How Lean is your Project?

The adoption of Lean principles and practices can be applied to any project. The level of performance improvement will be dependent upon the level of team integration and how well the team collaborates and implements lean methods and strategies.

Through a workshop process led by Professor Paolo Tombesi, Chair of Construction at the University of Melbourne and Markku Allison, resource architect for AIA, they determined key markers that define a lean and fully Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) team.  They organized the characteristics into Markers unique to IPD projects and the key strategies employed and published these in an  IPD Case Study 

They are as follows:

IPD Markers

• Relational Contracts 
• Protection from litigation 
• Aligned project goals (Jointly Developed Project Target Criteria) 
• Informed and balanced decision-making (Collaborative Decision Making) 
• Open Communication 
• Risks Identified and Accepted Early 

IPD Strategies

• Key Participants Bound Together as Equals (Multi-party Agreement) 
• Budget & create team for design intensive work 
• Early contribution of expertise (Early Involvement of Key Participants) 
• Pre-existing relationships between parties 
• Champion/ Facilitator (Leadership by All) 
• Shared Financial Risk and Reward Based on Project Outcome 
• Liability Waivers between Key Participants 
• Fiscal Transparency between Key Participants 
• BIM - virtual rehearsal of construction and ongoing constructibility reviews 
• Lean Construction processes 
• Co-location 

They also studied the motivations for selecting Lean Project Delivery:

• Market advantage:  IPD may give the firms valuable experience upon which to market themselves as industry leaders. 
• Cost predictability: All projects would like to meet budget, however, for some the predictability of cost is a notably driving factor. 
• Schedule predictability: Similar to cost, all projects share the goal of meeting their planned schedule, but for some projects this is a major factor. 
• Risk Management: Reducing or managing risk can be tied with cost or schedule, but also may include transactional risk inherent to project type, site or other conditions. If risk management is a critical factor, the increased communication in IPD may be of particular advantage. 
• Technical Complexity: A high degree of complexity will usually demand integration of expertise and require a level of coordination that is achievable in an IPD environment. 

Collaboration and integration can occur with any project delivery method, however, IPD sets up structures that make it more likely to occur than not.  

For more information on Lean Project Delivery, you can arrange for a work shop or take a course at LEAN LAB .  If you would like help implementing lean on your project, Integrated Designs can join your team as a facilitator.

Murray Guy @Lean_tobe_Green
Mguiy@i-designs.ca

Lean Lab | Integrated Designs | EcoSmart 

How to Fix a Broken Budget with Target Value Design

At the Richardson College for the Environment project we turned the design process on its head as we needed to try and meet the expectations of project stakeholders that were initially told to “Dream Big” on a not so BIG budget. The financial reality was there were only funds for a much smaller dream of $38.5M and not the $50M that was the price tag for the initial design.

Our team was tasked with finding over $10M in savings, as there was no money to be found to build the dream. We were living the "Broken Buildings Busted Budget" reality which was the book that was used to convince the U of W that we needed to adopt the Lean Project Delivery approach.

As a framework for assessing how well the process worked for the design phase, I have adapted an article that was written by Glen Ballard one of the founders of the Lean Construction Institute. My reason for doing this is that our team delivered an exceptional project and I was interested in knowing how close we came to implementing what would be considered best practices for Target Value Design (TVD). 

Project Summary

Target Value Design together with a Relational Contracting enabled the RCFE team to fix a BIG Dream project on a Smaller Dream budget and deliver an exceptional project that did achieve the project requirements within amazingly tight time and budget constraints. The team needed to get started with shoring and foundations before the project was designed, deliver a $43.8M 70% laboratory building project with 65 fume hoods, vivarium, green house with only a $750,000 contingency. This was achieved which is amazing considering that $450,000 of the contingency was used on one code related issue that emerged on an interpretation of stairwell pressurization to meet fire code. 

Our team exceeded the LEED Silver requirements, Got Gold and through Innovation and Imagination in Laboratory design deliver one of North Americas most energy efficient laboratory projects at 58% less energy that MNECB.

For the full article Lean Lab Blog

For a workshop on Target Value Design 

Lean-Lab | Target Value Design | An Assessment of the RCFE Project: "Target Value Design | An Assessment of the RCFE Project

March 2, 2016

Upon review of the TVD process, our team did pretty darn good!

'via Blog this'

Green 302 | NetZero is Smart, Cool and our Future ... The ECOnomics work

WHY #NetZeroEnergy?

We need to do our part as 7.9 million people are currently devouring 1.6 plants at a time when our planet is heading to 11 Billion people by 2100. The building industry is responsible for 40% of greenhouse gases, 50% of extracted material use and 1/3 of our energy use.

NetZero Energy Buildings Workshop

Learning objectives

1. Understand why we can have higher performance at less cost 
2. How to design affordable NetZero building projects 
3. Lessons learned on strategies and system selection

Introduction Video

There is no excuse for not going NetZero energy as the ECOnomics work. We can build commercial NetZero energy building like the Mosaic Center at no additional cost and Net Zero homes like mine at 1602 Edward Avenue in Saskatoon that provide a positive return on investment.
In this two-hour work shop, you will participate in discussions on systems and strategies for affordable NetZero living.

• Rob Dumont's Recipe for High Performance Homes in a Northern Climate 
• Lesson Learned on EcoSmart #Prebab #Green and the Blue Herron Haus 
• Lessons Learned on the Green Builder Passive House project 
• Choosing by Advantages: Smart Wall, Double Wall or 2x6 + 6 
• Why all the Stuff I learned about Passive Design could be Wrong | Tree Hugger 
• Affordable Not-So-Big Positive Cash Flow Entry Level NetZero Home 

The work shop will conclude with a discussion on how collaboration and integration can be used to deliver higher performance at less cost.

Murray Guy aka @Lean_tobe_Green

Learn: LEAN LAB. … Design: Integrated Designs … Build: EcoSmart

Lean 201 | Introduction to Lean Project Delivery Overview | Lean Lab Online

How to deliver Successful Lean Projects

Introduction

This training course if for people involved in the building industry that want to learn a new approach to take projects to a whole new level of performance.  You will learn the key ingredients to drastically improve productivity enabling higher profit and value creation.

Course Introduction Video

Pick a Winning Team

It takes a TEAM with different THINKING and a high level of COLLABORATION to deliver the much higher levels of performance that are expected on Lean Project.  In this module we explore how to pick and coach the team to deliver a lean project.

Utilize a Lean Project Delivery System 

Lean Project Delivery involves adopting lean practices for design and construction. In this module we will learn the two main systems, Target Cost Design and the Last Planner System.

Target Value Design is a disciplined design management system that focuses on delivering what represents value for the customer for the cost that they can afford.   It involves establishing a clear target, developing fully integrated design solutions with the whole team that meet the requirements and testing assumptions to the requirements and cost. Simple as that! 

  

The Last Planner manages the relationships, conversations and commitments that together enable program and production planning decisions to be made collaboratively at the lowest possible level in the construction process. It is a production planning and productivity  system that when properly implemented can improve productivity by 30%.

Collaborate for Higher Performance

By adopting tools and strategies that support lean and more integrated practices we are able to have our cake and eat it too, higher performance at less cost. WE will learn about setting up collaborative work environments, integrated design and how to hold the team accountable to getting work done in  a highly focused work effort.

The Course includes:

• Lean Project Delivery System Essential Elements
• Team Assembly and management
• Last Planner System 
• Target Value Design
• Setting up Collaborative work environments
• Case study: Mosaic Center

Our goal with this online course is to provide project leaders with all of the essential elements to implement a lean project with assistance.

The next steps for participants would be to take additional training. An option would be to arrange for a Lean Project Boot Camp and/or take the more advance  Online Lean Project Facilitator Course.

For information on the next start date for this course please contact 

Murray Guy aka @Lean_tobe_Green mguy@i-designs.ca

Online Training LEAN LAB

High Performance Project Services:  Integrated Designs

NetZero Home Building: EcoSmart  

Lean 401 | Lean to be Green Facilitator | Lean Lab Online

As portrayed in the movie Moneyball, Billy Beane (Brad Pitt) the GM for the Oakland A’s implemented a performance metrics system that enabled his team to become one of most successful low budget teams in baseball! 

In this advanced level course you will learn how to facilitate a lean project to achieve extraordinary results such as Net Zero Buildings at Net Zero additional cost.  The course consists of building the business case, review of lean principles and practices and three main modules:

“It takes a Team to deliver WOW projects at less cost”

As you develop mastery in Lean Project Delivery you will be able to achieve higher productivity, profit and performance. This advanced level course focuses on the lean and more integrated practices that enable extraordinary results such as delivering NetZero building at no additional cost.

Three main learning objectives are:

1. Why not set the bar high like Net Zero Energy at Net Zero additional cost?
2. How to deliver exceptional projects by creating a highly collaborative team
3. Manage with discipline using the Last Planner System & Target Value Design

Details: The Lean to be Green Facilitator course is an in depth exploration of how to deliver higher performance at less cost. (50-hour online course, Introductory cost of $375)

Online Course Introduction

How to create a Championship Team

The essential elements to create a Championship Team are to have a project with a worthwhile purpose; hire people that are in pursuit of mastery and will commit to delivering a championship performance. This module will provide the methods and strategies for creating and managing a team to achieve performance.

Implement a System for Getting Work Done

To be effective in delivering a project or managing a business there needs to be systems that enable collaboration and productive work to occur. We will learn how The Last Planner System and Target Cost Design contribute to creating VALUE, improve productivity and profits.

Collaborate to Create a WOW Project

 In this section we explore tools and strategies that enable teams to take their game to that next level and deliver projects like the Mosaic Center that respect the triple bottom line  economics and are able to deliver Net 0 levels of performance at Net Zero additional cost.

If you are interested in learning how to facilitate the implementation high performance projects at less cost, please contact Murray Guy

Contact .... Murray Guy aka @Lean_tobe_Green | mguy@i-designs.ca
Online Training LEAN LAB
High Performance Building Services: Integrated Designs
NetZero Home Building: EcoSmart