the trilogy of problems encountered in the AEC industry: time, cost and quality. The overall aim of this paper is to introduce new process and manage sustainability through lean thinking by studying both concepts and providing an answer to the question “Is lean green?”This paper is divided into three parts; the first part explains the concept of “lean thinking”, its origin, applications, goals, benefits and challenges faced when first implemented in the construction industry. The second part explains the concept of sustainability and green construction through the project lifecycle and how it can enhance the inner and outer environment and optimize costs. The third part is integrating the two concepts together showing the strong bond that links sustainability to Lean thinking adding value to construction projects and eliminating waste from the concept design phase to the operation phase. This paper will take the audience/attendees to a new dimension of thinking for going lean in a green environment achieving customer’s satisfaction by the three part goal of better, cheaper and faster projects. Today is just the right time and place to lean and green it, whereas tomorrow will be zero wastes!