https://doi.org/10.24928/2024/0192

Evaluating the Awareness of Designing Out Waste in Construction: A Lean–Green Synergy

Sena Assaf¹, Farah Ezzedine², Amal Nahle³, Hala Zahr⁴ & Farook Hamzeh⁵

¹Ph.D. Student, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, [email protected], https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3256-3310
²Civil Engineer, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon, [email protected], https://orcid.org/0009-0001-6668-4631
³Civil Engineer, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon, [email protected], https://orcid.org/0009-0006-2591-1873
⁴Civil Engineer, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon, [email protected], https://orcid.org/0009-0009-9122-4205
⁵Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, [email protected], https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3986-9534

Abstract

The construction industry generates millions of tons of material waste annually throughout a project’s life cycle. In Lebanon, one million tons of Construction and Demolition Waste were generated during the years 2009 and 2010. To support organizations in enhancing their environmental efficiency, the Green paradigm has emerged. Such a paradigm can be complemented with the Lean management approach paving the way for a Lean-Green synergy. This synergy is based on the alignment of the two approaches on the need to minimize waste, in its different forms, as well as maximize stakeholder value; the client, and the environment. As such, this paper introduces the concept of the Design out Waste (DoW) approach. This approach aims to improve the sustainability aspect of a project, throughout its lifecycle and starting from the early design phase, supported by Lean tools and principles. Specifically, the aim of this paper is to investigate the current state and examine the level of awareness of implementing DoW principles in the Lebanese construction industry through conducting surveys. The survey results showed a low level of awareness of the DoW approach among practitioners in Lebanon with little attention given to waste minimization when making decisions.

Keywords

Lean construction, Green construction, sustainability, Lean-Green synergy, waste minimization

Files

Reference

Assaf, S. , Ezzedine, F. , Nahle, A. , Zahr, H. & Hamzeh, F. 2024. Evaluating the Awareness of Designing Out Waste in Construction: A Lean–Green Synergy, Proceedings of the 32nd Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC 32) , 1015-1026. doi.org/10.24928/2024/0192

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