Addressing the impacts of waste on overall project performance: a study of applying lean construction principle in Public Works Department (PWB), Bangladesh

Abstract

Presently, construction industry is under pressure and facing many types of problems. One of the major challenges is to reduce the waste during construction. According to Carlos Torres Formoso (1999), waste is considered as an inherent element in the construction process all over the world, Bangladesh being not an exception in this regard. However, success of a construction project is closely related to reduction in waste can be diminished. This study, focused on Public Works Department Bangladesh (PWDB),aims to identify key types of waste and examine its impact on overall project cost, time, quality, productivity and profit during the construction phase. It also examines feasibility of use of lean construction principle to reduce waste in order to enhance project performance. In order to fulfill these stated objectives literature drawn from journals, research papers, conference papers, books and credible web sources has been reviewed to describe root causes of waste and their impacts on projects. This theoretical explanation also put lights on the principles of lean construction and the benefits as a result of its implementation. Furthermore, an online based questionnaire survey has been conducted to fulfill the objectives of the study. The questions were asked on the basis of literature review and the majority of participants agreed upon seven possible types of waste (inventory, reworks, transportation, over processing, motion, waiting, and overproduction) generated in PWD’s construction projects. Most of them said that waste exists 11% ‐ 20% in construction projects under PWD. They were also asked to rank the root causes of waste along the magnitude based on their professional experience. According to most of the survey participants, the impact of the waste such as time over run from actual schedule of construction project under PWD is more than 12 months cost increase from the actual estimation due to waste is between 11% and20%. The respondents also reported construction quality disturbed, productivity loss and profit margin lost due to waste by 1%‐10%. However, 90% of the participants agree that a new management approach/technique is essential to produce better results in the construction sector. Participants also ranked the lean principles on the basis of suitability. Finally, Recommendations are drawn from the study in order to enhance construction project performance.