A Solution to Control Waste in Construction
Steel

A Solution to Control Waste in Construction

With Lean thinking and techniques, there are cost savings by control of waste. Here, Prakash Patil, Secretary General, Institute for Lean Construction Excellence (ILCE), and Vice President-Projects, Tata Realty and Infrastructure, cites an example: “Suppose you are using a tower crane, you can track the amount of time it is in use, and accordingly use it for other purposes to optimise. Similarly, when you buy steel and other materials or equipment, they, at times, lie on site for months. But if properly tracked, you call for the steel just in time and save huge on cost of money as well as storage space. Stakeholders of any project lose in the range of 20 per cent on cost due to such wastes, which can be avoided.”

In agreement, Kamal Hadker, Chairman and Managing Director, Sterling Engineering Consultancy Services, points out that Lean helps save storage space at site. In India, machinery lies idle half the time but the cost gets loaded onto the project. As an example, he says, “If I need 2,400 tonne of cement at an interval of a month, I would keep replenishing it rather than storing it. Then, I don’t need a large storage godown at site.” He recalls the time, when designing a hotel building, that he questioned the client whether they were sure the hotel rooms would be required by the time the project was complete. “We then designed the building such that it could be used for a hotel and also converted into an office building. So, it is important that these things are embodied in the design itself.” 

- SERAPHINA D’SOUZA

With Lean thinking and techniques, there are cost savings by control of waste. Here, Prakash Patil, Secretary General, Institute for Lean Construction Excellence (ILCE), and Vice President-Projects, Tata Realty and Infrastructure, cites an example: “Suppose you are using a tower crane, you can track the amount of time it is in use, and accordingly use it for other purposes to optimise. Similarly, when you buy steel and other materials or equipment, they, at times, lie on site for months. But if properly tracked, you call for the steel just in time and save huge on cost of money as well as storage space. Stakeholders of any project lose in the range of 20 per cent on cost due to such wastes, which can be avoided.”In agreement, Kamal Hadker, Chairman and Managing Director, Sterling Engineering Consultancy Services, points out that Lean helps save storage space at site. In India, machinery lies idle half the time but the cost gets loaded onto the project. As an example, he says, “If I need 2,400 tonne of cement at an interval of a month, I would keep replenishing it rather than storing it. Then, I don’t need a large storage godown at site.” He recalls the time, when designing a hotel building, that he questioned the client whether they were sure the hotel rooms would be required by the time the project was complete. “We then designed the building such that it could be used for a hotel and also converted into an office building. So, it is important that these things are embodied in the design itself.” - SERAPHINA D’SOUZA

Next Story
Real Estate

The Only Way is Up!

In 2025, India’s real-estate market will be driven by a confluence of economic, demographic and policy-driven factors. Among these, Boman Irani, President, CREDAI National, counts rapid urbanisation, the rise of the middle class, policy reforms like RERA and GST rationalisation, and the Government’s decision to allow 100 per cent FDI in construction development projects (including townships, housing, built-up infrastructure, and real-estate broking services).In the top metros, especially Bengaluru, followed by Hyderabad and Pune, the key drivers will continue to be job creation a..

Next Story
Building Material

Organisations valuing gender diversity achieve higher profitability

The building materials industry is projected to grow by 8-12 per cent over the next five years. How is Aparna Enterprises positioning itself to leverage this momentum and solidify its market presence?The Indian construction and building materials industry is projected to witness significant expansion, with estimates suggesting an 8-12 per cent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over the next five years. This growth is fuelled by rapid urbanisation, increased infrastructure investments and sustainability-focused policies. With India's real-estate market expected to reach $ 1 trillion by 2030, t..

Next Story
Real Estate

Dealing with Delays

Delays have beleaguered many a construction project in India, hampering the country from building to its ability and potential, and leading to additional costs incurred by the contractor. The reasons for delayIn India, delays mainly occur owing to obtaining statutory approvals, non-provisioning of right of way, utility diversion and approval of drawings and design. Delays are broadly classified based on responsibility and effect. Excusable delays arise from factors beyond the contractor’s control, such as force majeure events or employer-induced delays. These delays generally entitle th..

Advertisement

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Talk to us?