34th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC 34) - Singapore, Singapore - 2026

https://doi.org/10.24928/2026/0292

How distributed construction reshapes production systems: defining a hybrid delivery model

Tran Duong Nguyen1, Pardis Pishdad2, Akshath R. Udumula3 & Todd Ullom4

1Ph.D. Candidate, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, United States, [email protected], https://bc.gatech.edu/people/tran-nguyen, orcid.org/0000-0002-0024-4828
2Ph.D., Professor, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, United States, [email protected], https://bc.gatech.edu/people/pardis-pishdad, orcid.org/0000-0003-4208-9755
3Graduate Student, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, United States, [email protected], orcid.org/0009-0004-6550-336X
4Vice President, MiTek Incorporation, Atlanta, GA, United States of America, [email protected]

Abstract

The construction industry continues to struggle with productivity and coordination despite ongoing advances in methods and technology. While Lean Construction has improved workflow reliability within individual projects, most efforts remain project-specific and do not address how production is organized across projects. This paper focuses on this gap by examining how construction production systems can be structured more effectively. The study develops a conceptual framework for Distributed Construction (DC), defined as a production approach that combines centralized coordination with distributed execution. Drawing on Lean production theory and industry-informed insights, the framework outlines key system components, including production nodes, coordination logic, and material preparation processes. The results suggest that shifting preparation and sequencing activities upstream can improve workflow stability at construction sites, reduce fragmentation, and support learning across multiple projects. Rather than relying on large, centralized factories, DC enables a flexible network of coordinated production environments. The main contribution of this paper is to position DC as a production system design problem, extending Lean Construction thinking beyond its traditional focus on project-level coordination. The paper concludes by highlighting areas for future research, particularly the need for empirical validation and systematic evaluation of performance outcomes.

Keywords

Distributed construction, lean construction, production system design, industrialized construction, construction productivity.

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Reference in APA 7th edition format:

Nguyen, T. D., Pishdad, P., Udumula, A. R. & Ullom, T.. (2026). How distributed construction reshapes production systems: defining a hybrid delivery model. In Hamzeh, F., Poshdar, M., & Garcia-Lopez,, N. P. (Eds.), Proceedings of the 34th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC 34) (pp. 1797–1809). https://doi.org/10.24928/2026/0292

Shortened reference for use in IGLC papers:

Nguyen, T. D., Pishdad, P., Udumula, A. R. & Ullom, T.. (2026). How distributed construction reshapes production systems: defining a hybrid delivery model. IGLC34. https://doi.org/10.24928/2026/0292

 

Founded in 1993, the IGLC is an international network of researchers from practice and academia in architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) who feel that the practice, education, and research of the AEC industry have to be radically renewed in order to respond to the global challenges ahead.

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