Achieving sustainability through reducing risks during architecture design process: A lean management perspective

Abstract

The construction industry, as one of the largest industries in the world, plays a critical role in achieving national and international social and economic sustainable development goals. Socially, it is concerned with delivering long-term projects that turn client and end-user requirements into designs that specify technical aspects, functional specific requirements, and standards of quality. Economically, the construction industry contributes to a country's gross domestic product (GDP) by creating jobs and providing the country's infrastructure. the construction industry's nature is more vulnerable than other industries. This is believed to be due to the complex and dynamic nature of construction projects, as well as the involvement of a large number of participants and organisations with varying goals and priorities. The architectural design process is a crucial stage in the life cycle of a construction project. This is due to the fact that decisions made during this phase have an impact on the project throughout its life cycle. Failure to consider risk factors during this phase will have an impact on the project's sustainability. Although Lean Management has been successfully applied in many sectors of the construction industry, its application in the design process has received far less attention than in construction literature. Accordingly, this research aims to investigate the role of lean management towards achieving sustainability through reducing risks during the architectural design process.