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
Infrastructure Transport

Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train Set to Launch by 2028

India’s first bullet train is set to revolutionize high-speed travel along the western corridor, with the Mumbai-Ahmedabad high-speed rail project aiming for a 2028 launch. This announcement marks a major milestone in India’s infrastructure goals, as it promises to reduce travel time between the two economic hubs from eight hours to just three.Spanning a planned 508-kilometre stretch, the corridor stands as a flagship example of Indo-Japanese collaboration in technology and engineering. Once operational, the train is expected to transform intercity mobility and place India among the select..

Next Story
Infrastructure Transport

Mumbai-Gandhinagar Train Service Enhances Passenger Capacity

The Mumbai Central–Gandhinagar Capital Vande Bharat Express has increased its passenger capacity by adding four additional AC chair car coaches to meet the growing commuter demand on one of India’s busiest business corridors. This upgrade, effective from 11 May, raised the train’s seating capacity from 1,128 to 1,440 passengers, allowing it to serve 936 more passengers daily in both directions. The increase was described as a practical measure to accommodate the surging demand on the busy Mumbai–Ahmedabad–Gandhinagar route, which regularly operates at over 150 percent seat occupancy...

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

Delhi Plans 12 Sewage Plants to Clean Najafgarh Drain Efficiently

Delhi’s ambitious plan to improve the water quality of the Yamuna River has gained significant momentum as the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) has begun work on 12 new sewage treatment plants (STPs) aimed at reducing the volume of untreated sewage being discharged from the Najafgarh Drain.This initiative forms part of the ongoing efforts to clean the Yamuna and restore the river’s health, which has long been a critical environmental issue for the national capital. Given the alarming pollution levels in the Yamuna, experts and officials consider this project a vital step toward addressing the persist..

Advertisement

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Talk to us?