A Review on Lean Principles in Offsite Construction (OSC) Manufacturing Stage: Perspectives from New Zealand

Monica Shrivastava¹, Monty Sutrisna¹, Wajiha Mohsin Shahzad¹

1. Massey University

Published in Proceedings of the International Conference on Smart and Sustainable Built Environment (SASBE 2024), edited by Ali GhaffarianHoseini, Amirhosein GhaffarianHoseini, Farzad Rahimian and Mahesh Babu Purushothaman. Springer Nature, Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering, volume 591, 2025, pages 160 to 169. DOI 10.1007/978-981-96-4051-5_16.

Abstract

The global construction sector has experienced an average annual growth in labour productivity at 1%, compared to a 3.6% increase in manufacturing in the last two decades. New Zealand’s construction sector (NZCS), second-largest GDP contributor, ranked eighth in productivity among fifteen industries between 1996 and 2021. To address this productivity gap, offsite construction (OSC) emerges as a promising alternative, offering time and cost savings. Research also indicates that applying lean principles has potential to further enhance productivity of OSC. Hence, conducting an in-depth study of bringing together lean principles and OSC in NZCS is important. Therefore, this study aims to synthesise scholarly research on the synergy between lean principles and OSC in NZCS. The research aim was achieved by investigating the potential barriers and enablers of adopting lean practices within OSC, through a systematic literature review utilising the Scopus database. Subsequently, a thematic analysis was conducted. The research explained potential barriers and enablers in applying lean strategies, like standardisation, 5S, and value stream mapping (VSM) in OSC stages. As found, the key barriers were (i) lack of willingness to adapt to changes and (ii) improper training on lean, whereas the key enablers were (i) training managers and labourers on lean and (ii) lean policy implementation. The initial findings are intended to foster innovation in the New Zealand construction sector, enhancing its competitiveness.

Keywords

Session

Presented in Track B, Friday 8 November 2024, 11:00 to 13:00, room WA 224 B, Auckland University of Technology. Session chair Assoc. Prof. Pernille Christensen.

How to Cite

Shrivastava, M., Sutrisna, M., & Shahzad, W. M. (2025). A Review on Lean Principles in Offsite Construction (OSC) Manufacturing Stage: Perspectives from New Zealand. In A. GhaffarianHoseini, A. GhaffarianHoseini, F. Rahimian, & M. B. Purushothaman (Eds.), Proceedings of the International Conference on Smart and Sustainable Built Environment (SASBE 2024) (Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering, Vol. 591, pp. 160–169). Springer Nature Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-96-4051-5_16

About the Conference

Presented at SASBE 2024, the International Conference on Smart and Sustainable Built Environment, held in Auckland from 7 to 9 November 2024 and chaired by Professors Ali and Amirhosein GhaffarianHoseini, founders of GDI Academy. The version of record is published by Springer Nature; this page is the conference archive record kept by GDI Academy.