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Lean Design& Building Industry

Emile Quanjel


‘the first steps towards change is recognition’ (Deepak Chopra 1995)

To discuss probable solutions to increase the quality of the built environment for the future, first we need to analyze the typology of the facts and constrains related to the problems the building industry has to face. Without recognition of the several negative aspects there will be no awareness of the problems and so to change the situation will be even more difficult.
Three types of problems are presented. The first is the amount of failure costs, which runs up to 10,3% of the total amount of market exposure in the building industry, about € 5,000,000.- each year (USP Marketing Consultancy 2004). Second problem is the waste production: about 50% of all produced waste is produced by the building industry and the building industry uses about 40% of the energy in the world (Kristinsson 2002). Third main aspect is that of ‘change’ of the circumstances related to the environment. More different clients with different requirements are involved, more new and different technologies-products-materials are introduced and more different participants with different responsibilities-knowledge design and construct the environment. This causes a growing gab between the ‘abstract’ and the ‘real world’ (van Dinten 2006, Quanjel&Zeiler 2003).
If the building industry wants to work on these aspects, because of the complexity, an integral approach is needed. Much research is already done in this field. The integral approach is a simultaneously approach within the several domains of society; context, organization, process, product (Friedl 2001), with the use of the knowledge-triangle practice, education and research (Quanjel&Zeiler 2003). Within this context three typologies of solutions are suggested. The first one is design related and introduces ‘the methodic design’ (van den Kroonenberg 1978), developed and used in the engineering industry, which has to be transformed in order to ‘work in the field of the building industry. Secondly a more process-product related tool is proposed; Industrial Flexible Demountable / Durability. Actually a tool-box introduced by the Dutch Government but based on several other studies and experience (Habraken 1961, IFD 2000). Finally ‘Learning by doing’, as an effective tool for the knowledge exchange, is introduced (Schön 1983). By using workshops professionals, students as well as researchers can be trained in a realistic setting and expand there knowledge and skills needed for the changing future requirements for users of the build environment (Savanovic˛ 2005).

References
- Dinten, W.L. van, (2006), Met gevoel voor realiteit, over herkennen van betekenis bij organiseren, Eburon Academic Publishers, Delft.
- Friedl G., (2001), Modellering van het ontwerpproces; een process-choreografie, ADMS publicatie 15 , Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), Eindhoven.
- Habraken, J. (1961), De dragers en de mensen, het einde van de massawoningbouw, Scheltema&Holkema n.v.,Amsterdam.
- IFD-Bouwen Demonstratieprojecten 1999 (2000), SEV, Rotterdam.
- Kristinsson, J. (2002), Integraal Ontwerpen – vitale archiectuur, Aeneas, Deventer.
- Kroonenberg, H.H. van den, (1978) "Methodisch Ontwerpen", Faculteit der Werkuigbouwkunde, Diktaat Universiteit Twente, University of Twente (UT).
- Quanjel, E. and Zeiler, W. (2003) Eindrapportage Onderzoek Integraal Ontwerpen, University of Technology Delft (TUD), Delft, May 2003.
- Savanovic´, P., Zeiler,W., Trum, H.M.G.J., Borsboom, W.A., (2005), Integral design methodology in the context of sustainable comfort systems – Design Integration, Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) and TNO Built Environment and Geosciences, Eindhoven.
- Schön, D.A., (1983), The reflective practitioner: how professionals think in action, London, Temle Smith.
- USP Marketing Consultancy,(2004), Bussiness Issues: Vernieuwing in de bouwsector, wie durft?, juni 2004,

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February 11, 2007

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